I love this vintage oval-shaped 1950’s sewing box. It is both smart and functional. The sewing box has two green rope handles. The top has a contrasting green band encircling the side of the lid. The outside of the sewing box and lid are covered with a patterned green material which seems faded in areas.
Inside the sewing box there is a removable tray near the top.
This sewing box shows signs of use and aging.
The removable tray has a center pin cushion built into the box which matches the material on the outside of the sewing box. The tray also has four sections for buttons, seam rippers, sewing needles, needle threaders or other small sewing notions.
When you look into the box you will see a plastic holder with two pockets glued to the side of the box. What is missing with this tray is a couple of ribbon tabs to help pull the tray up.
The bottom section contains ample storage for scissors, spools of thread or other larger items.
When the box is flipped upside down, one will noticed some of the material is worn off from the bottom.
Upper tray and bottom of sewing box.
I believe this sewing box dates back to the 1950’s. What is intriguing to me is that one box description stated it was used for a Home Economics sewing class.
This makes a lot of sense to me, since this sewing box is made cheaply and not intended to endure forever. I would think that a housewife who did lots of sewing and mending would have a better sewing box perhaps something made of wood or a tin basket. During the 1950’s, if a girl was taking a Home Economics class and needed a sewing box, then this would be the perfect choice.
It seems like a lot of these type sewing boxes survived. Sewing is a life enhancing skill as you never know when you’ll have to sew on a button or mend a hem. Too bad Home Economic classes are no longer as popular as they were in the 1950’s.
If any of my Readers know if this type of sewing box was used for Home Economics sewing classes, please drop us a comment below. Thanks!