Champion Bag Co. Clothes Pin holder

My favorite "antiques" are the functional kind: an interesting old serving spoon, an end table, a storage jar from years long passed, a rocking chair, bookcase, my Grandmother's typewriter, or
a 1950's clothes pin holder.  

Because I use clothes pins frequently, I was excited to find the perfect clothes pin bag in an antique shop in Branson, Missouri last May.  Well, it was almost perfect.  The metal frame and hook were in fine shape, but the cotton bag with its vintage graphics hanging on the frame had seen better days.  It was ugly...dirty and very stained.  I bought it thinking it might wash up o.k., and thought, if it didn't, I'd sew a new bag for it.

And, oh dear, it looked as if a cat had clawed its way out of it, after I had washed it.
So it was time go to plan B.

My intention was to buy some cute fabric and use the shredded bag as a pattern to make a new one.

I never made it to the fabric store though.

During a purging session a couple old quilt squares, which I had been saving for years to use to make a toss pillow with, surfaced.  My coconut suddenly swirled with inspiration.  I would use Mrs. Hill's quilt squares to make a new bag for my clothes pin holder.  It seemed to be a union made in a time machine: 1950's quilt pieces upcycled into a pouch for a 1950's clothes pin bag.

Mrs. Hill was a friend of my grandmother's.  Mrs. Hill was old, much older than my grandmother. Being that I was a pre-schooler at the time, who knows how old Mrs. Hill really was though. Mrs. Hill spent hours each day hand stitching quilts.  I can still see her sitting in an overstuffed chair with fabric draped around her, needle in hand, and a peaceful, not-in-a-hurry countenance dropping into each stitch.

Those 2 Dresden Plate squares were all that remained of Mrs. Hill's many quilts.  I cherish my memory of her and them.

I kept the labels from the original Champion Bag, and sewed them into the new bag I made.

I am pleased with my vintage clothes pin holder.  The design of the metal frame is what makes it so efficient.  It holds the bag open, so it is easy to reach in and grab the clothes pins. The metal hook is sturdy and glides easily along my clothesline. The long hook brings the opening down low enough for short me to reach the  clothespins, even the ones at the bottom of the bag.  Important stuff for a repeated action.

 I see that there is a Champion Bag Co. clothes pin holder for sale on etsy for $48.00.  I paid about ten for mine.  But it has gone beyond a good buy with its repurposed quilt bag.  I think about Mrs. Hill and my grandmother each laundry day now.  I like to be reminded of positive, happy people and the place they hold in my life.

t.t.f.n. ~ Carol