When we were growing up, my mother had all her sewing supplies in one of those "all butter" cookie tins. She used to darn my father's socks, undershirts and underwear every week, after the laundry was done. My mom didn't really like sewing and mending things, but she sure got the most wear out of every item of clothing we owned.
As my brother and I got older, we were able to save some money up to buy gifts at Christmas time. One year we managed to find a nice, large sewing basket that we bought for my mom. It had a top tray to organize smaller items and in the lower portion there was plenty of extra storage for spools of thread. It was a thoughtful gift and practical. There weren't many things my mother would appreciate. My mother hated things like figurines, which she always referred to as "dust collectors." She wasn't happy when we bought her jewelry because she felt it was too expensive. And don't mention flowers. Flowers were the biggest waste of money because they were only going to die. A practical gift was always a good choice.
My mom stored lots of things in that sewing basket. There was a Sucrets box filled with straight pins for hemming pants and skirts. She had her nice sharp scissors and a pair of pinking sheers in there. Her little "tomato" pin cushion was always out whenever she did any sewing. She had a couple of packages of assorted darning needles in there too. Why she needed so many I will never know. Maybe after being used too often, needles get dull? And, although she had a couple of thimbles, the only one I ever remember her using was the same little, pink plastic one she wore on her finger for every sewing project. That little, pink thimble was the first thing to come out of the box and the last thing to go back in the tray. When I see that pink thimble, I see my mom.
That little plastic pink thimble probably cost five cents, if that, when she bought it. Funny how something so small, so old, and of so little worth could be priceless in sentimental value.
No comments:
Post a Comment