Pretty Boxes

Over the years I've admired so-called «French» boxes, some covered with papers, some with fabric. I have used this little red and blue book box to hold my reenactor sewing items. It has been a joy to acquire bone implements like my knotting shuttle, awl and bodkin. Others items were gifts like the horn fish thread winder and the beeswax heart. It usually resides in the basket I won in the «Bonne Espouse» contest at Fort de Chartres.


Recently I found a larger box with a tray inside on eBay--it was in terrible shape. Isn't it amazing what a little fresh wallpaper adds? This box is big enough to sit chairside and holds my latest small needlework projects.
Keep your eye out for usable treasures to recover; find an exquisite fabric or wallpaper with your favorite colors and use it to coordinate with the quilting and needlework you create for your home--years of pleasure await you …

Teaching Granddaughters to Sew

My three granddaughters, Rachel (Illinois), Eva (Minnesota) and September (Idaho) will each soon be receiving their own little «Singers», a rag doll and basic clothing for the dollies. With the gift of the Singers, I hope their mommies will teach them to sew more doll clothes and to quilt (patchwork)--after all, those dollies will need something warm to sleep under. The first item I learned to sew was a nine patch doll quilt on my grandmother's Singer treadle.

I am so thankful for the net and for other bloggers who have shared their wants and needs--if it weren't for au Fil rouge, I would not have known such a wonderful «toy» was available. And thanks also goes to the wonderful international carrier pigeon, eBay.com , for bringing a worldwide garage sale (jumble, tag, flea market) to my computer screen.