Who's Wearing the Apron?

 

This coming Thanksgiving Day many cooks will

be donning their handy aprons.

 

Who's wearing the apron for your Thanksgiving?

 

 

Although I don't remember my mother

actually wearing an apron for her

holiday cooking, she definitely

deserved one as pretty as this.

 

We really didn't have

extended family close by to share the

cooking tasks.

 

It was up to Mom if our family of five

ate turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes,

cranberry salad, etc.

 

She never disappointed us!

 

Once my brothers and I had families

of our own, we began pitching in with the goodies.

 

Since I've never been a great cook,

I never have to bake the turkey!

 

I generally take care of at least one dessert,

the sweet potato casserole,

the crescent rolls (thank you, Pillsbury)

and maybe a veggie.

 

 

 

 

This dainty apron is too small for me to wear,

but I love the pink bias binding and

the floral remnant tiebacks.

 

 

Pretty details!

 

I'd love to hear who wears the apron

for your Thanksgiving.

 

Amy

 

Happy Thanksgiving

Uses for Vintage Embroidered Pillowcases

 Some of the very first vintage linen pieces I owned

were embroidered and crocheted pillowcases

that were given to me after

my great-grandmother passed.

 

 

I was a young junior-high girl.  Even then, I admired the

pastel colored embroidery and dainty crocheted edging. 

I have no memories of Agnes since she moved to the

other side of the United States

when I was very, very young.

 She had come to America as a young girl with her

immigrating parents from Czechoslovakia.

 

  

 

Here she is on the left.  I wonder where she was going

arm-linked with her friend.  Their fur-accented coats

and fashionable hats whisper to me of

some special outing.

 

 

 

For a while, I used my great-grandmother's pillowcases,

but after several washings,

I noticed the soft cotton was wearing thin.

To protect these little pieces I had of Great-Grandmother's time,

I found other uses for her embroidered pillowcases.

 

 

For months, I would drape them over the bedroom nightstands,

letting the handiwork show toward the front of the nightstand.

The cotton pillowcase then draped over the back portion

of the stand.

 

 

I've also placed them inside my linen closet so that

the beautiful edging falls right at the edge of the shelf.

Sheets and towels get stacked on top.

 

 

 

 Sheet sets can be folded and stored within

these pretty vintage cases.

 

Imagine reaching into your linen closet without having

to search for the matching fitted and top sheets!

 

This storage option also reduces the amount of allergens

and dust mites that come into contact with your stored linens.

(We've got allergies at my house!!)

  

 

If you find a clean and mostly un-used set, consider

gifting them to that dear relative

 or friend who already has

everything. 

Even if a year or two's worth of laundering

wears out the beauties,

they still will have served their intended purpose --

adding beauty to the home.

 

 

All of the pillowcases

featured in this post have been

gifts from friends

or my own thrifty finds.

 

 

The Internet and creative craft books

also give numerous repurposing

ideas for these particular vintage linens.

 

Dozens of Ways to Repurpose a Pillowcase

I love this one!

 

 

Do you have any ideas for using your

embroidered pillowcases?

 

I'd love to hear!

 

 

Blessings,

Amy

Hankie Favors

 

Who doesn't have a love for vintage hankies?

 

 

 I happened upon a group of forty-some hankies this year

and knew they'd be the perfect favor for

a ladies' event at my church.

 

I needed about 60 for the event.

The group of forty-some was an incredible find.

The remaining 20 or so were easy to obtain.

 

 

Each vintage hankie was cleaned, folded, and arranged

within a specialty paper envelope.

I loved the dainty crocheted edge on the one above.

 

Can you see the incredible embroidery on this hankie?

The padded satin stitch is amazing.

 

 

Others like this scalloped edged beauty

had floral designs on soft cotton.

 

 

Watching the ladies choose their favorite made my day!

 

 

Do you have a favorite hankie?

 

I'd love to hear!

 

 

Blessings,

 

Amy

 

 

Decorative Embroidery Hoop Tutorial

Do you have a piece of vintage embroidery

 that's seen better days?

Consider this easy up-cycle.

My embroidered pillowcase

had several loose and damaged threads.

I picked it up at a garage sale for next to nothing: 

 it was the perfect candidate for an up-cycle.

Choose a wooden needlework hoop that fits the

 size of the embroidery you wish to feature.

Stamp the front edge of the hoop with a water-based ink. 

Choose any color that coordinates with your embroidery. 

 I wanted mine to appear vintage and chose a

dark brown from the Ranger line of Distress Inks. 

Use a small brush to apply water to your ink.

  It will act as a stain to the hoop's front.

Brushed-on water has been applied

 to the left of the brush in the right photograph.

Choose a stripe from your scrapbook papers

 that coordinates with your hoop and embroidery.

  Unless you are using a very small hoop,

 you will need to cut two stripes from the 12" by 12" paper.

Cut the stripe to the width of the wood on your hoop.

Attach the paper to the hoop with Aleene's Original Tacky Glue.

End each stripe at the halfway point/bottom of the hoop.

Glue a vintage button no bigger than the

width of the hoop about 1 1/4" from the top.

Prepare your tag art. 

Be inspired by the embroidery design.

Use buttons, charms, and ribbon

to embellish your embroidery.

Use these items to hide loose threads and damage.

Place the embroidery in the hoop. Tighten the top screw

 as tight as you can once you get the fabric in the desired placement.

Cut the extra fabric as close as you can

 to the back hoop with fabric scissors.

Add your tag art by wrapping a ribbon around the button!

What do you think?

Amy



Betsy Ross Needlework, NY

 

The following embroidered linens

are both from the

Betsy Ross Needlework Company

from New York, NY.

I would love to say I just know this from

decades of study and research,

but actually the stitcher preferred a straight edged

runner instead of the printed

 curved end on the edge.

This left me with the pattern instructions

and the company name on both pieces!

The blue print was so faint on this dresser scarf

that the blue print would not show in the photograph.

Betsy Ross Needlework, Inc. was also known as the

 Crescent Art Linen Company.

  In 1967, the family owned company was involved

in a dispute regarding labor policies.

  Like many companies during the fifties and sixties,

 the needlework company was facing unionization.

The court records give us a unique glimpse into a needlework/linen factory.

Eugene and Bernard Yokell were co-partners of the company.

They acquired the decorative linen plant after their father's passing.

 

  Since the records state that the company had not had

union representation for at least twenty-five years,

  we can date its beginnings at least to the 40's.

 

The records state that Eugene Yokell 

asked to meet with all of the employees on the eighth floor.

 

Eighth floor? I wonder how many floors the company leased!

 

The record doesn't state if the needlework company was leasing all of the building.

Not all of the employees could attend Mr. Yokell's meeting. 

Thirty-six were present.

The court notes also contain an interesting

discussion of the needlework company's busy season. 

If you'd like to read the court documents,

click here.

Of course, this is only one piece of a company's long history.

It was a piece of history that many companies shared.

I give the story here because of the glimpse it shares

 of factory-life inside a needlework factory.

Family-Owned.

About 40 employees in the 60's

Located at a Multiple-Storied Leased Plant.

Linens Machine Manufactured.

Employees' Jobs Seasonally Influenced.

I hope you enjoyed this vintage find!

Amy

Eleven Minutes!

Each Friday I love to share a vintage find.

Today I have more than one.

I was recently with some friends out of town.

Along the journey, we passed the local Goodwill.

Well, I really couldn't pass that up!

I often have better luck at thrift stores

 than I do at Goodwill,

but I was miles away from my home turf.

Who knows what treasures awaited me!

Knowing that my friend was

 not a thrifting enthusiast,

 I asked for twenty minutes

to go check it out . . .

Here is what I found.

One New Needlepoint Pillow

One Large Embroidered Table Runner

in Excellent Condition

One Finished Candlewick Embroidered

Pillow Front in Excellent Condition

My purchase came to less than $3.50,

and I was back in the car in

eleven minutes!

My friend who loves needlework responded,

"I could have been in there all day. 

 I never would have found that stuff."

Is there an art to thrifting?

Let me know what you think.

Amy

http://romantichome.blogspot.com