Do you have favorite or treasured sewing tools? The two might seem to be the same, but I find I use my favorite tools all the time and my treasured tools seem too special to be used quite as often. One such tool is a lovely pair of hand sewing scissors that hang on a sterling silver chatelaine. It is so very special and works well when stitching by hand.
Jan Marie Larson is the silversmith who created my lovely piece and Carrie has a pretty one as well that she will tell you about in a minute. Jan crafts heirloom quality sewing tools in sterling silver through her US based small business Thimbles for You. They are really lovely jewelry too.
She has a terrific website and an amazing line of thimbles in a number of styles and sizes so you can get the perfect thimble if that is a tool that you like to use.
The other fun thing about her products is that you can buy them one at a time to spread out the cost and get comfortable using the Chatelaine. Jan recommends if you plan to get things over time the normal progression is 1- Thimble 2- the bobble to hold it on a chain. 3- scissors (requiring a chatelaine to hook it to). Ok, maybe 3- is chatelaine… then scissors…. 4- any other accessory that you will personally use in your hand sewing. Wax for thread + needle threader + needle keeper + seam ruler + magnifier… etc.
She adds a reminder – the chain and bobble are good throughout the collecting process.
The same chain that holds just the thimble (on a bobble) can be re-used as the chain holding the chatelaine. The bobble/thimble can be simply re-attached to the chatelaine. As you collect, you are not wasting or retiring anything… it all builds.
Carrie has a thimble and a thread cutter on her pretty chain. She thinks it might be time to add another little treat. What would you add?
Such treasures, each one handcrafted by a master silversmith, every thimble has a lifetime guarantee. Visit the Thimbles for You website to see the extensive offerings Jan has created. She says ”I will repair or replace anything that happens to your thimble, forever. You can bring it back and trade with me ANY TIME.”
Happy Holiday sewing and gifting! Rae
