Thursday, October 16, 2014

A Sewing Box full of Memories!

Recently, I was given my mom's old sewing box.  It is is a wooden accordion type sewing box.   It has edelweiss and other flowers painted and carved into the top and sides.  I remember as a small child that I was fascinated by it!  When my mom would open it up to get something she needed I was always taking a peek and amazed at how it would open to allow it's owner to see it all of it contents. 









It still  contained  some items that probably have been there for some time.  It was almost like going thru a time capsule.  I found one of those metal yard stick rulers that rolls up!  I think they were from from the 50's and 60s.


I found a tape measure in metric measurements that was made in Switzerland. My parents immigrated from Austria in 1952 and this sewing box was one of few treasures that she brought with her.


My parents with my brother and sister arriving on the train
The back side is color coded to mark off every 10 centimeters!


There was a straight razor made by E Weck and Son NY made in the USA. Having gone thru WW2 in Europe, I remember my mom using this to take apart clothing to repurpose the fabric.  She told us stories of how hard life became during WW2 and that they became very resourceful repurposing things just to have something to wear. 

A metal bandaid box filled with buttons. You don't see those anymore.  I bet everyone can remember someone in your family using them to hold their treasures.

At the very bottom there was what I thought was a deck of cards.  A closer look told me I was wrong.  It was a deck of famous actors.  Most of them have german names and the writing on the back is in german.  So my guess these were cards people would collect.  A few were recognizable names:  Greta Garbo, Claudette Colbert and  Joan Crawford,  What fun!  There were also three Hopalong Cassidy Wild West trading cards that came from Post cereal boxes and are dated 1951. 


All of these items I think will stay in the sewing box,  it just seems fitting to me. But I will also be using it to store my sewing notions.  As I reread this post, I realize that none of these things are of much value, but they are to me.  They are a reminder of an earlier day, much like a family quilt that contains fabrics from our ancestors clothing.  I am not sure how you put a value on something like that, I really don't think you can.  I am just thankful that I can enjoy using it everyday and relish in the memories that it brings back for me.

 

14 comments:

  1. what treasures to you now and incredible memories this has for you. So glad you own it now
    Kathie

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  2. I think your sewing box is a priceless treasure.. as it was to your mom who brought it with her :) Congrats on adding this to your daily stitching adventures :) Now your family can be with you every day! Kathi

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  3. wow what an amazing box of treasures! I love the expanding box, very pretty and practical.
    I wish band-aids still came in tin boxes they were useful!
    that razor is crazy - very sweeny todd.

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  4. Oh what a treasure! I hope some day my daughter will find mine as special.

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  5. The sewing box is a treasure. I have seen accordion style sewing boxes in antique shops but never one with decorations. The cards you found may have some value but none so great a value as the memories they hold for you.

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  6. Ohhh, just love your "box full of memories" posting. what a wonderful remembrance to treasure. those decorations are just lovely. Hugs, Julierose

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  7. Oh my! What a wonderful family treasure. How pretty and so Swiss with the handpainted flowers. I have never seen one like that. The photo of your parents is also special. Their faces are happy and full of hope.

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  8. What a fabulous sewing box Carla! I enjoyed your post, sharing some of your family history. I have some similar items that I prize so much from my grandmother.

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  9. Lucky for you! This has so much meaning, on so many levels--and it's extra-special because you won't just let it sit, you'll use it and continue the family tradition.

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  10. What fun to see all of the treasures in your sewing box. So many memories that you will have forever!

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  11. What a beautiful sewing box! And memories :-)
    xx

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  12. The value is priceless :)

    I've never seen a box like that. No wonder you were fascinated as a child..I'm fascinated as an adult! :)

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  13. Oh, my goodness! Thanks for sharing. You are so lucky to have inherited this. Oh, and those cards might be cigarette cards. I have a couple of little packs of cards of a different theme that were issued in cigarette packages.

    I love stuff like that sewing box. Sometimes for my birthday and for Christmas my daughter gives me used treasures like that from some unknown person's sewing box. It's funny how people kept buttons, etc. in different containers like matchboxes, bandaid boxes, glass pill bottles and such.

    I love old photos too. I'm the family genealogist!

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  14. It's beautiful. What a nice keepsake!

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