I wish there was a before, I really thought I had taken a photo some time ago but it can't be found (maybe I didn't!). **EDIT - I found it...
Anyway the after turned out well and hope you'll enjoy this look at my sewing box.
It's a cantilever sewing box that belonged to my Nan (paternal grandmother). Sadly she passed away last year and it's taken me a while to get to a point where I felt I could sort through some of her things. Over the past few years I went to stay overnight at her house quite often. Though there came a point where she could no longer see well enough to stitch, she enjoyed looking at my projects and I always took 'work' (as she called it) with me. We had picked out thread from this box together on occasion and as an avid crafter she knew I would appreciate it. I thought about just leaving all her things in there but then I wouldn't touch it and I really think she would be happier knowing I am going to make use of the box in the same way that she did.
My Nan told me she'd had the box for years. A quick google shows up similar boxes that are listed as being from the 1960s. From those images I can see that the stain on the handle, arms and legs has faded. I know she used the box a lot and you can tell it was moved around from the feel of the handle. I do wonder if I should re-stain it, I'm tempted to leave it as it is because do love the worn look. Would staining it protect it more over time though? If anyone has experience working with wood or knows how best to look after this box, I would really appreciate your advice.
One of the arms on the side was not working, the screw was still there though so that was a quick fix. Some of the screws were loose and needed tightening slightly, unfortunately as I went to screw one of them, the head of the screw literally popped off as soon as the screwdriver touched it! The thread of the screw was still fixed in place so I couldn't replace the screw without some sort of tool or the skill to remove it (not happening). I decided just to glue the head back on. Probably that's a terrible thing to do but I didn't want the screw head missing, it looked odd and gluing works for me! It's stayed put since, thankfully.
The box was filled with embroidery floss, floss on card organisers from projects past, just the card organisers with notes from projects past, a few pieces of aida, a couple of patterns, magazine clippings, quite a few aperture cards and a couple of random bits. My Nan had tins and jars that she filled with all kinds of things; small hooks, plastic things and broken bits. I really don't know what she saved that stuff for - maybe she was going to create something with it or more likely 'just in case' (that is rarely ever the case though is it!).
So I cleared it all out. There was kitchen paper towel lining each compartment, I suspect she did that not too long ago, as I know she sorted out areas of the house not wanting us to have to trawl through too much stuff after she passed away. She lived to be 101 and I think she said that when she was about 92, she wasn't in a hurry and she really was 'with it' until she was around 98 years old. Anyway, I put the embroidery thread into a bag to sort out some other time and I have kept the aperture cards, the aida and the patterns.
I measured the different tiers and cut paper to fit in each compartment. It's actually nice decorative paper on the reverse side but I love a simple grid and a neutral background works well for the lining.
My needle case fits in too (I'm teaching a Stitchy Pie needle case online class later this month if you'd like to make one) and some scissors and needle minders have now also found a home in the top tier. These are the sections I will use most often, it's nice because you can lift the lids off the top sections without opening the whole box up.
I have my lovely personalised thread organiser, which is still holding the threads from the Kindness & Fortitude cross stitch project I did in 2019. I also have a compartment of perle cottons, there are more stored in a drawstring bag but lots of the colours I never use so those ones can stay in the bag until I need them.
I'm so happy with this box and that I can finally use it, now it's home to my threads and things.
It's too big to sit on my sewing desk (because that's covered in stuff already) so the sewing box has pride of place on top of the piano. The piano is right next to the sewing desk, we have a packed dining room! My sewing box has happy memories, it will bring me joy as I use it and hopefully it will have many more years of use.
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This is a delight to look at. I do love things to be organised and it makes me happy to se it all colour coordinated too! You will have so much joy using this and remembering your nan each time. x
A beautiful treasure to have, Lucy. And such wonderful memories connected to it. I love the worn look to. Maybe you could use some simple beeswax to feed the wood if it's not varnished. I wish you many happy hours of stitching. 😊 Janette
What a beautiful keepsake put to great use. I agree with the previous comment about using a wax rather than a stain, feed the wood without taking away from its lovely 'well-loved' appearance. Thanks for pointing me in the direction of your Stitchy Pie class, I have signed up as I'd already put the project on my to do list for 2021. I signed up for your second class whilst I was at it, it's nice to have something to look forward to.
It looks great like this but maybe it needs some kind of clear, maybe satiny matt finish, just to protect the wood from oils from your hands etc. I think you did post a picture about this when you first got it because I remember telling you I have one like it and at the time of my purchase it was referred to as a siskrin (not sure if that's spelled correctly) and I believe I bought it back in the late 60s early 70s.
Kathleen - kakingsbury at verizon dot net
These grandma treasures are wonderful! I have same kind, only bigger. It needs floor space. I haven’t done anything to it since it brings memories
What a treasure! I know how hard it is to go through the things left from people you loved. My Gram's things are in a box that I brought from Mom's when she passed. It is still too early to dive in, but they are talking to me. Some hints on wood. I've done a lot of furniture restoration (an upright piano was the final project when I called enough!). You want to keep the patina of the box. Staining is tricky and unless you want to take the time to test out a bunch of stains, I'd leave it as is. It isn't easy to get a nice even stain if you've never done it before. Here in the States, we have a product called Briwax. It is beeswax that contains a slight hint of color. For instance, walnut or oak get just richer without a color change. It is easy to use. I'd check at your local DIY shop to see if there is something similar. I recall a friend mentioning a brand in the UK, but the memory is on pause this morning. For loose screws, a really simple trick is to remove the screw, insert the wooden portion of a matchstick or dowel that is cut a little shorter than the screw length in with a little glue. After the glue dries, put the screw back in. No need to drill a hole as a matchstick is a pretty softwood. It gives the screw new wood to grab onto. For the one where the head broke off, you can try to unscrew it using needle-nose pliers. If you know someone with a power drill, they can drill a hole into the screw shank and then use the drill to unscrew it by reversing the drill. Good luck and enjoy your treasure! I know you will think of your Grandmother every time you use it. (If you have any other wood questions, drop me an email.)
My mother gifted me a sewing box like this, and I LOVE IT! My husband does a lot of woodworking, so we talked about whether these boxes need treatment, and after some digging, here's what we determined... Yes, you can stain and seal it; doing so will help protect the wood. In order to stain and seal it well and to assure full range of motion of each drawer, you'll need to disassemble the box so that you can get the stain and the sealer even on every side. My screws are different from yours which makes that harder for me, so we ultimately decided to use Howard Butcher Block Conditioner instead. I buy mine at the hardware store. I rub it on, let it sit for 10 minutes, then wipe it off with a soft, clean towel. It's very easy to use, helps protect the wood and preserves the look of the box, exactly as it is. I actually prefer this over the stain and sealer because it's gentler than a harsh stain/seal. It's basically lotion for wood! Just like lotion, you have to re-apply. You'll know it's time when the wood doesn't look shiny or vibrant anymore. (I do the top/knobs about every 6 months and the sides once per year as they get far less wear.) Hope that helps!!
I love this Lucy. I think that your grandmother would love that you are making it your own and getting pleasure from it. You could just oil the handle periodically. It would bring up the patina for you and allow the wood to age gracefully, even a little baby oil or sunflower oil on a soft cloth will work,and you just reappl6 when it looks a little dull again. I have a wooden candle holder I do this with and it works beautifully.