Interesting thoughts on the modern emancipated woman - I went to a girls' grammar where the expectation was to go to university and have a career (back in the 70's), and yet we also learned to dressmake, draft patterns, use a sewing machine; and I think this was a leftover from the days when making your own clothes was very much the norm. I made quite a lot of my wardrobe, because you could, quite cheaply. I did notice the gradual sidelining of crafts over the years; we cross-stitchers often got comments about it being for grannies, as if that were a bad thing. For me, feminism was about choice, and I think that decrying crafts actually removes part of that choice. Crafty and carry on, it's life-enriching!

I would imagine the pockets are to replace mens trouser pockets as they were always wearing through where money and keys rub holes. The plastic and other squares of fabric were to patch elbows and knees on trousers and jackets/jumpers. Love seeing all this.☺

You must have inherited your grandma’s sewing abilities. What a great gift to be given by your family. The pencil with the brush is exactly what you think it is.

That is such a sweet treasure ! I have been seeing a long time since 8 years old. I used to help my maternal gran by learning to clean and iron and cook cakes. One item I cleaned was the sideboard .the top drawer was for miscellany and sewing items. I loved to sort the needle packs she had from WWI and WWII. Very colorful with ladies and kittens and patriotic rationing phrases. Like wear it out make do do without . I have a thimbal my paternal gran used on her under hand to quilt with. I watched everything she did to make quilts and piece. I got my stash shopping flea markets and estate sales . Tins and boxes . Antique stores also have a back corner at times for looking for treasures. I've found enough for 10 people including collectible Singer scissors case given with purchase of Special edition treadle machine. It's suede zipped and contains gold deco scissors including metal needle threader. The handles are snakes biting tails ! I've found Stirling scissors in the $ bin at fleas . Pincushions and tapes of all kinds. They are fun to use since I have memories of my grand's as I work .

The white pencil is a chalk pencil and the brush on the end wipes the chalk away. Maybe you could get shadow box frames and make a display of some of the items. That is something I've always wanted to do but just haven't made the time yet. So much fun to see your finds.

i inherited my grandmother's sewing gear as well. she was born in 1912 and died in 1994, so i have had it for quite some time. i also purchased a lot of a seamstresses supplies at an estate sale about 10 years ago. i found lace that is 40 years+ and a zipper from the 20s! i love having these old pieces.

I have many fond memories of playing in and with my Granny's tin of buttons. My Mom had the expandable box like that. Thanks for sharing. It brought back many cherished memories for me.

What lovely treasures You are so lucky to have received the sewing box The pencil is a chalk pencil and the blue things from the package The hexagon is for making a hexagon quilt If you go to the last homely house KZfaq channel she makes hexagon quilts check it out The other things are guides and measures for hand crafts like the crochet etc You should definitely get a picture frame shadow box and put some of the items in the frame to make a keepsake picture to hang in your sewing room Like the pattern, one pretty wooden spool of thread , one thimble etc choose a few things To display Definitely keep the packages they are treasures I am sentimental so would hang on most of it You are very lucky to have these You will enjoy the good scissors and the tracing wheel It will make using these things a pleasure knowing your granny used them as well Happy sewing

What a lovely treasure trove to be handed down. I loved all of the things that your Granny has in her sewing box. I remember the quality street tin. Beautiful things to keep. X

Thank you! You’re so sweet to share with us your Grandma’s sewing box. Very nostalgic. I remember Woolworth.

I really enjoyed seeing your granny’s treasures. My favourite is the thimbles. They are so special and when you put one on know your grannies hand has been there as well ❤️

Thank you for sharing! I love things from our Grandparents ♥️

Such wonderful items and what’s even better, are the memories connected to each and every one! Thank you for sharing with us!

I remember that nylon zips were a cheap addition to trousers and shorts but they had a tendency to burst open. Metal zips were more expensive but more durable. Some didn't look new so perhaps test them out before inserting them. I member at ages 3 and four I loved sorting out my mom's buttons. Have fun.

What a lovely piece.

Always fascinating to find the old tools and accessories especially as heirloom treasures. Though the cotton threads may be weaker than they once were. They age and become brittle.

Keep as much as possible. It's worth a fortune! I have my mother's sewing things. You won't believe what even a silver pincushion goes for today. One of the thimbles in that thimble box looks like it's a silver one. I have one similar, the one with flowers on. Enjoy the nostalgia. I repeat!! Don't get rid of anything! You must keep it and pass it on to your children one day! Old cotton reels with cotton on is very special! Don't use it! Lots of love all the way from Sweden!

Wonderful treasures. The long singer thing looks like part of a set up to attach to sewing machine for making circles

Thank you for sharing this special treasure! As the only of my siblings to have picked up sewing I inherited my mother’s sewing goodies when she passed away. She put all her button sets together with thin gold wire - I have three mason jars full of buttons. I use items that were hers all the time and it warms my heart each time. Enjoy the memories!

I learnt to sew on a hand-crank Singer sewing machine from about the age of 10 in the 1960s (and am still loving sewing to this day!) and your treasure trove really took me back. The pockets were replacement pockets, meant for men's suit trousers when they got holes in them from coins, keys, etc. Womans Weekly always had knitting patterns in every week, and also very often they had offers for sewing patterns to send for, and also something that you don't find now - "cut out and ready to sew" where the fabric was already cut out and marked for you. What happened about your fabric that was going into ladders and holes within the garment that you mentioned in a recent vlog?

Hi Lizzie!! Wonderful vlog.. What a fabulous treasure trove handed down from your nanny.. The thimbles are priceless, hope you keep them all.. I’d keep as much as possible because it’s all nostalgic & when you use it just think your nanny’s hands was on the item too.... 💜💜💜🧵🧵🧵

How wonderful I am 68 and wonder if any of my family will enjoy looking at my sewing stuff could the contact tape be for patches perhaps on worn elbows .I have a Elna sewing machine which was bought for me in my early twenties and I used it right up to 2018 and it still works great. Really enjoyed this video thanks for sharing.

Those contact pieces of fabric are used on the inside of clothes to mend tears. You cut a piece bigger that the tear and of a colour close to what needs to be mended. You iron the patch on the fabric. They were used mainly for thicker woven fabric like jeans

Lovely to see the contents of your sewing box. My granny was a domestic science teacher and my mum was also a very good dressmaker. I have inherited both their sewing boxes and use a lot of their old tools daily! I think they used the pockets to mend men’s pockets that got holes in them. My mum used to do that - rather then they be used for making a new garment. I have a green felt needle case with a bunny on it that I made aged 6 (I’m now 61!) and I wonder if you nanny actually made it herself as a child. It was often the first project a child was taught to sew. Diana

I vote you hang on to most items. I'm addition to the nostalgia, it will be very priceless as time goes on, and it's a beautiful piece of history in very lovely condition! Thank you for sharing!

What a lovely box of treasures. I remember my mum having a marking pencil like the one with the brush. I love the tights mending thread I feel its something that could be used today rather than throwing away so much.

The trouser pockets were sewn in when the original ones had worn holes in them. I had a pickaby pencil I think. As you guessed it was for marking and the brush end was to brush off the marks when you'd finished with them.

Hi, As an older sewer this was so interesting, full of reminiscences. Thank you for doing these videos.

Thank you for showing this sewing basket I love them ; they hold beading supplies very well the loom beafing.love your videos.

What a lovely video to watch. The joy as you discovered each sewing tool or little trinket your Nanny has was so lovely. I was gifted my husbands Nanny’s sewing box and it was like looking through history when I was given it. Sadly I found some of the threads weren’t useable as they’d been left for so long they’d worn and weren’t strong enough. I’ve kept them though because they’re so beautiful xx

Thank you for sharing this wonderful treasurer with us. From the item you shared, it looks like your Nanny was a practical lady. The thimble pot has heirlooms in it - that floral thimble is the bomb! I wondered whether that yellow column in the thimble pot is thread wax. The string of buttons you showed are stunning - love that 1930's green. The note to your grandfather asking him to speak with his wife about the machine was for me, both nostalgic and a relic. Thankfully today, the technician in the machine repair place can direct their recommendations to the user of the machine no matter their gender.

I have my mother in law’s sewing box just like yours! Lots of goodies came with hers too, she sewed most of her 5 children’s clothes and made all of their quilts. It’s a precious item and still being used, we are blessed to have it. Thank you for sharing yours 💖

The contact tape is for repairing tears. I always keep various colours in my sewing box - very useful stuff. Likewise the pockets are for replacing worn pockets in men's ready to wear trousers.

Just received my Gran's box a few months ago. It's a less expensive reproduction, and I'm loving the black accents on yours.

Hello from West Virginia! Thank you for sharing this I want to make something similar and teach my daughter how to sew. ❤

lovely for you to have and appreciate your nans sewing collection. Love the old tins too I remember them first time round. Once empty you could use the wooden cotton reels to wind your homemade bias binding on.

Love this sort of thing, thank you! I used to go to Woolworth's for sweets on a Saturday morning as a kid too, good memories.

Greetings from Florida. What a precious gift! I have some of my mom's old sewing things. She died at 70 (36 years ago) and I will hit that mark in a few months. I especially treasure the items with her handwriting. I also found a packet of needles that I used in 8th grade Home Economics class. Some info on one of the things that you were asking about: Singercraft Guide, on pinterest site » Knitting-and.com, The UK Singercraft Guide Instructions , Sarah Bradbury has a downloadable user guide. There is also a youtube video by Markofashion on using the tool to sew a throw rug. It currently is listed on etsy at upwards of $70 (one is listed at $135). A very cool tool! Looking forward to any more videos from you! Stay safe and take care.

You were showing us the shirring info, against those metal zippers, which are expensive to buy nowadays. It really looks like she harvested them from old clothing, the zipper tape is a bit tore up for being new. That wax pencil with a brush took me back. Used them sewing as a kid. And as someone said, yes, it’s what you think. And someone else mentioned the cotton thread......it’s not useable. But pretty! There are thimble collectors, but not worth ‘lots of money’. Almost more worth sentimentality.

Such fun. I love the idea of sewing those buttons together! Also, wouldn't it be fun it you made some trousers or shorts of some sort and used those pockets? Thanks for taking me along!

These are amazing for you to own and you are so lucky to have them . I have all my mum's craft and sewing related items including the machines . I will never part with any of them and just hope one day my daughter or grandchildren keep them. Loved seeing all treasure and you can still buy pocket linings . The quality street tin my grandmother had when I was a child I can remember being fastenated with how pretty it is .

I got my sewing box, just like your nanny’s, from Golden Hands, a magazine, in 1971. It cost 75 shillings, or £3.75, which was a lot at the time.

Lovely vlog. I envy you your treasures. As one of 14 children, we didn't really have old treasures to enjoy.

It's interesting to see what your Granny used for sewing. I have inherited various sewing supplies over the years too. I recommend using the metal zips for pouches. Noodlehead has some very good free tutorials. You can also shorten them with scissors/pliars if you need different lengths. Thanks for sharing.

I wonder what happened to my grandmother's sewing things.... She didn't particularly like sewing, but she always sewed, mainly aprons and skirts for everyday wear. I imagine they were donated to charity, the family really rushed sorting out her things when she went into full time care. I would have been the only granddaughter interested in her sewing things....

What a lovely video! I loved seeing the thimbles and the buttons. My grandmother also sewed (she studied dressmaking at vocation school) and had a treadle sewing machine, that unfortunately has disappeared as she died over fifteen years ago and none of her children and grandchildren at the time know how to sew. I wonder what that metal Singer thing was.

Just viewing this: color tape you held up was used for patches. Usually irons on. The pencil with white chalk was used in marking and the brush would brush it off. It launders out so I guess that is why these pencils no longer have brushes. Great video!

Lovely treasures.

Such a sweet video.

Go watch abby cox. She did a video about thimbles. I think that metal thing is a hem guide. I bought a lot of buttons and sorely disapointed with finding enough of the same size and style but when i do,, i put them together on a piece of thread. Also, had no idea Woolworth was in the UK. So sad when they closed their stores here.

That is definitely tailors chalk and you are quite correct the brush was to brush it off as I used to use one x

Some absolute treasures here. I had and still probably have somewhere, a pencil with a brush on the end. It is a tailor's chalk type one but mine has never been very good at marking fabric. I'd be interested to know if yours marks fabric still or if they were never that great. I too inherited threads for mending stockings from my great nana, wish they were still useful but I love having them. I'm definitely going to stitch my buttons together to keep sets together that's brilliant! Love the note. Treasure it. X

Hi Lizzie, how lovely this was looking through your Nan's sewing box 💟. So many great gems there 👌. I particularly loved that needle case 💕. I think the white pencil with the brush probably is used for marking and brushing it away with the end, as I have one that's similar that you can buy like that today 👍. If anyone knows of the other ones I would love to know, so I'll pop back again to check 😁. I have my husband's Mum's sewing box...not as lovely as your wooden version but it has some interesting bits and bobs in...in luring one of those metal thimbles, which I treasure and I'm sure you will too 😊. This was such a lovely vlog Lizzy...thanks so much for sharing it with us 💖✂😁😘

Have you thought about putting some of the items you are not going to use is a shadow box frame.Use them as a display for when you get a sewing room. I wasn’t fortunate enough to have any of my Gran’s sewing tools and always wanted to do it and had to resort to buying vintage items to make one.

I was so surprised when I found out my wonderful mother in law gave me all her sewing machines, books, fabrics, and notions blew me away. I miss her. ❤️ Note: My mother in law passed away from cancer.

Anything you will not use Perhaps ask a museum I am sure they would love some of the packaging. I have my grans, both of them, Buttons. I love them. Such treasures.

I think the 'pickaby' pencil is for marking fabric, like tailor's chalk. I have my great grandmother's - the same but in blue.

A lot of those things are very familiar to me. I have two of the chalk pencils with the brush, only about an inch long now, which I still use.

I use the old threads a lot you can tell if they have dried out and can only be used for basting. The empty wooden reels sell well on EBay!

The plastic tape came in handy to fix bicycle seats@ car seats and child proof car seats. And kitchen chairs.

You will likely be told not to use the old thread because it will break and cause problems with your machine. Not true. I am 60 years old and can probably count on my fingers how many new spools of thread i have bought new. The only problem i have had is using department store brand or dollar store no name kind. Some of my sewing machines refuse to use them and skip stitches. But Gutermans or Coats and Clark or types like that work just fine on all my machines. (I have several vintage machines i use because my husband brings them home for me from auction sales when no one else wants to bid on them.) Some of my machines are fine with the cheap brands too though. I have had 3 spools of thread go bad and break but out of the hundreds that i have used, that isn't bad. Just see what your machine thinks of them first on scraps before trying on actual sewing projects. Its so lovely getting things from your Nanny. I have things from both of mine.

The Singercraft Guide is a tool that was for originally making tufted rugs, but was later used for making decorative trims too. You wrap yarn, tape or ribbon around the tool, then the slit in the middle is where your sewing machine stiches the strip together. You can then either sew the strips to a piece of backing material to make a rug or you can cut the edges as if you were making a pompom and you have tufted strips to use as decorative edging. These KZfaq videos shows demonstrations of how to use: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/jKyFdLNpra2tiWg.html kzfaq.info/get/bejne/hb50hql6t6mVpqc.html

Hi Lizzie, when you find out where to get your pinking shears sharpened, please let us know! I have a thick top quality pair that my grandmother gave me when I was a teenager and now since I have started to sew again would love to be able to use them! 😊

I would love to see an update to see if you were able to find answers to your questions. I, also, want to know.

I love the way you couldn't quite bring yourself to use the American term for bum bag.

😀

Silver thing maybe a pin tuck marker? Or a dart point marker thing? Nope I was wrong lol but the comment with the answer is in there!

The wooden threads are all collectables

Haya.This was wonderful to see. Sooooo many lovely things in side. The note from the sewing machine repair man is interesting in the sense that the note is addressed to your Grand father & not your Grand mother, how times were different, that the man/men having the monopoly over women in society. I would keep all that you have but if you do part with any of it could you please be kind enough to msg me on IG (fuzzybabyseals) as I would genuinely like to have bitz & they would be treasured. Thanku for sharing.

What a treasure trove! If you google the Singer craft guide, you'll find explanations on how to make rugs with it. It would probably work best with an old all metal sewing machine...