I have been on a death defying, dusty lungs-filling, painful to my knees and much needed clean up and rearranging of my sewing area and stuff.
Holy Guacomole! I found stuff that I didn't even know I had lost!
But I as am wrapping up this cathartic and wonderful process I am happy to say that the local 4-H kids are getting a big ol box of fabric and scraps. My area will be neater and my stuff easier to access.
During the course of my adventure I came across a couple of handwoven grass baskets with lids. One had a whole slew of "D" rings and bias tape. The other I dumped on to my sewing table so I could explore the contents.
The little grass baskets were given to me by my dear friend, Maisie Briner. Maisie was a remarkable woman. She married, raised sons, taught school, buried a husband or 2, was an amazing artist and had the most practical and optimistic outlook on life!
Maisie lived to be 100! She could sew like nobody's business. Maisie was always generous in her willingness to teach me something new. And always ready to give me some of her fabric stash.
Just before she turned 100 she had to move from her darling apartment. My friend Mary and I helped her pack up and sort through her lifetime of possessions. (Others helped too on different days.)
As we cleaned out and packed, Maisie would spy an item and say to one of us - "You take that!" I was lucky enough to receive beautiful vintage dresses, wonderful aprons, a pressing arm and the two little grass baskets. She had either purchased the baskets in Hawaii or her brother who lived there had given them to her.
Just look at how practical she was! Look at all the stuff in that little 5 x 5 x 5 box. She kept buttons, tacks, jewelry to repair, odd metal parts and
girdle hitches!!
Well, I don't know what else to call 'em!
Talk about vintage!
Talk about thrifty and practical!
Before Dear Bill took the pictures I stood in amazement at all the stuff. I said aloud to no one in particular (I do that often) "Look, Maisie kept buttons, pieces, parts, girdle hitches and a baby doll shoe!"
I cried a bit missing Maisie.
