Stitching tools?

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The long needle looking thing could be some kind of lacing needle or a bodkin (used for working elastic through a casing like a waist band or sleeve cuff). Not sure about the wood item unless it is 1 of a set of

Anyone else?

Naomah

The metal one is a bodkin or lacing needle. It's for threading ribbon through eyelet or elastic through a casing. Smaller lacing needles can be used for Huck embroidery.

If the wooden one were mine, I'd probably be using it to poke out the corners of things I'd sewn and then turned right side out (stuffed animal ears and tails, etc.) It might be a found object of a useful shape and not something purchased specifically for a sewing tool.

M> Hi all,

I would think the long metal one was for threading elastic through things like knickers etc. When there was just a small hem and a distance to thread it.

The little wooden one looks like a laying tool.

The longest one is (or at least mine is!) for threading ribbon through netting or lace.

The shorter one would be used to poke things -- for when you are turning right side out for instance a doll and there's a little bit that's not right. I use a short knitting needle (no ends, similar to yours)

Was your mil a doll-nmaker?

I think the pointy one was to make a point in a collar. When you turned the collar you stuck it in to the point to smooth the seam and get it as sharp as you could.

The other one looks like a bodkin. You would use that to pull elastic or thread through a channel.

Lucille

The only thing is, is it's about 12-13 inches long! It's also rather heavy, probably 1/8 inch thick.

I can see I didn't describe very well (not surprising). It's tapered but not like a knitting needle...it's a flattened taper. And the opposite end is flattened in the other direction. Does that make any more sense?

Joan

A bodkin for threading elastic, cord, or ribbon through a narrow pocket. I doubt the wooden tool is for point turning. Point turners are normally flat. Perhaps a stiletto?

Dianne

Joan E. wrote:

Gillian

I used something like that for a point turner. As a matter of fact, I just got up to check and it's still in my sewing box. I no longer sew clothing, but when I did I used something that looked exactly like that. I have no clue whether it's something I actually bought for that purpose, or it's just something I picked up somewhere or other, but it still exists with my stuff.

Lucille

On the clothing list at school was 1 doz pair of knickers, grey, mercerized, with elastic legs. Then we also wore a more panty shaped white aertex under panty because god forbid we were knocked down by a car and 'anything' might be seen by a passing stranger lol One also had to change both daily because again, if knocked down it was best to have clean underwear !

I remember my aunts and mother raving over cami knicks and my grandmother feeling they were 'indecent' and worrying what would become of them if they were knocked down. I also remember being out with my grandmother when the leg portion of elastic let go on her knickers. It involved much hauling up of this and that and reviling of how the quality of elastic had deteriorated with the war years.

Of course nowadays people don't talk about knocked down, only knocked up :) (rare smiley)

I am not so sure that long flat needle like metal is a bodkin , it could easily be a Weaving Needle or used for weaving . as well as a bodkin , it could also be used for UPHOLTERY , and in this case the wooden object was used to stuff Cushion corners ,,, but it also can b e used as a cable needle , and last not least it reminds me of sme loose feet for the Sock repairing Myshroom i saw , with 2 kinds of heads ,,,,, [child socks and grwon up socks] mirjam

They are on an 8 1/2x11 sheet of paper, to give you an idea of their size. The wooden one (about 7" long) is very smooth and tapers the same at each end but the tapers are going opposite ways (ACK! I can't really figure out how to describe it!). The steel one, iirc, is the same thickness the entire length.

Anyone have a clue what these might be?

Joan

The wooden one is a knitting cable needle, though I am a non-knitter I come from a family of wonderful knitters, and these needles are used when one is working cables.

As to what the long one is, I have very little clue, but have a feeling it is more like to be a millinery tool given the length and strength of the tool

Cheers

Joanne in a hot hot hot Perth, Western Australia

Could the extra long one be a "baling" needle? Used to tie a large sheaf of something together?

Or used in smocking/pleating?

Or leather work?

I've been thinking about the wooden one. I seem to remember that the pointy end I used for sharpening points and the other end, which is a little flatter and stubbier, was handy for holding a seam open when you were flattening the seams with an iron before you put the garment together.

I guess it's a very old fashioned gizmo that predated all the plastic tools that are available now.

I looked again the Wooden one is not a cable needle [ wool wiil slip off ] it really looks like the foot of a darning tool .

I'm wondering about the wooden tool. Based on the description, and the picture, it reminds me of it's a child-sized chop-stick. I've seen them made in shorter lengths with flattened, tapered ends so that they are easier for a little one learning to use them. The flat ends make it easier to pick things up.

Louisa

. The wooden one (about 7" long) is very smooth and tapers the

I'm wondering about the wooden tool. Based on the description, and the picture, it reminds me of it's a child-sized chop-stick. I've seen them made in shorter lengths with flattened, tapered ends so that they are easier for a little one learning to use them. The flat ends make it easier to pick things up.

Louisa

Cheers

Joanne

When my mother knitted cables back in UK, 50+ years ago, she just used a spare sock needle, one of the double pointed ones. I wasn't aware that there were specific needles for them until I came to the US.

Gillian