tools of the trade

December 3, 2013

one of the things that makes my work so particularly enjoyable is working with beautiful tools. i have developed a near obsession with tools that are simple, useful and beautiful. (sometimes they become beautiful simply because of they are useful.)

SCISSORS & HEMOSTATS
scissors and hemostats are in my hands often. and i have collected a wide assortment of these, each with a slightly different function. microtip scissors for precise cuts. tailor snips for clipping threads. blunt nosed hemostats for stuffing and tiny hemostats for pulling needles from tight spots.  (i am still on the lookout for an alligator nose hemostat, and i'm sure one will turn up at the perfect moment.)

BOXES & TRAYS
i often use shallow boxes and trays to keep tools organized and readily available. this particular wood box came out of a barn sale some 15 years ago at least. it has moved with me over and over and is just about the best sort of wood box one could hope to own.

PINCUSHIONS
my beloved box is currently filled with a collection of pretty pincushions from occupied japan. originally a cheap sort of trinket… they open up to reveal a little storage space and are lined in a shockingly bright pink. i adore them.

THIMBLES
naturally i lean towards the pretty brassy thimbles that originally came with the pincushions. i don't actually love using a thimble, but after a long sewing session it's nice to have some sort of fingertip left. i have some trouble with thimbles sliding off my fingers, but i have solved that with this ingenious solution. i am quite chuffed with myself for figuring this out, really.)

FABRIC & TRIM
of course, i can't pass up vintage fabrics, ribbons or trims. they are wonderful to work with… much better quality than what i see available in the craft stores. the only problem is that tiny nagging voice that tells me i may never find a particular lace or velvet ribbon ever again. it's a little heart break every time.

tell me what tools you can't live without. what your hands love to work with. (last night i had a desperate need for wool carders. might have to borrow my mom's… she has quite the tool stash of her own!)

xo. r


4 notes:

  1. i finally sewed myself a proper case for all my knitting needles and it has revolutionized my knitting experience! no more searching through various places for the right size needles. oh, and i also bought myself a sweet little pair of merchant & mills wide bow scissors, which is kind of the cherry on top!

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    Replies
    1. well, now i have a whole new pair of scissors to obsess about! they look lovely, hope you enjoy them. (viva la knitting revolution!)

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  2. glad to know i'm not the only one with a scissor collection : )

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