Grandma`s Magic Kit

[VictorS]

Description of content and more pictures will come...

[SimonC]

Oooohhh!
Looks intriguing Vic

[David DeTenyo]

Sweet ... I wonder what will be inside I believe I have a trick called 'Gradpa's Deck', but grandma ... ? Or the Nana's (gradma's?) necklace trick perhaps?
Looking for ward to follow ups Victor!

[VictorS]

Thank you Simon and David
Unfortunately it`s not Nana`s Necklace, but that would be nice also. Since this belongs to Grandma, it was not also deck of card (that belongs to Grandpa ) It was actually Grandma`s Magic Sewing Kit.

Dear all,
Good day to you. I like to share this with the member because I think you will love this. I showed our BobD once I met him in Manila years ago but I haven`t shared this here. There are so many magic set created on the market but I never saw someone making magic set out of a sewing kit/box. This is not suitable for kids but I think you will love this.

Before we go to the content, a little bit history behind this prop:
Back to the year 2004-2005 when I was really "in love" with Tommy Wonder`s magic creations, I saw Tommy`s wonderful routine for "The Eye Of The Needle" which you still can watch the routine here :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47K01gPMc-4
I mentioned this also in the other thread about "Magical Keepsake" few week(s) ago.

After watching his performance (in the DVD) I decided to make 1 set for perform the routine because I really love the ending and the threads stuck in the eye of the needle is truly a unique keepsake for the spec. I tried to design the card also which I can write message to someone in special occasion and stab the needle on the other side.

After studying the routine, I thought I should get/make a special box for this trick. In the same time, I was inspired after seeing another "sewing kit related" tricks such as : Slydini`s Linking Pin, Gerard Slaxon`s Beyond Measure, the classic gypsy thread, thimble, some gags with safety pins, the button hole puzzle and last but not least The Eye Needle for the climax. I thought it would be a great idea to make a set of magic with sewing kit for 5 to 10 minutes act. The good thing that in 2005, I had an opportunity to meet Tommy Wonder (before his pass away) and show him the sewing kit including his trick. Although we haven`t had long discussion about it but I was happy to bring smile to his face by showing the Box Tommy was a great inspiration!

I hope this will inspired all of you too and I hope that we can see many improvements, perhaps new ideas or tricks. Of course, any other great suggestions are welcomed and even would be great to see your own version on the Magic Sewing Kit

Best regards,
Victor

Note:
>The design of the inner compartment was little bit unusual although it has nothing to do with the trick, just to make it little bit more unique.

>SimonC, this is my first magic "EDC" box

[SimonC]

absolutely beautiful! this type of thing is right up my street. bravo vic, gonna make a video?

[BluBob]

It's so awesome to see Tommy Wonder, his manner is smooth, and classy.

Victor, the kit is touching, while showing your passionate pursuit of excellence!

Bravo ...

[VictorS]

absolutely beautiful! this type of thing is right up my street. bravo vic, gonna make a video?

Thank you Simon. I knew it will be fit to your taste. I am not planning to make vid but I can give you more detail info and pictures if you wish. Just PM me

[VictorS]

It's so awesome to see Tommy Wonder, his manner is smooth, and classy.

Victor, the kit is touching, while showing your passionate pursuit of excellence!

Bravo ...

Thank you Bob. I love Tommy's creation because he was a perfectionist. He went to every details from constructing the routine, building the props until the psychological aspect and audience management . There are lots of complex thinking behind the simplicity.

[David DeTenyo]

Wonderfull and creative thinking Victor - well done!

[VictorS]

Wonderfull and creative thinking Victor - well done!

Thank you David

[David DeTenyo]

Victor, pretty please do a video explaining or just showing what's inside ... really
Actually, my grandmother will have her 90th birthday in december. We're giving her a very special birthday weekend ... . Don't want to be sentimental, but she's the one who actually raised me, so she's what I call my 'second' mother ... .
Would LOVE to do something special for her and your little box seems VERY appropriate

By the way, I know the basic gipsy thread trick, I do it all the time with waxed dental floss (those of you who know this will know why it has to be waxed ), always gets great reactions

[Richard W]

When I was a very young kid after my grandma passed I somehow ended up with her walnut sewing box and used it to put many of my small magic tricks in it. Even stranger ended up with the tall double door metal cabinet she had this box and other sewing things in. Turned out to be the same cabinet I ended up putting all my magic in then also. So when I seen this Grand's Sewing Kit post the memories of this hit me like a brick. So I started to think where is that box? I thought for sure I still had it someplace in a dresser drawer or a closet but cannot find it now. I may find it someplace but fear after all these many years I may have got rid of it which makes me very sad indeed.

Such a coincidence to see a grandma's sewing box being used for magic as that is what I really did.
I would also like to see a video of what you end up doing with your box too. I hope I can find mine again someplace I'll keep looking.

[VictorS]

Wow, I`m quite surprise that this sewing kit has brought quite emotional value to you David and especially you Richard. I`m very sorry to hear it but I hope you will find the family heirloom Richard.

I`m currently out of home for family event and far away from my Sewing Kit unfortunately, all I have now is the the pics and laptop. Since you are interested to know more, I will write more about the content as David , Richard and Simon requested before I have a chance to make a video of it. Actually the box can be customized with your props as long it has relation with sewing kit content. So the creativity is limitless. Allow me some times to describe it. Thank you guys.

[Rob Rand]

My wife still has the sewing kit of her grandma and still keeps all sewing uitilities in it, it's a very nice wooden kit and I didn't come up with the idea using it for the eye through the needle trick...
So I am also curious about your further writing about this and hopefully to see a video

[VictorS]

very nice Rob. Seems that sewing kit is a very common object in every family. I went to my mother`s bedroom yesterday and indeed she has her own sewing kit in an vintage black teak wood box. I`m not quite sure if the younger generation today still have or keep the sewing kit or are they be able to sew. The world is changing unfortunately.

Ok, as my promise to all of you I will try to describe the content of my Magic Sewing Kit which is not actually belongs to my grandma, but I made it for magic purpose. But seems that I have chosen a correct title that fit to many of us

I re-attached the same pic as before but I added some numbers for better orientation.

THE SEWING BOX:

My sewing box has a dimension approx 20 cm (L), 10 cm (W) and 4 cm (H) and it was made out of hard cardboard. The surface was covered by mahagoni wood sticker and the interior was covered by black velvet. It was not by purpose to have the design of the compartment like the one I made, it can be customized for your own version.

To support the routine for "Eye of the needle" routine, I added a block of eraser at the bottom right corner and it was specially made to stab all needles that required for the routine. The big button on the top of the eraser has nothing to do with the routine, it`s just a decoration.

THE SUPPORTING TOOL/OBJECTS:
As described in the picture, I added :
>Pair of small scissors to support "Eye of the needle" routine,
>Match / lighter to do gypsy thread routine with the spec (which is not necessary actually) I love to use it with candle on the candle stand and light it with the match and perform the gypsy thread routine.
>Needles, in various sizes (long, medium, small) I need part of them to prepare the "Eye of the needle" routine,
>Needle threader (well my eyes are getting old unfortunately)
>Buttons (could have potential to make a routine out of this but at the moment I use this only for decoration purpose)

THE TRICKS / PROPS (as numbered in the pic):

1. Tommy Wonder`s Eye of the Needle.
The eye was stuck with threads and it`s not possible to pull the threads out of the needle. I made an extra greetings card to write it for someone and greet them in special occasion. At the end of the routine, the needle will be stabbed on the left side of the card to make it safe to the spec to keep. There is a technique to prepare the thread and it was loaded in the black thread spool during the routine. If you see the cut threads under the scissors, it was also on purpose to support the routine. The small needles which stabbed on the bottom right corner are there to support the routine also. This is all what I can say for the moment because we are not in the member`s only section. I save this routine for the last because it is the best and the keepsake will act as final appreciation for the spec.

2. Beyond Measure by Gerard Slaxon
I got this beautiful "gimmicked" measuring tape as gift from the owner of the magic shop in Berlin about over 10 years ago but I`m not sure if this is still available on the market. It`s quite impossible to make this by our own because it is factory customized.
The effect is quite simple : We ask the spec to measure the thread of exact 90 cm and cut it. The spec see clearly the length. Out of the 90 cm thread , we measure 10 cm length of the thread and we can vanish it (by burning it or etc) The thread is re-measured and mysteriously it has exact 90 cm of length.
I can recommend this prop if you are be able to find it. I believe it made from German company but I need to check this again.

3a. I use this for the standard Gypsy Thread Routine. I love to perform it with the light candle (which is not part of the sewing kit box) or for the unprepared version, I ask spec to hold a lighter.

3b. This is the second version of of Gypsy Thread Routine using 2 colors of threads (Black and White) I`m not sure if someone came out to this idea but it works for me. I take first the black thread and cut it in pieces and I roll it become a ball of thread and then I take a the white thread and cut t for about 10 cm length. I take the black ball thread and roll it together with the white thread and it is mysteriously restored. So at the end we will have an effect similar to Tenyo Enchanted Strings

4. Thimble(s)
Thimble is actually a finger cover protection during the sewing process. So this classic fit to this box and we can do standard thimble manipulation with it.
Additional ideas : with 3 thimbles and 1 tiny shirt button, we can perform the classic "find the button". Just a glue a tiny piece of invisible thread under the button and we are ready to go.

5. Linking Pins ( Gimmick)
With the gimmick pins we can perform the Slydini Pins as you can watch here :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hyTMRLTBj0

6. Linking Pins (Non Gimmick)
There are lots of linking pin routines with normal pins available and the key pin can be prepared with the normal pin. With a support of neo magnet, it can help us with other additional direct link and unlink effect. This is one of the example I can find on youtube :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWM0VTL-cyQ

GAGS and PUZZLE

7. Growing pin : first the pin can be shown as a normal length size of safety pin (approx 4 -5 cm) and in front of spec`s nose, we can stretch it 3 times from the original length.

8.This is actually the classic pencil, string and buttonhole puzzle :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLauBh9Zvg0
This version is nice because we can use it also as puzzle or as a magic wand.

9. This a piercing gag actually, just for fun, just stick it under your nose and it looks like your nose has been pierced. I think this novelty is still easily available in every magic shop.

So that`s all folks As I said this box was made actually to Tommy`s routine but ended up with a magic set. I think with this box, it`s more than enough to do 5 - 10 mins entertainment. I hope I`m be able to make the video someday but hopefully my current explanation can answer your questions. Thanks a lot guys for raising the interest

Cheers,
Vic