I used to go over to his house where he paid me to do chores, an excuse to see us weekly. He had polio and couldn’t so simple chores like weed or water the plants. He handed me a blow torch and showed me how to burn the weeds in between the bricks so they wouldn’t come back. That was my favorite chore. I told you he was cool.
He always had a new half galloon of vanilla ice cream that he would bring out for my brothers and me afterwards. He bought it special for us. He’d watch us eat it with a big smile on his face, like it was the best thing he could have given us. It was.
When he died, I got this big metal chest. I lugged it to college my second year where a whole apartment of strong boys had to help me get it up the stairs. When I got married a year and a half later I used another hoard of boys to help me get it down the stairs into my new apartment. It is all metal and really heavy. Up and down stairs, even heavier. When we moved across the country, thousands of miles through the middle of nowhere it had to come. It’s the perfect sewing room piece. It’s full of buttons and zipper and paints.
So what’s inside?? Everything you can think of.
Like zippers. (In the drawer labeled Electric Tools)
Paint, ink, puffy paints. I keep these in the top drawer because little babies like to play with them.
Ribbon, twill tape, bias tape.
There are also sewing machine manuals, spools of thread, extra needles, a whole drawer of elastic and some randoms like the scorecard from our very first date where I won in mini-golf. It’s fully loaded and such a great organizational tool for a sewing room, even if it is really heavy! I use it as a great excuse to keep everything!
If you missed the rest of my sewing room tour, click here!
This is great! I have an old card catalog with a billion drawers that I love to keep (and hide) my goodies in. Yours is even better because it was your grandpa’s- how fun! :)
My granddaddy was the same…happy-go-lucky-organized-sweet-generous man… I have lots of his furniture and it reminds me of him everyday. He lived us from before I was born until the day he died. I miss him terribly!
A quiet but big reminder, wonderful. Beautiful in its own way.
enimSou
so cool, kate. the memories and the piece itself, love it. :)
Great….I love all those drawers…Ilaria
What a fantastic piece of furniture. And perfect for a sewing room!
Sounds like Julius was an excellent person to have known.
I love everything about this post. Everything. What a beautiful tribute to your grandpa. On another note, I guess it is sewing room reveal week. I shared mine on Sunday! http://www.cottonbottommama.com/2012/03/sewing-room-reveal.html
Loved seeing your space. I am inspired to cover my table with a sheet and store lots of stuff under it :)
I love this! I feel that same way about family treasures….reminders of that person and the little stories that go along with them. My grandmother was just telling me how much she loves the old chair that her Daddy sat on everyday…even though it doesn’t match anything in her house.
AYYY Kate ,es verdad ser sentimental es en verdad pesado.Nunca dejo comentarios en su blog ,pero hoy tengo que decirle que me encanta tener algo en común con alguien que admiro.Soy una ex mochilera que intenta coser para sus hijas y yo cargo una mesa redonda de madera que me regalo mi padre y que no entra por ninguna puerta normal.Tuve que romper la ventana
la ultima vez que me mude.cariños.
aw I got all teary reading this >.< It's so beautiful to have these wonderful stories of loved ones no longer with you (plus its an awesome chest!) I got my grandmothers sewing machine and cupboard and when I went through it I cried remembering everything about her. It was full of her little things :) Talitha xx
http://www.ttimechatter.com
What a lovely story.
Just found your blog through Hello Cotton and I’m glad I did.x
I’d love a storage item like that, even a whole room to me and my machines would be fabulous! Do you know about Versatile Blogger Award? I was passed on the award and I have nominated your fabulous blog for the award. If you are interested in it, please visit my blog to see the rules to follow.