Sewing Up Loose Ends

When I sighted my mother’s sewing box on the day after she died, the pins and needles burst out and embedded themselves in my heart.

Didn’t they know that was what the tomato-shaped pin cushion was for?

This emotional landmine snuggled into a nook between the sofa and bookcase in the den of the family home. An old family friend constructed this complex wooden structure as a special gift for Mom. Each end opened three tiers of shallow storage and the middle doors revealed deep cubbyholes for holding larger and longer items. A handle made carrying easy and feet elevated the bottom. Needles, pins, thread, buttons, bits of elastic, mysterious sewing tools and a spool of Stitch-Witchery tumbled through this useful and beautiful storage container.

“Oh!” A web of grief and desire entangled me. I wanted to take it home. I wanted Mom to need it.

“Mom’s sewing kit! Do you want that?” My brother’s voice snipped the strands and dropped me back into my body.

“No!” But yes. Where would I put it? My own sewing box already took up enough space, though not as beautifully as this one would. Could I possibly find room in our full-to-bursting home? “No. I mean, yes. But, won’t you guys need it? What if you need to replace a button?”

He shook his head as I left the kit where it was. He knew no one would be mending anything. No one else would disturb this sewing kit. These things were intimately hers, bits and bobs with intents that only she knew. Layers of sewing notions that marked eras of her life.

I was the only one who would value this inheritance, this precious gift from Mom. And looking at it broke my heart.

During a recent visit to West Virginia, my brother let me know he’d rediscovered the sewing box and set it out for me to pick up from the family home.

No excuse this time. The kit came home with me.

But that didn’t mean I had to deal with it right away.

Which is why the box surprised me when I plucked a throw off a shelf in the bedroom.

But instead of a sharp rending, a grateful awe filled my chest. Mom’s elegant storage solution gets to be mine now. A box that I fill with my own sewing, knitting and crafting tools. Something that serves my needs.

Something that deserves not to be filled with disgusting old trash.

Plus, I could take this opportunity to consolidate and rearrange my knitting and crafting supplies in preparation for the move.

Time to transform!

Everything out of the box!

Rusty pins embedded the old red pincushion, whose fabric barely withstood the light touch of inspection. Ancient thread snapped easily. Fluorescent green Walmart price tags garnished many of the items.

Do you remember when Walmart discontinued use of sticky price tags? Because I do not. I was unearthing finds from a previous civilization.

Ugh. Maybe I should just throw everything out?

But still…maybe something would prove useful? I ruthlessly threw away everything that was so old as to be useless and anything broken. I found mysterious small tools (bye-bye!) and cards of needles (Oooooooo!). Treasures included larger needles to fix upholstery, white pencils for marking fabric, and enough buttons to start a new button jar!

The vacuum cleaner sucked away the deep layer of dark dust lining the interior. With a damp rag, the remaining dirt danced out of corners and then off the outside. The finish glowed. A little oil would bring it fully back to life.

Now to make this inheritance my own!

Which, of course, meant adding my knitting notions into this seamstress’ dream. Double-pointed needles, scissors, stitch markers and other random tools got deposited inside. My embroidery floss and extra needles took up residence. And, of course, my own mending supplies integrated into the mix.

The addition of this sewing box consolidated my underbed crafting storage from four totes to three. Two, of course, still hold yarn, blocking boards and straight knitting needles. One remains our ersatz junk drawer along with storing cross-stitch kits and other crafting supplies.

And just like that! One practical afternoon transformed this decrepit relic into a cherished heirloom infused with the history of our family.

A crafting kit that I will use all the time.

Thanks, Mom!

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