Who doesn't Love Pin Keeps

I know most of my readers are Prim Lovers

And I love Pin Keeps so I want to share a few with you and a little history on them

Just look at this Hard Sole Old Baby shoe painted up in American Pride

Yes it is a Pin Keep

**By Kathy Of kittredgemercantile Click here to see this Pin Keep and read about it**

Kathy sells a varity of items in her Etsy Shop you will love the Fabric she carries

** You can click here to read Kathy's Blog **

We have come along way from the standard Tomato Pin Keep most of us remember

These first appeared during the 15th century

Gee that is news to me I had no idea these went back that far

Needles and pins were rare and expensive and before the pinkeep they were stored in

protective cases

It amazes me today at some of the creative efforts put into making pinkeeps

This pinkeep is made to look like a Black Eyed Susan and it sets atop a mason jar to store your items in *How creative*

**This one is by Deb of Paxtonvalleyfolkart you can CLICK here to view it**

Deb is a Great Gal and you ** Can Click here to read her blog **

In the Victorian Era the standard tomato pinkeeps were found in parlor rooms.

The ladies of the homes started displaying collections with pride of pin cushions *keeps*

In various shapes Fans, Dolls, Shoes, Fruits, and vegetables

Today's pinkeeps I would say have certainly taken on an amazing change you will see them everywhere in various shapes and sizes and themes

Let me Share another one with you

How fun is this one a perfect collectors choice

This one is by Sue Isn't it Sweet

**Rabbit Hollow Prims shop is full of Wonderful Prim Creations You can Click here to is this pinkeep**

**Or Click here to Read Sue's Blog**

Now for me the history I remember learning as a young girl with a grandmother and mother that sewed and quilted is that Pinkeeps were the made using the Makedo technique, I suppose we could consider that this is what the more common folks did

My grandmother would make a pin keep out of anything a Sugar bowl that had a broken handle, A cup with a missing ear, etc.

She made her own dresses out of the most glorious cotton vintage fabrics

We are talking the dresses that came down to her ankles and always had long sleeves

And I remember her always having a safety pin attached to the bodice of her dress most of the time by one of her shoulders. I treasure those memories in life

*She would always tell me that you had to keep a safety pin because you never knew when your bonnet strap may come off or your apron tie may tear*

Yes she never went outside without one of those prairie style bonnets on and

the only time she did not wear an apron was when

she would go to market or to a farm sale

And she made all of her bonnets and aprons

You will want to keep reading this post at the bottom I will share with you one of my

most prized treasures, yes a very old pinkeep

The Above pinkeeps I have shared are Prim artists that belong to a wonderful group of very creative women PAFA on Etsy

**To view all Pinkeeps offered by these talented ladies Click Here**

This month these gals have been holding a Christmas in July Celebration in their shops

So if you would like to do a little early Christmas shopping

*** To shop the Celebration go Here***

And if you have not dropped by Their blog to sign up for the giveaway

***PLEASE do go here***

We are giving away 11 prizes to 11 different winners on the 1st of August

and right now there are not many signed up so the odds are in your favor of

winning a wonderful Prim creation

And now I know this is a long post but I want to share with you one of my most cherished items it is simple and it is Old

And most of you will argue that it is not a pinkeep but to me it is because that is what

she called it

When I was 17 years old in the early 70's my Grandmother passed away

And my mother got this pinkeep *ok most will call it a needlebook*

It belonged to my Great Great Aunt Lizza

I need to correct this LOL I wondered why it looked strange  It was my Aunt Leena

Someone my mother cherished dearly

I do not know enough about her and do wish I had more history on her

she was around when my mother now almost 90 years old was a young child

*in fact she saved my mothers life at the age of 8

but that is another story I will share at another time*

It is only 2 1/2" x 4" in size made out of old wools the center of it is a piece of

wonderful old silk that is where she kept her needles at the pins were in the wool

And still are today yes those are her pins and they have never been removed!!

I hope you enjoyed my post today and please do tell me if you collect pinkeeps

Brenda