One of my favorite parts of thrifting and finding old things is trying to figure out the backstory. Sometimes you get the gift of a label with clear company and country of origin info. Some things offer clues through their materials, colors, shapes and patterns, and you have to do your best sleuthing work to figure out when and where it came from. Many vintage items were manufactured here in the US. Reading about American companies that started with humble roots, grew to large scale successes, and then eventually closed is fascinating and also sad. We used to make so many things here, with so much pride. Simple things, like spools of thread, ceramics or a serving tray were artisanal products made of sturdy, lasting materials.

I recently came across about 10 bags full of old sewing thread spools at a thrift store. First thing I wonder when I see a big collection, is who did it belong to? Who couldn’t get rid of the beautiful wooden spools, even if their thread was used up a long time ago? Did they live here in California, or did they bring all their stuff with them from somewhere else?

When possible, I’m going to link to articles and information about the materials I use in my projects. I hope you enjoy learning about the funky histories too. And maybe together, we can find ways to get back to that pride of craftsmanship, materials that last and making things close to home.

Check out this interesting story of the American Thread Company, which operated from 1902 to 1975 with staggering levels of production, precision and waste. Fascinating! https://www.milohistorical.org/history/atco/

Never opened, second hand notions are easily found and are a great way to add originality and reduce waste.