Help me find a sewing-kit-in-a-pen.

November 17, 2008 7:01 PM

Please help me find another sewing-kit-in-a-pen like the one I bought at Brookstone in the 1990s.

Back in the 1990s, I went to Brookstone and bought a gadgety-cool yet practical clear ballpoint pen that contained a complete sewing kit. The pen refill held five tiny thread spools, and the remaining space in the plastic chamber held a couple of needles and a safety pin. The sewing kit slid out of the plastic sleeve using the refill as a spindle.

It's been a source of aid and amusement for many years, but it finally grew legs and walked away.

I bought the original as a gift, and I'd like to replace it.

Despite my best efforts at Google-Fu, I cannot find *any* pen containing a sewing kit.

Please help!

posted by ScarletPumpernickel to shopping (4 comments total)

This is a very old and wonderful design, and I treasure my sterling one. The phrase tube + "sewing kit" turned up a few vintage options, but no newly made ones, looking like pens or otherwise. Here is a funky lipstick and pearl style one in an active auction on eBay, and here is an ended auction for a pre-WW1 soldier's version. This one is also an add for Mrs. Pinkham's funny pills.
posted by Scram at 12:25 AM on November 18, 2008

My google-fu is failing me too so I've focussed on the "source of aid and amusement" part instead ;-)

Lone Star Beer Sewing Kit Promotional Advertisement
Occupied Germany Calvert Whiskey Advertising Sewing Kit
Vintage Patteson For Governor Metal Wood Sewing Kit
Brass Tube Sewing Kit with Belt Clip
Spaceship
Floral with tassle
Whiskey egg
Early Sterling silver egg shape sewing kit needle case
Lipstick

More on eBay...
posted by ceri richard at 12:31 AM on November 18, 2008 [2 favorites has favorites]

Heh, should've previewed instead of spending an hour on eBay collectibles!
posted by ceri richard at 12:32 AM on November 18, 2008

So why not make one yourself? If the replacement is also for a gift, use a nice looking "gimme" pen and throw away its guts. (Sun gave me a pen with an LED that might be neat for this!)

I carry a sewing kit in a plastic egg, but in my smaller bag I have a matchbook-sized kit that my dad snagged from a Japanese hotel -- so it's got this tiny, folding scissors and other such amusements.
posted by wenestvedt at 10:16 AM on November 18, 2008