not just a little brown basket

i learned today that the sewing basket i've been handling a little casually is actually my great grandmother's old sewing basket. suddenly i will no longer dare squish it closed on top of too many spools of thread nor will i be ignoring the telltale crunch of the weaving protesting its mistreatment. and while it always made me happy to have the sewing box i remembered as a child, complete with the plastic tub i had carefully adorned with mom's buttons in black marker {visible here on the top}, now it has exponentially gained value by knowing how many other memories it carries.

i have already started accumulating my own stories, independent of my mother's stewardship of the box, including the scrap of maroon ribbon {laying next to the tub o' buttons} sent to me by my cousin, katie, who had purchased it during my stay in new york city in the summer of 2000. it was promptly attached to her suitcase for easy identification purposes during her trip to ghana and i distinctly remember admiring her creativity and taste at the time. later, a care package arrived for me with this six inch scrap salvaged from the remains of her project.

so here's to another generation of sewing projects, starting with this one i've had rumbling around in my head for the past few weeks. it was started yesterday, finished this morning and packaged up for travel very satisfyingly this afternoon. i'll post more complete images of the project after it is seen in full by its recipient. {mischevious smile.}




currently listening to: chicago - sufjan stevens {off an upbeat mix i made for my older sister's 30th birthday}