I have a deep love for color coding things. But I think that may go without saying. :)
Friday, November 19, 2010
thread storage
I was in the thrift store the other day buying mittens and shirts for my boy when I happened to come across this old (and dirty!) shelf. I bought it thinking it would be perfect for thread storage. My original intent was to repair the few holes it had and paint it white. You know, someday. Well, after cleaning it up, I decided to leave it as is. It matches my grandmother's old buffet finish perfectly. How handy that it fits my (extensive) thread collection perfectly, too! 
It was just the incentive that I needed to clean off my buffet and organize the top of it. Can I tell you just how happy this makes me? Very, VERY happy. I LOVE this!!!!
Looks so great!
ReplyDeletePerfect! Looks wonderful!
ReplyDeleteMy 5 yr old daughter has this weird obsession with Buttons. Could I send her over to your house...those jars could keep her occupied for days!
ReplyDeleteThat little shelf looks like it was made for thread. Looks perfect there.
ReplyDeleteVery nice. Of course, with your colors all organized it looks very lovely and rainbowy. Man! You've got loots of buttons - mine are in 1 jar instead of 12!
ReplyDeletewhat a great find. looks real nice with all that thread, too.
ReplyDeleteI can see why this would make you happy. I feel happy just looking at it. Very pretty and useful too! So glad you had a great time at the retreat. They are an incredibly fun yet productive time!
ReplyDeletePS. Just love your red wall. And it's 6:15am on a Saturday morning so I get that bit about sneaking in some blogging time!
very cool. By the way, mayonnaise does wonders on old, dirty, finished wood.
ReplyDeleteVery pretty thread. See, this is why I live in perpetually jealousy of you - even your thread - your THREAD! - is pretty.
ReplyDeleteOkay, I'm done. But it is lovely.
what a gorgeous vignette!! I love seeing photos like this. Are the threads with the wrappers still on them from Connecting Threads? Do you like them to sew with? I only have white and grey but have been really impressed (nice stitch definition, low lint) and think I might collect up some of the colours. The price just makes them seem too good to be true!!
ReplyDeleteSo pretty! I just bought a similar shelf (just smaller) at a thrift store last month and put all my thread on it. Great minds think alike. :)
ReplyDeletehttp://seaschell.blogspot.com/2010/10/im-baaaack.html
It looks great!
ReplyDeleteAnd nice to see that I'm not the only one who can't resist the color selection of essentials thread. :)
I love this! I am also impressed with the amount of brown and brownish buttons you have. Very beautiful! :)
ReplyDeleteIF I owned my house, I would have you come over and give me some decorating tips. I just thought it could be cool to paint the back of my cupboards that have glass doors.
ReplyDeleteBeatiful pictures! I have some thread by Connecting Threads. Is that what you normally sew with? So far I have mostly used it as a prop with my pincushions because I like the way they do their spools...
ReplyDeleteI have been using Superior, but it is so much pricier...
You like to color code things? I never would have guessed ;)
ReplyDeleteI have to ask. Do you find any difference in Connecting Threads for piecing or quilting?
ReplyDeleteWhat a find! I like that you're leaving it natural rather than painting this piece. Looks great with all your thread so organized.
ReplyDeleteGreat find at the thrift shop! Don't you just love finding old things and re-purposing them!? Your picture looks like it should be in a magazine. No wonder you love it so much!
ReplyDeletelove love love!
ReplyDeleteFantastic idea. I have seen them used as table tops with little trinkets in them covered with glass.
ReplyDeleteVery nice! It looks beautiful! What a find!
ReplyDeleteLooks like it was made to go there! Perfect!
ReplyDeleteIt's perfect Amanda!
ReplyDeleteSmashing! Curious, though...
ReplyDeleteDid you rearrange your craft room? I don't remember seeing that piece. :-)
Your thread and buttons reminds me of the color coordinated bookshelves you did a while back.
You love colour-coding? I don't think I could have ever guessed! ;-) Love the new shelf and that buffet is pretty awesome too!
ReplyDeleteIt looks so cute. I love the buttons in jars by color. It looks so cool.
ReplyDeleteOh I love a great thrift find too! Everything looks beautiful! And I like colour coding too!
ReplyDeleteI love your buffet!
ReplyDeleteOk, I love the colour coding and grouping....it is like a quilt in a different form....and I am deeply envious of all these blogs I read that find cool things at their thrift store......there is never anything cool at our local store...it could be I am beaten to it, but our value village seems to be pretty sad!
ReplyDeleteYowza. I love the little rack, and love what you've done with it.
ReplyDeleteYes indeed. Most definitely. This perfect thread holder is one of the most beautiful things I've seen in a while. (Well, since this afternoon when my daughter ran home from the bus stop, stringy hair a-flyin' and jacket draggin' on the sidewalk). Funny how the simplest things carry the most beauty.
ReplyDeleteBest to you.
Very cool.. is it an old printers drawer? I love it!
ReplyDeleteI think it's an old printers tray, don't paint it!
ReplyDeleteHere's a glimpse of mine (I think I need a better picture!):
http://blog.petitdesignco.com/2010/10/fabric-artichoke-pinecone-thingy.html
Oh doesn't that look wonderful! I so wish I could store my threads like that but unfortunately our cat would take great delight in flicking all of the bobbins off - one by one :-/
ReplyDeleteI have them (colour coded of course lol) in various boxes... I seriously love your little set up... I would be very happy with it too :0)
Great idea! Very pretty and charming.
ReplyDeleteI love it. Your buffet looks like a collage of colors and lines. Hey, that sounds like a quilt!
ReplyDeleteSo perfect together -- and love the organization too! Pretty!
ReplyDeleteLOL, the joke's on me. i looked at your pic and wondered how jars of jelly beans related to thread. glad i read the comments! and yep that thread holder is wonderful!
ReplyDeleteThis is just simply awesome! It looks like a piece of art:)
ReplyDeleteVery very nice!!
ReplyDeleteThis looks great! I put my thread in rainbow order too (http://eschhousequilts.blogspot.com/2010/10/thread.html), but my holder is not as great as yours.
ReplyDeleteOoh, love it. I have been looking for such a treasure in my thrift shop perusals, for the same purpose. And also one for the tiny treasures my 2 and 4 year olds collect. I love the idea of one painted white.
ReplyDeleteNow you have me thinking. My old buffet would make some perfect fabric storage in my sewing room ...
It looks great! That's a good idea.
ReplyDeleteThat second photo makes me unreasonably happy!
ReplyDeleteawesome and LOVE the canning jars.. I use those a lot... gotta have the pretties out to see!
ReplyDeleteThat look seriously makes me happy too!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this great idea! I recently saw a similar shelf (originally for golf balls) at a thrift store and wished I had an idea for it. Now, the next time I see something similar, I will have an idea!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful treasure you found! And your color-coding is wonderful too!
ReplyDeleteOh it looks terrific.......I should go clean my messy sewing room.......I'm off
ReplyDeleteHappy sewing
I love the shelf, it looks great. And I also love all your jars of buttons. They look great together.
ReplyDeleteGlad you decided less is more! This looks wonderful on your buffet. Very cheerful and color coordinated :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea.
ReplyDeleteI really like this idea
ReplyDeleteIt looks amazing. I love the wood on that red wall. And, of course, the jars of buttons look great, too.
ReplyDeleteThat's beautiful CrazyMom!!! I have an old Pepsi crate with my threads in it, but they always look like a jumbled mess. Which gives me an idea -- instead of trying to dream up neutral places where we can meet next time you come south, perhaps you could just come and style my dungeon LOL!
ReplyDeletethings like this just make me all happy inside. Just Love it!
ReplyDeleteThis is such an inspiration! I'm currently living abroad in a flat that is not even 1/3 the size of the house I lived in in the states and I am trying to think creatively about how to get a sewing room/space in my current environment
ReplyDeleteIt looks perfect! I love it.
ReplyDeleteThats pretty stylish!
ReplyDeleteAmanda~
ReplyDeleteThat shelf you bought was used by printers to sort the type that they used to use...it is called a California Job Case. If you'd only asked me first!
I am loving my quilt so much....esp. since it is REALLY cold here right no (and lightly snowing as I type).
I am currently cheating on both knitting and quilting by doing some embroidery. I threw my neck and back out by painting the dining room main wall in record time and am paying for it big time; everything hurts and I don't want to move much.
Hope you are well....see ya' next year
Fondly, Kate
I have a tray similar to that somewhere in the house. I will now have to find it and see if my threads fit. Yours looks so pretty!
ReplyDeleteLove it! I have the same polka dot vase -- bought it at Goodwill for less than $2. So cute!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great find!!! Its lovely with the buffet!
ReplyDeleteI do the same thing! :) It brings me great joy.
ReplyDeleteIt is a perfect match. Love it!
ReplyDeleteIt looks very much at home. I can understand your happiness. I love nifty thread storage and I too get a lot of pleasure out of gazing at my colour coded collection in my studio.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/townmouse/1282449300/in/set-72157600275251086/
Long time lurker, first time poster...I am obsessed with vintage printer's cases (like the one you found). It looks amazing with all the thread in it. (I've been struggling with how to store all my thread...but it's hard to find those old boxes around San Francisco (they get snatched right up!)
ReplyDeleteYours is the second site that I've seen this kind of clever storage. After the first "sighting" (can't remember where it was not) I wanted to head out a thrift shop right then - and now your picture REALLY wants me to find one for myself. Save the painting for some day when you need some different. It looks great
ReplyDeleteoh so pretty :) thanks for sharing! happy thanksgiving!
ReplyDelete