Lucky Finds

I collect knitting and crochet books and sometimes I find things that surprise me.  One day I was in an Oxfam and I found a book that kinda interested me, so I flicked through it.

Interesting but perhaps not completely my thing, wondering was there anything on Irish Lace I opened it up...

wondering how the heck the loose crochet, and it's terribly fine crochet, stayed in.  I kept going, there were a few things as bookmarks including this, I suspect handkerchief holder with some very fine crochet edging.



I was also reminded me of a lucky find in a Society of St Vincent de Paul shop in Phibsboro.

Looking at it, I was curious.
The side says 1 euro each.... 

I think I gave them more than they quoted me.
These are the non-ball items.  I suspect that the blue crochet hook is early plastic, and is cut according to my husband rather than moulded as you tend to get today, and there's a very fine but very pitted hook among the items (size 4 Cross Fox Brand), it almost looks like it has been made by a blacksmith.  The Aero Stitch holder suggests that this fine crocheter was also a knitter.
 
I'm going to have to reverse engineer the motifs, or see if they're in one of my crochet books and try to finish what this crocheter started, or possibly just fasten them off and have them mounted in some way but I suspect they were going to be something and that would be more what the artist would have liked.

These aren't my only charity shop finds but the two of them have a special place in my heart.