Monday 18 April 2016

The sewing room in Cranborne, Dorset .. and a tale of two vintage needle cases!








The love of sewing is our common thread  .............








Spending time out with such a lovely lady as Jenny and seeing her room space in a shop was wonderful and of course I get to look around at her wonderful stock and maybe pick up a few treasures to bring home for my embroidery or fabrics for my designs ....

Jenny's shop is part of a book shop in Cranborne in Dorset ... Books and stitchery- heaven! The shop is the WVS (Worldwide Veternary Service and is committed to improving the treatment and welfare of all animal species throughout the world)  Linda who works in the shop selling the wonderful pre loved books is lovely and she also sells haberdashery with Jenny (Tilly - D ) for the WVS charity as well.  So Jenny being there as well also helps the charity too.

We started out at the Cranborne Garden Centre and had a coffee and a chat and then what a pleasant surprise there is a Vintage Barn there as well and Jenny is also part of that too!

We caught up and then wandered along to the village to the shop.  It was fabulous! and joy of joys I was able to take some photos for you all to see.

The room had a beautiful old cast iron fireplace on the far wall, which was painted cream and made into a great display along with baskets of goodies and shelves as well.  There were books in there too and some darling vintage needle cases .. more about those later (yes they both came home with me!)  On a shelf there were boxes of vintage wool threads of every colour you could think of and in colour co-ordination for ease for the buyer.  It was like walking into wonderland.

It is well worth a visit and no matter what you buy in there some or all the money goes to the animal charity.

As I was wandering around I picked up two vintage needle cases and one in particular is very special indeed.

The first one is about 1950 and extremely pretty and I thought how lonely it looked and that it might rather come home with me and be added to my little collection.  Take a peek at the photo on the left.  You can see why I was drawn to it.  In a room full literally of  mazing fabrics and haberdashery I spotted it straight away.......

The other needle case is a real gem.  It is around the late 1920's into 1930 somewhere.  It is very special not only because it is over 80 years old but it is a original Abel Morrall's needle case with the Abel Morrall needles still in there.  This is a famous needle company  and a most important invention was patented in 1839 by Abel Morrall, a Studley needle-maker, for burnishing the eyes of needles by threading them upon a roughened steel wire stretched in a frame and caused to revolve, or to move backwards and forwards. The needles are thus made to vibrate upon the wire in every direction, and the eyes effectually cleared from all roughness. This very valuable patent was shortly afterwards purchased by Messrs. Bartleet, of Redditch, and the use of " string or cord," which the inventor thought might also serve as well as wire, was disclaimed by them in 1841.

You can see inside this little needle case it still has the original label inside it too.  Well I ask you, could I really leave this rare beauty there ... no is the answer ladies and gents.

There are some real gems to be found in this Cranborne shop and as usual Jenny had some amazing
fabrics as well as threads, buttons and all manner of vintage goodies....

We then decided to wander back to the garden centre and we had a cheeky lunch together too!  No you are correct, I know what you are all thinking ... not much work was done was it Sarah!!.  The answer is not really although I was up at 6am to do some house work and some cutting out before I ventured off to meet Jenny.

I am so glad that I did to see where Jenny sells on a regular
basis and to catch up with a very dear friend.  I also saw her at the Vintage Bazaar on Saturday ... but that is a story for you all tomorrow, so pop back to read about that wonderful vintage fair ...

Hope you have enjoyed a little peek into a great haberdashery and book shop in Dorset.  If you would like to no more about the charity and animals are dear to your heart then the details are as follows.  Worldwide Veterinary Service, 14 Wimborne Street, Cranborne, Dorset. BH21 5PP.  Email: info@wvs.org.uk  Phone number   +44 (0) 1725 557225

Have a great day and as always Happy Stitching!




















4 comments:

  1. Wow - gorgeous needlecases. Think it is part of the Needle company I emailed you about. Lovely place you visited.
    Julie xxxxxxx

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  2. Thank you Julie it was wonderful and the little needle cases are fabulous ... it has set me off collecting!!! watch this space! and yes I think you are right about the Needle Company. Loved the blog you did.

    Sarah xx

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  3. Loveley write up Sarah, Jenny invited me over to see the sewing room at Frome saturday sew am looking forward!

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    1. Oh it is so worth going to Sally! You will love it so much.

      Sarah xxx

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