Found

While cleaning out my aunt’s apartment, my sister and I found some pretty neat things. It’s not like she had lots and lots of stuff because she didn’t. In fact, when she moved into the apartment she pared her things down a lot. So what we found must have been important to her.

These old needle books were found in her sewing box. I believe two of them were give-aways. The other one was 25 cents! Both the blue sewing kit and the Farmer Needlebook say they were made in Germany. I wonder how old they are?

Needle books on wandasknottythoughts
Needle books found in her sewing box

You can see these needles were used. Check out the huge needle on the right! My aunt was ready for any sewing problems that came up.

Needle book needles on wandasknottythoughts
Needle books

We also found these cute little change purses! What a fun idea! My aunt was in the Red Hat Society for many years, so I’m sure that’s where she got the one and maybe the other. Have you ever seen this idea before? (The shuttle is there as a size reference only)

Little sock change purses on wandasknottythoughts
Little sock change purses

This bookmark that I gave my aunt in 2017 for Easter we found in her desk. I know it was from 2017 because she wrote the date on the back and then laminated it. The lamination flattened the tatting but it is very sweet that she wanted to keep it nice.

Easter bunny bookmark on wandasknottythoughts
Easter bunny bookmark

I’m very glad we finally finished cleaning out the apartment. There are so many things we put on hold when this came up so we could take care of it, but family does what is needed.

I had started doing some cleaning at my house before I was needed elsewhere and I’ve been finding a lot of things I didn’t expect. It’s funny sometimes what you find that you have forgotten about. Check out this picture of me from Christmas 1994.

Tatted tie from Christmas 1990s on wandasknottythoughts
Tatted tie from Christmas 1994

The tie I’m wearing is something I made for one of my daughters several years previous to this. I dreamed it up when she had a special dress-up day at school and needed a tie. This makes me want to look for the picture of her wearing the tie! The teddy bear is wearing a collar I had made for my mother-in-law that really wasn’t big enough for her. But it fit the bear very nicely!

I still have a lot of cleaning that needs to be done at my house. It will be interesting to see what else I find.

“When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on.” Franklin D. Roosevelt

Gifts

Paperclip bookmark gift on wandasknottythoughts
Paperclip bookmark gift

One of my aunts just had a birthday. She has enjoyed paperclip bookmarks I have previously given her and recently indicated she would like more.  What could be a better birthday gift?

She was quite happy with these. Unlike a couple of other paperclip bookmarks I have made before, the tatting on these will stay up-right on these most of the time.

My mother-in-law passed away several years ago. Recently my father-in-law started going through his possessions as he prepared to move out of the house. There were a lot of tatted items I had gifted her that he no longer had a place for. This collar is one of them.

Tatted collar in DMC ecru size 30 on wandasknottythoughts
Tatted collar

I’m not sure just how long ago I made this for her, maybe 15? 20 years ago? I know it is made in DMC Cebelia size 30 Ecru (I had a lot of this thread).  The pattern is in a book that I cannot locate at the moment so I can’t tell you exactly where it is. I have looked through the patterns listed on Craftree, where there are several that are very similar. The center edge does not match the patterns I located there.

She wore it several times I know.  I washed and pinned it out when I got it. I am trying to decide which shirt I should put this on. I definitely plan on wearing it.

I have been tatting a lot, just not posting. I have so many things I want to do I have a hard time staying with one project long enough to finish it. I am working on the ornament I put in Christmas cards. After much adjusting and tweaking, I have it figured out – I think!

Thanksgiving is this week – how time flies! My side of the family will be our get-together at our house. I have so much to do to get the house ready! I’d rather be tatting than cleaning house, but I don’t have a lot of choice on what I have to do.  I mean, we need the table to eat at.

Wishing you all a blessed Thanksgiving.

“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” William Arther Ward  https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/william_arthur_ward_676240?src=t_thanksgiving