The Scottish wool lengths have left my SUV, but the old notions stayed (they're probably brittle). A bag of yarn was claimed along with the Bedazzler, scissors, needles (straight and sewing machine), paint brushes, and probably a few other gadgets. Back at home I realized I still had a part that is supposed to go in the Bedazzler box, so sent a note and will deliver it later in the week.

I have several garments like you describe, probably made in shops by seamstresses in the 1940s for mom, no labels. Probably from Japan or Hong Kong when she was over there as a WAC. Silk is hard to sew with (I think it unravels?) but I'll look into what can be done with it. I won't toss them (it is exactly as Charmion's Corollary describes).

This afternoon I took another dive - this time into felt. Why did I have so much? What was I doing with it? There are no artifacts here to remind me. I think there was a bunch given away at the university library when departments were having to clear out for life-safety construction projects (asbestos removal, fire sprinklers installed, etc. Everything was emptied out). Surplus items without barcodes could be discarded so were put out for anyone to claim, and I would have grabbed the fabric.

The last bin I touched had a length of velvet from Mom's house - I'll never use it. That might be one to sell, it's enough to make something nice for a small to medium-sized person (when the nap is directional it doesn't go as far). In our family that would be me, but I won't make anything for me like that. I think it also came from Hong Kong. Mom had some department store catalogs that she used for orders when she came back to the states.