An astonishing number of objects fit into the old sewing box. Sometimes I spend time thoughtfully arranging things in it, and other times it looks more like this. I keep a pair of good snips and my silver thimbles in it, clips for finishing handbags, plain barrettes I mean to cover in fabric, shirring elastic for smocking, threads and buttons and ribbons. Pretty much everything I need for sewing. It sits near my antique singer, when not being carried round the house on special assignments, while my best fabric and thread scissors, a must-make-a-new-one pin cushion and a seam ripper (when it isn’t missing!) live in hidden drawers in the treadle table.

The concertina design is quite something, very compact and elegant in a granny sort of way. These are still being made, but there are lots of beautiful secondhand ones about, too.

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