By LINDA D. COLE and INGRID L. KOHLER
Published February 28, 2004
A recent string of gloomy weekends that curtailed outdoor activities must have jolted some bored readers into early spring cleaning. A spate of letters offering all kinds of items for adoption makes us suspect that quite a few people were scrabbling through closets and rummaging in attics, clearing away clutter. Take a look at these items up for grabs: It may be the perfect time to latch onto new stuff to replace the old belongings you pitch when you tackle your spring cleaning.
Last year we detected stirrings of renewed interest in macrame among our crafty readers. They, and our knitters, may be interested in materials offered by Gloria Marvin of St. Petersburg. For macrame practitioners, five booklets from the 1970s (knot instructions, patterns), several colored hemplike twines, and a 12- by 18-inch pinboard gridded in 1-inch increments.
For knitting enthusiasts, two pattern booklets from the 1950s: Bernat's Baby Handknits and Columbia Minerva sweaters, featuring Sayelle Nantuk yarns. To latch onto these supplies, please e-mail cingupn2004@aol.com
More good finds for knitters. Rosemary Douglas of New Port Richey is jettisoning her knitting manuals and magazines. Please call 727 376-0720 to arrange to pick them up.
Mary Anne Wood is moving out quite a few hardcover crafts books, many of them dealing with counted cross stitch. Want them? Mary Anne's phone number is 727 786-7013; her e-mail address is mwood1@tampabay.rr.com
Perhaps a more modern pastime is more up your alley. Our readers can oblige here as well. Art Frank would like to give away an HP printer (All in One) with new cartridges. It includes original operating manuals. Please call (727) 787-5320 or (727) 787-6885.
Shirley Flynn of New Port Richey offers for your listening pleasure 14 record albums, each holding three 12-inch 331/3 rpm records plus an explanatory book. The collection, issued by Time-Life and titled The Swing Era, covers the period from 1936 to 1970.
Shirley also has individual records from the same period that she would like to see in the home of someone who would enjoy them. If you are that person, please call (727) 848-5688.
The Borthwicks of Hudson are spinning off lots of LPs and 45 rpm records. Interested? Please call (727) 856-5265.
Slide projectors were a hot item in the column last year. If their popularity is still surging, availability of another machine should be greeted with cheers. Jean Kapelle of St. Petersburg hopes someone can use (and pick up from her) a working 35mm slide projector plus many 100-count slide carousels and a projection screen. Please call (727) 544-7883.
Cathy of St. Petersburg is hoping that sewing spins your bobbin, because she has many old sewing patterns that need a new home - maybe yours. The trusted names on these patterns are a who's who in garment construction: Butterick, Simplicity and McCall's. Please call (727) 442-7776 and ask for Cathy.
Are you an aspiring soprano or a vocal coach? Gloria Gallant of St. Petersburg is passing along classical sheet music - art songs and operatic arias - that would be useful to you. Please call (727) 789-3374 to arrange to pick it up.
An Amigo scooter, in good shape but in need of a new battery, can be at your service if you call (727) 393-5287 and ask to speak to Doris Gross. It has been kept indoors and is no longer being used.
Carol Fluharty of Clearwater is looking for the woman who bought a Morse sewing machine at the Skycrest United Methodist Church rummage sale on Feb. 21. After the buyer left, Carol realized that she hadn't gotten the instruction book or the attachments that go with the machine. If you're the buyer, call 727 443-7912. And finally, in keeping with a theme that resonated quite frequently in this column during 2003, William Bach would like to donate a limited edition Yamaha organ (FS/200/FS100) in excellent condition to a charitable organization. But, before you e-mail William at wjbach@ij.net be warned: This organ is heavy and moving it is up to you.
- Send requests to Reader Exchange, Newsfeatures, St. Petersburg Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg 33731 or e-mail cole@sptimes.com Requests will be accepted only by mail or e-mail. This is an exchange column, so we will not run items that are for sale.
