Some things old, Some things new

A year or sometime like that ago, I saw a post on freecycle offering a late relatives knitting and sewing 'stuff'.  I didn't expect much, but came home with 2 black bags of yarn (mostly acrylic in rather garish colours, and half of it was given to a friend) and a box of sewing paraphernalia.  In that box were some of the most beautiful buttons and items I've seen, some of it reeking vintage.  I found 4 brooches, and I often find myself thinking about this ladies life, a life in which she was a girl guide

where she wore a turquoise brooch (which incidentally is my birth stone and if I wore brooches, I'd wear this every day)

where this gorgeously simple black pin with small flowers was on her jacket

where she gave blood willingly.  This one makes me think most - this badge is from the 50's, how many times must this woman have given blood in her life?

The buttons are not hugely varied, lot's of different sizes, but not many different colours.  Enough for me though!  These are my favourites

 

They came in an assortment of jars and an old biscuit tin, I cannot wait to have a place where I can put these 'out'. 

I think the jars are old, but I am basing this purely on the price tags on top!

24p for a jar of branston pickle!

In addition to the buttons, there were threads, needles galore, stitch markers, row counter, knitting needle, crochet hooks, stitch holders, ribbon, bias binding, lace, zips, and some rolls of stuff I have no idea what it is!

Look at the packaging!  One thing I noticed on it all was it was all made in England, something very very rare now!

In stark contrast to this old, well-loved and valued box of goodies, I received an order of needles today.  I needed new needles for my Bohus class, as I didn't have the small sizes required.  I ordered 3 Knit Pro fixed circulars, 80cm in 2.25mm, 2.5mm and 2.75mm.  I have heard that these break, but I'm willing to risk it.  I also got some new interchangeable needle tips, in 3mm, 3.25mm, 3.75mm, 4mm and 4.5mm, along with 4 new cables, 2 in 80cm and 2 in 100cm.  Some of the needle tips I now have 2 pairs of (or 2.5 pairs of in 3.75mm), but I've found myself wishing I had more than one set in different sizes.

I have seen small needles before, but only steel.  2.25mm wooden needles feel very fragile, and look how small they are next to the cable!  I really hope they don't break during my class, I may take my DPNs as back up, but only if I can get rid of the sticky substance currently coating them!