Sajou stitching accessories : The Silver Needle, Fine Needlecraft Materials


From 1830 to 1880, Jacques-Simon devoted his time and inventiveness to fancy needlework, starting la Maison Sajou in 1830. His goal: to sell supplies for all types of the Needlearts. With the creation of his pattern albums, he reached intense fame in France and all of Europe... his original albums are very valuable and intensely sought-after collectables today! The trade name 'Sajou' fell into oblivion some years later, presumably after Jacques passed. It had not been used since 1954, and therefore, under French law, became available in 2004 for a new owner! Frederique Crestin-Billet is the new owner of Sajou, and promises to present the vintage designs and articles as they were -- without edits. Relying on the excellent name of Sajou, she is producing product using modern production methods, while maintaining a world that reminds us of the haberdasheries of yesteryear. I love her things... and hope you will, too!
French Needles in Floral Sleeves Direct from Sajou of Paris, France, I had to have these pretty packages of varied needles! Three different sets -- The 6-needle Tapestry set includes 18, 20 and 22 needles -- it is in the pink and green sleeve. The 'Broder' set features 15 Embroidery needles ranging in size from 3 to 9. The Sewing Needle Set -- Coudre, in the blue sleeve -- has 15 asst needles, sized 3 to 9 also. Needles, needles, needles... they come in a million sizes and every one is a bit different and perfect for just it's task! The Tapestries are great for needlepoint and cross stitch on larger fabrics with perle cottons (like the Shepherd's Bush stockings.) The Embroidery needles have a sharp tip but a larger eye for more threads... while the Sewing needles are slimmer, still sharp, but have a much smaller eye.
Specialty Pin Tins Sajou has sent some really nifty little round metal tins -- with a twist-lock opener -- that are decorated on both sides with pretty French labels, and filled with curious pins and snaps! The tins measure 2 inches in diameter, and are 1/2 an inch thick, and feature a twisting latch on the side that tilts to force the lid off the tin. Each finding has it's own labels on it's tin... with it's particular style picture. Absolutely charming... nothing is inexpensive about these... but money isn't the point! Nostalgia and classic little containers for pretty sewing cases, needlework shadow boxes and stitchery-related collections ARE the point! The Shepherdess holds 30 regular 7/8 inch safety pins. The School Teacher's tin has 16 ball-spring safety pins inside -- which look very strange and European to me! The Fairy holds 16 sets of stainless snaps -- 10 mm in size. The Spool Juggler holds some curious quilt machine triangular head pins -- each is 1-1/8 inch in length -- 100 of them in this little tin. Eiffel Tower stores 120 1-1/4 inch heavy duty straight pins. The Goose Girl holds 150 1-1/8 extra-fine straight pins. Lady Sewing with Cat holds 80 heavy-duty 1-7/8 inch straight pins (They are super long!) Over-The-Top-Cool-and-Unique!!!!!
Cloth Tape Measure in a Wooden Crank Case! Talk about neat! Sajou brings us a twill fabric tape measure -- graduated in centimeters only -- that is creme on one side and reverses to taupe on the other. It is 82 centimeters long .. approx 32 inches in length... it is about half an inch wide, and is housed in a wooden barrel case that features a round crank on the top to turn and re-wind your tape measure!!! Just the most petite thing, the barrel case measures a mere 1-1/4 inches in overall size, the ball of the crank bringing it up to 2 inches tall! It even comes packaged in a pretty cardboard floral box. Quite the unique little piece, fun for a collector!
Glass Headed Pin Wheels Sajou has some pretty new pin wheelies... decorated in the center with a vintage needlework advertisement. With an overall size of 3 inches in diameter -- glass top to glass top, each white plastic wheel stores 40 Murano glass-headed sewing pins. The paper label in the wheel center features an antique add for this French line of pins. You can actually use this as a pin storage, so it makes it really fun to have in your stitching bag or a favorite sewing case, but it'd be pretty in a framed collection of needlework antiques and tools! Asst interior labels.
The History of Thread Oh my gosh... this is a LOVELY 6 x 8 softcover book -- 238 thick, glossy pages FULL of incredible, beautiful, vintage photos of EVERYTHING to do with antique 'Haberdashery.' Every page is stuffed with pictures of antique needlework thread cards, winders, spools, bobbins, advertisements, color cards, labels, needle packets... you name it. The very BEST part of this book, however, is that while it is in French, it is ALSO IN ENGLISH!!! I can read everything!!!!!!!! So... I can now devour the history lessons delivered on each page that match the pictures! Every page has a history lesson about the products and packaging featured. So many shop advertisements and promotional cards and materials... so much information... I had absolutely no idea much of this existed in days gone by!!! Absolutely an Over-The-Top, Drop-Dead Gorgeous, publication, I just want a cold, rainy afternoon, alone at home, a cup of hot tea... and THIS BOOK! Exquisite! A MUST for any needlework library!
Little Monsters Preemies These scissors are named 'Little Monsters' because of the disproportion between the handles and the blades. They were used to garnish antique miniature French sewing kits, which explains why the blades are so short. Offered by Sajou of Paris, they are pricey, but really cute and very unique. Packaged in a small, pink floral box, their finish is a gold that already has an 'aged patina' to it. Measuring approx 1-3/4 inches wide by 2-1/4 inches long, the tiny blades are 5/8 of an inch long, and feature a small tip, that is pointy, but not ultra sharp. Lovely little scissors!
Vintage French Sewing Postcards Oh my gosh... this is a 5 x 6-1/4 x 2 inch decorated box that holds a collection of heavy, coated card-stock note and postcards -- 90 in all!!! There are some duplicates of the gorgeous antique needle card packages and ads, but most are singles of antique sewing album pages, old photographs of button, tin, scissor and sewing card collections. Spools, tape measures, thimbles, snaps, laces, trims... every card is prettier than the last, and paging through the box is such a treat! Each card features the Sajou brand name on the front in some fashion, and a French copyright on the back... so they are authentic. Now... you could USE these as stationery, as informational cards to attach to the backs of framed pieces to record fabrics, threads, etc. You could scrapbook with them, you could frame them with needlework tools and such in shadowboxes... you could just frame them as they are! They'd make a wonderful door prize for a stitch group -- remember you have 90 pieces in here... so each card costs only $1.56... a really nice gift for a friend, or meeting attendees... OR... you could just keep them and savour... till something strikes your fancy! I just love this kind of stuff... a personal weakness that I'm really happy about! Simply elegant and lovely!
Thread Palettes Exquisite chipboard palettes from Sajou of Paris, France! Sturdy 4 x 6 boards featuring 18 pierced holes to store your lengths of threads for any special project. Lovely and sophisticated, each side is different, and offers breathtaking artwork to be tucked into a sewing case, antique needlework shadowbox display... displayed beside an antique sampler... start dreaming! Each palette is different on each side. Many of these coordinate with Sajou's Thread Winders to make a really neat set of smalls. So, so cool, these are made from the same board as the little thread winders, and are another treat for a stitcher! USE them... they're too pretty to tuck into a drawer and lose!
French Thread Cards Sajou offers the most charming chip-board thread cards!!! Tiny bits of French Artistry, each features antique needlework artwork, advertisements, wallpapers, French ladies and fashions...as you can see, quite an assortment of designs. You can wrap bits of threads around these to tuck into a special needlecase, shadowbox, or sampler display... they are approx 2 inches in size. The die-cut shapes feature a tie-hole to attach the card to the inside of a special needle case, and a tiny slit to 'park' the end of the wrapped threads that you wind around the little card. Offered in sets of 6 cards each -- all the same shape in each set... each card in your tiny French collection is a different color in its series -- and each is printed on BOTH sides, so they're pretty all around! (You can buy all the sets and break them up... mixing and matching the colors if you want!) Anyway... such a pretty find... an elegant gift.. a cool little needlework 'curiosity' to tuck into your stitching bag... I LOVE these! So different and classy... you need them for YOU and all your stitching friends!!!
Antique Needle Cards Charming antique prints, each 3-1/2 x 5 card opens to 5 x 7... and displays the needles against an antique floral wallpaper background. Lovely folders -- identical artwork on both sides of each. Both sharp and blunt tapestry needles are included -- approx 40 varied sizes in each paper pocket, they are charming, and ALMOST too pretty to use! So pretty, so special, these are very well done! I don't know how you're going to choose a favorite... and even though these are the perfect gift... they might be hard to give away!!!
'Epingles I hope that name tells you that these are very special pins from France!!! We have received the coolest tiny tins of Italian glass-headed pins from Sajou -- a French Needle work Designer and Supplier. What makes them special is the tiny tin they are packaged in... along with the fact that glass-headed pins do not melt when you iron over them. In the world of the United States Chain Stores... plastic headed pins are the norm. My Mona, of Magic by Mona, is lusting after these, because she has melted too many pins under a hot iron! Charming little 1-1/2 inch diameter tins standing 1-1/4 inches high... each is made from leather-like cardboard sides in either red, pink or light blue. (Choose a color... but tell us if you HAVE to HAVE that color... or let us know we can send whatever -- they're all pretty!) The classy Sajou label written in French, tops your tiny tin. Inside, you'll find 80 Italian Murano glass-topped straight pins. Multi colors.. pins are 1-inch in length. When your little tin arrives... it will be a CHALLENGE to open. Designed to fit tightly at first -- we want your pins to be in there when you get your little tin! After you twist and fidget a bit, the tin will open much easier. These are so classy... so unique... so substantial and heirloom-y! Quite the special thing to include in a needlework display!