Wednesday, August 30, 2006

GREAT BALLS OF FIRE - I FINALLY DID IT!!!

Before
I love the look and style of the 1950-1970's vintage knitting tote's. So much so that my kids are concerned that I am spending all of their inheritance on them (HEE HEE) I search high and low, ebay and yard sales to find these simple little beauties but alas every once in awhile I purchase a true stinker! As is the one on the left. It looks great in the pic but it is water stained, very dirty, and no amount of Febreze will remove the musty smell. I have gotten very good at repairing these gems but have never had the courage to actually take one apart and try to recover it for fear of ruining it. From handles to vinyl repair, some just need a little TLC and some need a true overhaul. This tote is my first attempt at vintage overhaul - unfortunately the thing that I forgot while choosing the fabric, is that one of the reasons that I love these totes is the retro fabrics that cover them. I love the Chinese red but it truly does not fit the classic style. Oh well, I learned a lot about the construction and have a gorgeous little beauty to add back to to my collection!


This tote was $3.99 on Ebay. What a nasty piece! After taking it apart, It is nothing more than heavy cardboard, a piece of vinyl, and some hardware. After reinforcing with much packing tape and some reshaping(and thank goodness for my glue gun!!) - the serious work begins. The fabric is a sewn case which is tightly fitted with a vinyl bottom sewn in. The hardware is reattached and I lined both totes (not the original style). I found some gold buttons at a shop this weekend with a ball of yarn and knitting needles on them. I bought 6 and had no idea what I would do with them. The hardware from this tote was not salvageable - so Voila! the buttons look great in place of the hardware! This second tote overhaul was more challenging but the vintage style fabric is stunning! Don't you think?

9 comments:

Zonda said...

WOW! I think they are both just perfect, even better than the originals! You are going to get me started on these now!! ;)

Anonymous said...

Holy cow, you did a great job! I love them.

Busymom51 said...

OMG...What a gorgeous job you did! I can picture you setting up a little business overhauling these things and selling them... oh, wait, I forgot you can't part with them...never mind.

We missed you at knitting but talked about you a lot so it was like having you there :-)

See you soon.

Busymom51 said...

P.S. I got to see your stitch markers in person... we were oohing and aahing all over the place. Now, THERE'S a business idea!

Anonymous said...

They look fabulous....When you die I'm going to put you in one and carry your around with my knittng. Great way to spend eternity- swadlled in a ball o f yarn. Huh....that did not come out the way I wanted it to. creeeeeeepy!!! I'll put an iced coffee in there fo you. Anyway- Fabo job mumsy.

LOVES,DD
AKA Lyndsay
AKA Lyndsay the Knitting tote

turtlegirl76 said...

Those totes are too cool. Beautiful job on the restore!

Fidget said...

These are really wonderful! And if you don't like that red one, I'd be glad to take it off your hands.... {grins}

Anonymous said...

They are gorgeous. It brought me back to when I was a child and my Mom and aunt had totes like that----wonder where they went--

Anonymous said...

I have one of these. my mother gave it to me. where she got it is anyone's guess as she never did learn to knit. it was not her mothers as grandma did not knit either.