Another week of only a little crochet in the evenings. Next week, though, I expect to have a finish to show!
I almost wasn't going to post today and then I remembered that I was going to reveal the answer to last week's mystery - what those little scissors are for! And I have a funny thing to show you, too.
The correct guess was, indeed, buttonhole scissors!
The funny thing is that when I was putting things away shortly after I posted last week, I saw the box pictured below in a drawer I have reserved (at the moment) for some of the items I'm keeping of my mother-in-law's:
Actually, the only other things I have in this drawer are items that go with her old sewing machine. On a side note... I'm kind of excited, kind of nervous to bring her 1950's machine and its cabinet home in the next few weeks and start getting acquainted with it.
Anyway, weeks ago, I evidently found these new-looking little scissors and put them in the drawer for safe keeping. And then promptly forgot about them.
While I couldn't find any really good videos showing how to use these, I did find this short little clip which confirms what we now know these are:
While I still don't fully understand how they work, here's a bit of a fuzzy close-up showing some measurements and notches on one of the blades which somehow guide the sewer in cutting the right size button holes:
I could be wrong, but I'm thinking these may be a bit obsolete now that even most simple sewing machines today can automatically make buttonholes. And while I've used sharp scissors to cut open machine-made buttonholes, a tool like the one below can be used to cleanly slice the buttonhole open:
I also brought home a couple of afghans that my husband's grandmother had knitted many years ago and that my MIL had set aside with the intention of giving them to her grandsons. My sister-in-law recently uncovered them (after her mother passed in June) in a cedar chest, and since middle son was at his Granny's house that day he happily took his home with him.
But two of the afghans had a load of fringe that didn't age well, to be honest. So I set out to remove it. I have to say, even with the edge permanently marred by the large tassel fringe that was on this one, I like it much better without the fringe:
I'm still working on the second one:
One side finished and I'm already liking it much better:
Once the de-fringing is complete, these will be laundered and hopefully my oldest and youngest sons will enjoy having them. I have no idea when they were made, but I'm guessing in the 60's or 70's. I am just mostly impressed that anyone takes the time to knit an afghan. A crocheted afghan takes hours and hours to make. A knit one - I'm a bit mind-boggled trying to imagine how long ones these sizes took to finish. It's my pleasure to try to give these knitted blankets another lease on life.
And that, dear reader, is all I've got.
Actually, I've got so much more, but figuring out how and when to show it is something I'm enjoying contemplating. 😊
I almost wasn't going to post today and then I remembered that I was going to reveal the answer to last week's mystery - what those little scissors are for! And I have a funny thing to show you, too.
The correct guess was, indeed, buttonhole scissors!
The funny thing is that when I was putting things away shortly after I posted last week, I saw the box pictured below in a drawer I have reserved (at the moment) for some of the items I'm keeping of my mother-in-law's:
Actually, the only other things I have in this drawer are items that go with her old sewing machine. On a side note... I'm kind of excited, kind of nervous to bring her 1950's machine and its cabinet home in the next few weeks and start getting acquainted with it.
Anyway, weeks ago, I evidently found these new-looking little scissors and put them in the drawer for safe keeping. And then promptly forgot about them.
While I couldn't find any really good videos showing how to use these, I did find this short little clip which confirms what we now know these are:
While I still don't fully understand how they work, here's a bit of a fuzzy close-up showing some measurements and notches on one of the blades which somehow guide the sewer in cutting the right size button holes:
I could be wrong, but I'm thinking these may be a bit obsolete now that even most simple sewing machines today can automatically make buttonholes. And while I've used sharp scissors to cut open machine-made buttonholes, a tool like the one below can be used to cleanly slice the buttonhole open:
~~~~~
But two of the afghans had a load of fringe that didn't age well, to be honest. So I set out to remove it. I have to say, even with the edge permanently marred by the large tassel fringe that was on this one, I like it much better without the fringe:
I'm still working on the second one:
One side finished and I'm already liking it much better:
Once the de-fringing is complete, these will be laundered and hopefully my oldest and youngest sons will enjoy having them. I have no idea when they were made, but I'm guessing in the 60's or 70's. I am just mostly impressed that anyone takes the time to knit an afghan. A crocheted afghan takes hours and hours to make. A knit one - I'm a bit mind-boggled trying to imagine how long ones these sizes took to finish. It's my pleasure to try to give these knitted blankets another lease on life.
And that, dear reader, is all I've got.
Actually, I've got so much more, but figuring out how and when to show it is something I'm enjoying contemplating. 😊
Wow, I learned something today. Never heard of buttonhole scissors. Those blankets are gorgeous. Fringe was all the rage in the 60's and 70's. They do look better without the fringe. I can not imagine knitting something that large. Your MIL must have been very patient.
ReplyDeleteThe afghans were knitted by my MIL's mother (my DH's grandmother). She was a crafty lady, too!
DeleteThe stitch pattern in the blankets looks like one of my favorite ones - feather and fan, aka shale stitch.
ReplyDeleteI think you're right, Liz! One is definitely Feather and Fan (or Shale stitch), but one appears to me to be a ripple or chevron pattern with something between the chevrons.
DeleteI used to knit several Colinette Ab Fab Throws. They were made up of various hand dyed yarns. This is back when I did sample garment knitting for Colinette. they worked up surprisingly quickly but the ones pictured above would have taken a long, long time to do. Plus the knitting gets unwieldy as the project grows. I would never had knit a throw in white or cream tho. They simply would be so dingy by the time I was done! Such a treasure to have these.
ReplyDeleteThey are both an off-white, though one is more yellow-toned than the other. I have no idea if the colors have changed over time, but they look pretty good for blankets that are probably older than 30 years, and one could possibly be in the neighborhood of 50 years old.
DeleteI like the version without the fringe and those are a treasure indeed. I have a guy locally that still repairs and oils machines and gets them in tiptop shape. I have taken my mom's 1950s model, my 70s model and my new one to him. They are all in really good running order. The older two are much favorable in many many ways. They sew so smoothly. The new one is neat in that you don't have to hold threads to put the needle in fabric and similar things like that, but the older ones are a a dream to sew on. I would think the buttonhole scissors would be obsolete and I will go back and watch the video because that is definitely my kind of thing.
ReplyDeleteMy MIL kept her 1950-something Singer in good repair too, and my SIL mentioned that it had just been given a tune up before her mother passed. I'm looking forward to giving it a trial run. And I'll be sure to take a picture of it once I get it home.
DeleteIt is wonderful that you are going to able to have that sewing machine. It sounds like it is a big part of who she was and so honoring that you understand.
ReplyDeleteI think this machine saw her through all her years of sewing. She had a newer Pfaff machine (which looks like a beautiful machine - and it was passed on to the crafty wife of one of her grandsons) - but she said her Singer was her favorite to sew on.
DeleteHow lovely to have those afghans and to defringe them and make them lovable once more. I did that with two of my aunt's after she passed. I am so thankful to have them. Those scissors are so cool. I didn't notice the little markings on them for the different size button holes. I learned to make button holes on my mom's singer sewing machine - without a button holer attachment. So glad newer machines have made that sooooooo much easier.
ReplyDeleteThe scissors above are another pair of buttonhole scissors than I showed last week. I don't think the first ones had any markings on them. I remember hand-finishing button holes once upon a time. When I bought my first machine that had a buttonhole function (30 some years ago) I thought I was hot stuff.
DeleteVery interesting! To be honest, I have never likes fringe or tassels. I had fringe on a rug and I cut it off! LOL! Those blankets will be appreciated I'm sure. You did a nice job.
ReplyDeleteI like the look of fringe in some cases, but even so I find it too fussy for my sensibilities. That said, the fringe on these was way past its prime. lol
DeleteHow lovely to have these afghans when you can appreciate the effort that went into making them. Nowadays so many people throw things away and buy new, just not appreciating what’s handmade.
ReplyDeleteI love older things, but that said, I'm not opposed to throwing away things that really have no beauty left in them, but these clearly do. :)
DeleteWhat fun finds and I didn't know there were such a thing as buttonhole scisscors.
ReplyDeleteMe either!
DeleteTha afghans are beautiful. Your boys are lucky to have them. I also prefer afghans without fringe.
ReplyDeleteI knit two blankets, both double worsted on size 17 needles. Even those took too long, lol. I stick to crochet for afghans now.
Wow - size 17 needles! That sounds like two big squishy cozy blankets!
DeleteBecki, you are a most patient woman, removing all that fringe. The afghans are lovely and are sure to be a treasure to your sons!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad the mystery was solved as to what kind of scissors they are! :)
I have to remove the single stranded fringe in stages, as it hurts my fingers. It's worth it, though. :)
DeleteHope you will share a picture of the vintage machine? Curious mind would love to see it! I agree the fringe removal is a good thing (never did like it anyway) and just the though of the time involved to knit an afghan blows my mind. I only ever crocheted one large afghan and it was a multi-year slog and I resolved baby size is the biggest I'll go.
ReplyDeleteI will share a picture when I have it! Hopefully, within the next few weeks. :)
DeleteInteresting about the scissors. I have several sewing machines from my grandmother and great grandmother. I don't have the room to display them and they are in storage.It makes me sad to think of them there but I am happy to have something that was used by an ancestor. The Afghan is very pretty!💖
ReplyDeleteTo have a really old machine that an ancestor used would be special, indeed. I'd be torn between displaying it and it becoming a dust catcher, and leaving it protected where it didn't see the light of day. That is often the delimma with old stuff.
DeleteInteresting. I had never heard of buttonhole scissors before. I love vintage sewing machines, they might not come with all the fancy stitches and stuff new machines have, but they often are work horses and so much sturdier than modern machines.
ReplyDeleteThat's what I'm hoping for with this older machine. I'm sure it's a sturdier machine than I bought in the 80's, and I KNOW it's been taken care of better. I have big shoes to fill in that regard. ;^)
DeleteI feel exactly the same way about knit afghans! I've made a couple knit baby blankets and I thought it was tedious as all get-out. Keeping my fingers crossed that they wash up well!
ReplyDeleteThey were finally ready to wash yesterday. They came out fresh as daisies and soft, too. If, for some reason the fellas don't want them, I'll enjoy them for a while. ;^)
DeleteHi Becki :) Oh buttonhole scissors!!! Neat! I would never have thought of that! Those afghans are really beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI love old things, even when they are not perfect or practical. Especially when they come with a story. The afghans are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteAmalia
xo