Draw-string Purse with beautiful Needework, ca 1890's

Here is a love and delicate draw-string bag made by one of the Moran girls, ca 1890's.  I've included a closeup of the very fine needlework which still has very nice coloration in the threads.

Vintage Turtle Pincushion

The Moran ladies loved to sew.  We have several tin boxes filled with old buttons and some old dress patterns.  In the attic of Moran Place and in trunks throughout the house we found bolts of fabric, not to mention several sewing machines.  This little turtle with his moving tail and head are sweet reminders of days long gone.

Button Recycling

Our ancestors truly knew the value of a dollar.  Today we talk about being "green" and have trendy recycle and reuse sayings but they didn't think of it as being green, they thought of it as being thrifty, economical and saw the potential to reuse items when possible.

This tinbox, which was surely a magnificent thing in its day, was used to store buttons.  And not just the occasional button that popped off and needed to be sewn back on.

When clothing wore out they removed the eyelets, hooks, buttons, collars, cuffs, lace and anything else that could be reused on another piece of clothing.  And then they used the remaining clothing to stuff mattresses, pillows or used them as cleaning rags.

Here's what we found inside this particular tinbox.  A truly unique collection of buttons, clasps, hooks and beads.