Crafts from the past

 

It was quite the Valentines weekend at Camp Oodles. We had planned to go out to dinner, the three of us, on Saturday night, but my daughter came up with a clever suggestion. Instead of saying, "I'm 15 years old and there's nothing I fear more than being seen with my parents in a restaurant," she said, "Why don't you make it a date night and I'll stay home?" So we did. And it was quite a treat.
 
On Sunday I went to a Valentines tea hosted by Margaret, where I caught up with Linda and saw a few dear friends that I literally have not seen in years. I managed to map a route to Margaret's house that took me by a little junk shop, where I found five of these tiny buttons, still on the cards.
 
 

 I also found a little bundle of these chenille bees.

 
 
And a big stack of 1950s and '60s knit and crochet pattern books, destined for Etsy. The shop had an enormous pile of them, but the newly organized me was more discerning than usual about which ones to buy. Part of the allure of old crafts books, other than the occasionally useful pattern, is the reassurance that you haven't gone so far round the bend that you're crocheting toilet-seat covers.
 
 

Every surface was fair game for crochet back in those days. Want to guess what this crocheted object is hiding?  I'll give you a hint: It's not a syrup bottle. There is a pattern in this book for a little beehive cover for a syrup bottle (it sounds cuter than it is). Sticky syrup and crocheted objects sound like a bad combination to me.

 

I like these little cases. I have a small collection of crocheted hat pincushions, and these would be a nice complement to them.

 
  
There are these tiny crocheted baskets, too, which an ambitious person might want to tackle for Easter. (In a more pleasing color combination, though, than gold and red with pastel candies.) There's another use for these baskets, too, and I'll quote directly from the book: "A sparkling golden basket ... to hold cigarettes for the bridge club."

Comments

[Jenifir]

My guess is ketchup or maybe dish soap. Neither is the ideal combination but better than syrup. It makes crotcheted poodle toilet roll covers seem like a perfectly sane decorating scheme.

[Whit]

I bet that cover was used on the bottle of cheap gin that hostess would serve up in martinis to the guests at her party that bored her. Hee hee.

Happy St. Valentine's Day!
Fondly,
Whit

[georgiapeachez]

I can just picture everyone sitting around the bridge table with a butt hanging in the corner of their mouths, hands full of cards and the little crochet basket to the side full of cigs. xo, suzy

[Linda @ A La Carte]

Love those sweet buttons.

[Jenny]

LOL!We have the cutest ashtrays at the shop that are little ships that you would place the cigarette into and then the smoke would come out through the "smokestack". Set of four for the bridge table. Such cute ideas for such a gross habit.

[laurie magpie ethel]

Loving the crocheted basket...but can't crotchet. I am just not good with any craft that uses a needle or hook - no knitting for me either. Glad you had a great "date" night...the wisdom of a teen!

[Rebecca]

Excellent! I hope that crocheted bottle cover is hiding something alcoholic. Just imagine: you could take one of those to the liquor store and say, "No brown bag for me, I have my own bottle cover!"

[Jayme L.]

You're not alone - our 15 yr. old daughter won't go anywhere with us anymore. We even try to bribe her with a reward, i.e. shopping. No go. I'm afraid as soon as she gets her license we'll never see her again.

I need one of those bottle covers for my beer. So much classier than asking for a glass.

[Mary Ann]

When I was in high school in the 70s, I made a red and white floral dress that buttoned up the front. And those are the buttons I used! Oh, memories...

[Julie]

Great you had a date night (I did to - forced hubby to a chick flick but he did it just for "moi"). LOVIN the old crochet books, I recently took it up again and have been looking for old patterns - can't wait for your Etsy to go back online (when your ready of course)....hope all is well with you! Jewels.

[Maureen]

Love those red and white buttons. A great find.
Maureen

[Martha]

When I first saw that crocheted thingy, I thought it was a toilet brush cover, which would be way more gross than a syrup bottle. When I was little, our next door neighbor had all kinds of crocheted things in her bathroom -- some with partial doll bodies. It's still a pretty creepy memory.

[svelteSTUFF]

My Grandmother Crocheted (and starched) those tiny little baskets in white as favors for each and every person at my parents Wedding back in the early 50's (filled with pastel almonds - NOT cigarettes)!! That woman LOVED her crocheting!!

[Sarah]

Not.the.bees! (Jack and I had a big row last year over bees like that when we were making Valentines. I only had one bee and he really, really, really wanted to just tote it all around the house (and then lose it, of course) and I refused. Ha.)

[Margaret]

Buttons, chenille bees, tea and cookies -- Sundays don't get much better than that! Who knew there was a junk shop on the way to my house?!? What route do I need to take? Talk to you soon...
--Margaret