Hi everyone. Hope your weekend has been enjoyable. After three consecutive chiropractic treatments my back is much better and I can bend over, so I'm back to cleaning the mess from the remodeling. Still exhausted, but working as I can. I'm sure you all know how one task can trigger a thought that leads you away from said task, onto another adventure. I ended up finally removing the majority of mom's doilies and linens. There are a few I want to show you because I don't think you can get the quality of 50 years ago, today.
We'll start with mom's hankies. I remember her schedule of Monday being washday, and then the linens would be dampened and kept in the fridge overnight for ironing on Tuesday. Her hankies and dresser scarves were well cared for and pressed perfectly.
A very small sampling and a few of my favorites.
The dresser scarves and doilies are gone. Sad to say, but I only kept a few that were unusual, and cut the embroidered parts off others for another use. Way too many to wash and press and selling them would be more trouble than worth. I moved on to the tablecloths, many of which I never saw before. 
This one is such beautiful and heavy fabric which I think is all cotton.
But this one is really special. Can you see the stars and stripes?
Opening it further I found the US in the center.
Now for the linen I'm more familiar with. Another colorful border and one more line before the good part of the sampler. I was distracted with the pear design and another project. Remember the cover of SANQ that sent a thrill up my leg? I received it and I'm disappointed to find that the bag is a wide sampler folded in half. I don't think so. Why would I do all that work to hang on a wall with half of it unseen? So I designed my own long skinny bag and I may put Eliza aside and work on it. If it ends up looking good, I may offer it as my first design that isn't free!
Did I just hear someone whine?
That's it boys and girls. I need to continue finding some order here before the next big mess. I have a feeling this will continue in bits and pieces all summer, but that's OK. As long as there is progress.
And I may have some really good news in a few weeks.
Enjoy your day - thank you so much for visiting with me. Hello and welcome to new followers. I have to apologize to everyone for not having time to keep up with all the blogs and emails, but if I get distracted by this computer, nothing will get done! So with that, I will close this lid and get moving.
Stay safe!
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24 comments:
Oh Marly, those linens are gorgeous! To think that there was a time in history when women did such beautiful work! I know, I know ... we do beautiful work too, but there was always something special about a drawer full of beautifully embroidered & edged handkerchiefs & tablecloths. Remember when a woman wouldn't be caught dead without a beautifully embroidered & edged handkerchief in her white cotton gloved hands? There's something to be said about the old days.
oh my goodness Marley you brought back so many memories with those hankies and dresser scarf's - my grandmother made those too!
Mom (and us girls) also did the wash on either Sunday or Monday and sprinkled them with a bottle sprinkler, rolled them up, wrapped them in a big flour sack dish towel and put them in the ref. until they were to be ironed - this basically took the place of steam irons back in the day....
I grew up in the 40's 50's as a young girl....so I know this step well.
Actually when I got married I looked all over for a bottle top sprinkler with the cork insert that you used on a soda bottle....I found one and used it for a few years till I got my handy dandy STEAM IRON!!!
I'm so sorry the pattern you ordered was larger than shown...that's too bad as it would be great the way it was shown...but you are a clever designer so you will achieve it!!!
Blessings on this Sunday
Karen
Beautiful linens--bring back happy sweet memories. My Grandmother always carried a hankie in her purse or apron pocket. Yes, Grandmother kept the ironing in the refrigerator. And Grandmother did not think a table was properly set without a tablecloth.
Thank you for sharing and keeping the memories and traditions of my Grandmother alive
Wow that took me back some years , I was always playing with my grandmothers hankie draw. So many beautiful ones , The kids today have never seen a lace hankie. Thanks for taking me back in time.
I love old linens so much and you have certainly got some beauties there. I have some from my mother-in-law and I keep them out (hung over the back of an old wooden chair in the diningroom) for display so I can enjoy them all the time. Sometimes I do use them too.I just finished stitching the pear and hope to get it together this week. I am so grateful you take the time to do these for us, I love them.
Hi Marly, What gorgeous linens! I have most of my mom's and I do use the dresser scarves...not so much the handkerchiefs...am trying to think of something to do with them because they really are beautiful. I, too, had the same thought about the sampler bag == don't like the fact that it is folded in half. Will be interested to see what you come up with!! PS We finally adopted a 5 month old male cat from the SPCA. He's handsome and vocal and right now passed out from too much catnip:)
Deja Vu!! I went on a shopping trip yesterday to find three linen handkerchiefs for my granddaughters, as they had never seen any and didn't know the history, etc... I washed and pressed them today, and will mail them soon! I LOVE linens! I have many tablecloths which I used to use, till I got a new table that was too pretty to hide. NOW I can use them again... I also have a box of gloves, that I think is probably worth some money. Hanging on to them. I just came here to get the pear template as I am doing some finishing today, then blogging is next... Hugs! P.S. love pear X!
Oh, I just love your mom's old linens, Marly--you are so right about the quality. That patriotic one is really special--I've never seen anything like that.
I'm sure your new design will be very special...
Oh my...lovely linens. What a treasure. I have heard of putting linens in the frig for ironing the next day. I don't remember my grandmother doing that. She must have had one of the first steam irons made. Her handkerchiefs always smelled so good. She hung EVERYTHING out. She didn't have an electric clothes dryer until she was an old woman.
YAY on the first design to sell! Can't wait to see it.
~hugs
What beautiful old linens, Mzrly and even more special because of the connections they hold for you, Sometimes the humblest things are the most precious. T have a long strip of my great-granmother's tatted lace, along with the directions for it from a magazine dated 1921. I'm sure she must have had a table cloth in mind for it.
LOVE the bright colors in your lasteds stitching project!
Lovely old linens, treasure them!
Love your progress on Eliza and looking forward to your new design!
Hugs,
Oh, dear Marly, you are a tease!
Beautiful old linens. They sure don't make them like that anymore.
Glad your back is doing better.
Hugs :)
Lauren
I think the old linens are just amazing. You came by your love of needlework quite naturally. Such beautiful things!
Beautiful, beautiful linens! I collect handkerchiefs, and these are some of the prettiest I've seen. Your sampler is coming along nicely! Looking forward to your potential new design. :)
dampened and put in the fridge?
Marly, you sure brought back memories...my husband and I celebrated our 55th anniversary in April and vividly recall sprinkling darn near everything, first slopping those items that needed starching in starch,sprinkling and then refrigerating overnight, then ironing! I still iron pillowcases and handkerchiefs, but do use spray starch! Old habits can be hard to break!! What a treasure trove of beautiful linens you have...you are so lucky to have your Mom's collection....Did she do the crocheted edgings...how beautiful.....your sampler is beautiful, too!
Lovely post about these linens and your Mom. I remember being at my grandmothers and having to lie on the couch while she ironed. She had a sprinkler head in a bottle of water. Great memory.
I love your new sampler.
I enjoyed looking at your mom's linens and handkerchiefs. Very nice collection -- love that US table cloth. I like the idea of your first unfree design. :D
Beautiful hankies and table runners! Nowadays it's rare for someone to even carry a purse pack of Kleenex? lol! Glad your back is feeling better. I was always wondering why you weren't selling your designs... they are fabulous!
Oh Marly! Those three hankies, the pink, the pink and the pastel with black art deco type one,.... WOW!!! LOVE!!!! Just gorgeous!
Oh how I miss my Grandma's hankies and dresser linens! Thanks for sharing your mom's!
Those are so lovely, glad you kept some. Really enjoyed reading your blog.
Marly, the linens are beautiful! I remember ironing day, the hiss of the iron hitting the damp cotton. My grandmother used a Diet Pepsi bottle full of water with a stopper that had a sprinkle head on it. Loved those long, slow days. Excited about your pattern! Take care of your back.
Deb
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