Fixing my Sewing Cabinet

Last week I told you about the awesome Sewing cabinet I foud at the thrift store for $5.

At the time, I told you it needed a little work.  You can see the top doesn’t look pristine and there there were other problems too.

See how the…veneer is lifting away…UGH.

I took a tooth pick and wood glue and loaded it up with glue.


Then I used some fabric, a board and clamps like this to hold it all together.

I cleaned off all the excess glue and let it dry.

Next I checked the rest of the cabinet and the back needed help too.


More glue, more clamps, and more drying time and it was all good.


Next up the finish on it looked like it could use some help.  Restor-a-Finish to the rescue.  I’m not really good with types of wood but this looked like walnut to me…so the walnut version is what I used.

Here is how it looked when I started…


Look at the picture.  Can you see how nice the bottom is looking??  MUCH better.


I used a Q-tip to get into the cracks.  It was so worth the piddling I did to make it look better.


The biggest problem…find somewhere in my house to make it work!!  I’m running out of room.  It landed here…


Doesn’t it look great?!?!

Well, it looks great if you love eclectic antique-type things.


The stand it’s on is one my husband had fixed up.  The baskets are all thrifted or found on our adventures.  All of these are filled with my cross-stitch stuff.  The top is a Singer-brand sewing basket that holds bags and rings for threads for projects.

The old pie basket holds scraps of linen.  The brown basket holds lower-count linens like 28 and 32.  I only have a couple of pieces in each size of that.  The box below it holds a couple of pieces of 36-count linen.  There are only about two pieces in there.


The bottom basket holds 40-count linen and it’s full.  No more linen buying for me unless it’s a specialty piece.

Rosie was all upset because she wasn’t in the pictures.  So here’s a Rosie picture.  Whatever I need to do to make the dog happy, right??

I need to pull out my Spring decorations and put something more in my tiered tray.

My green Martha Washington Cabinet that I got at the thrift store for $25 or so holds all of my UFO projects and all of my threads.  For the most part, besides a filing drawer for my charts, this is my cross-stitch storage.


It’s ver eclectic but it’s totally the look I love.  No white shelving for me.  Everything old, crusty and vintage is always my first choice.  The new sewing cabinet was the perfect project for me at the perfect $5 price too!!  I just love my thrift store!!

25 thoughts on “Fixing my Sewing Cabinet”

  1. Stephani in N. TX

    Your make-do looks like it was made to be in that spot. I love it. Your quilts and your furniture finds go well together and the look is enviable.

  2. I love the sewing cabinet. It looks great in the shelf with your baskets. I love the look of wood and not the painted stuff.

  3. I think we would all like to go a-thrifting with you, Jo! The new cabinet looks perfect on the little stand and the baskets make great spots to stash your treasures. What a nice little nook to keep your stitching all together.

  4. BETTY EDWARDS

    I just love your Thrift Store finds and how you perk them up and actually use them. I wish I had a bigger house to do such things like that here but there are no good Thrift Stores. Oh I am sure there are some but I haven’t found them! Lol Just keep doing what you love Jo! You, Judy and Denise have me back into Cross Stitch and I think I have lost my mind. I ordered a 40 Count Piece of Linen for the Stitch-A-Long and I have never used Linen before! Lolo

    Hugs from Louisiana!

  5. I love the old stuff too! It looks great I’m in California and we don’t have good thrift stores,they resale things for more than the stores sell it for! Good prices on big furniture,but a canning jar is cheaper at Walmart! I would love to shop at yours.

  6. The sewing cabinet you found is just the type of treasure I would be thrilled to find too! That’s why we keep looking, isn’t it?! You cleaned it up nicely. I like how you use all your baskets/boxes/cabinets for specific purposes. Thanks for sharing.

  7. Jo, I love that cabinet! It looks great. If I was in Iowa, I’d beg for a tour of your lovely home!

      1. Judith Fairchild

        I am so glad you found a great place for your new sewing box. It looks like it’s always been there. You have the knack of just the stuff and the right place to put them. One of the thrift stores I shopped at had lots of yardage and I had fun going through and getting some of it.

    1. I go to all of the thrift stores in the area including the ones you mentioned. Everywhere I drive, I hit the thrift stores up. Even when I go to Lacrosse I hit up the little store in New Albin.

  8. So organized ! I noticed a Martha Washington cabinet advertised on CL. It’s in great shape and only $20 !!! but I don’t think I’ll drive 180 miles one way to get it. Someone else will be the lucky one.

  9. Christine Burch

    Okay, I have to ask what is the quilt called that is hanging on the banniste? It’s lovely. Looks like it might be a Carrie Nelson pattern.

  10. Rosie, I love her face. She still has a young face. I know she was a trial at first but, oh my. Thank you for all the storage ideas. Not sure I would use them but what fun to see them.

  11. Katherine Gourley

    Be still my heart — love that little cabinet. I too love the eclectic look with things that always seem to “go together”. I love the latch on your pie basket. Unfortunately the thrift and resale shops in my area have become so expensive that I no longer find the treasures that I used to. My husband just smiles and shakes his head when I find a NEW treasure.

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