Sometimes the old tools work the best

So how many of you have seen one of these before?  If it hadn't been for Gramma, I wouldn't even know this useful device existed.  It's a vintage money counter and Gramma used to use it when she went shopping to keep track of her grocery bill so she stayed within her budget.  I remember going shopping with her as a little girl, and sometimes she'd even let me tally up the dollars and cents, which is a big deal to a 5 year old!  Amazingly this thing still works well and I now use it as a row counter when I'm knitting.  Before I rediscovered this handy tool while sorting through Gramma's things I used to keep track of my rows on a piece of paper, which was a bit of a pain.  This is so much easier!

Right now I working on a blue knit kangaroo like this one for a customer in Australia.

 

I really enjoy knitting, especially cute critters like this one, and not having to stress about how many rows I've knit makes the process that much more enjoyable.  

I have all sorts of vintage tools in my craft arsenal, many of which were never intended to be used the way I use them now- LOL.  I do find that many of those vintage items work a lot better than some of the tools you purchase today.  Back then, things were built to last!  I think Gramma has had this Handy Counter since the '70s, and she used it all the time, yet it's still in perfect working order.  I have tools I bought a year ago that are already broken.  Sorta makes you wonder what ever happen to quality craftsmanship.  I know when I make an item I make it as durable as possible.  This kangaroo, for example, is knit with a very tight stitch using high quality yarn and is sewn together very securely and stuffed with soft non-bunching fiberfil.  I want my sculptures, stuffed animals, jewelry, and home decor to be around for years to come!

So if you come across a vintage item and are thinking of getting rid of it, give a second look and see if you can't find a use for it ;)

Thanks for stopping by!

~Michelle of CreativeCritters

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