Sunday, January 26, 2020

Sidetracked on hankies! and Slow stitching!

 Good morning!  Or good afternoon, depending on where you are.  Above is a mug rug for February.  I still need to hand stitch the applique down.  I am making three of these.
 My husband is cleaning the garage, and wants my few sealed plastic boxes of things out of there.  I have been going through them, and I found my mother's hankies.  She had one in her purse at all times...did your mom use these?  I washed a few of them very carefully...they are gossamer thin and so fragile.
 These are the oldest ones.  Many have hand made lace, and I believe they were my grandmother's, which puts them in the 1890-1920 range.
 These were mine.  I remember the Smoky bear one especially and I think I had something to do with the corner being missing!!!
 Whoops!  Just took a picture of this one, with M, for Marie...my mom's name.
 She had round ones...
 And I found these heart ones, which I believe are newer.
 I found one with a precious verse...
 A hand painted one...
And these, that just scream the 1940's to me!!!


OK, that is my sidetrack for today.  I wonder what will happen to these items that I treasure, when I am gone??


Have a great one!!

17 comments:

QUILTING IS BLISSFUL, DI said...

I used to have a big collection of old hankies too--
and still have some-though I did give some away--
I have a friend who still used them daily--
lovely collection--and memories for you--
luv, di

Jannette said...

I inherited a number of hankies from my mom and grandmother and use them regularly - but the ones I treasure most are from a very dear (elderly) friend. She had a number of hankies from HER mom, so they'd be 100+ years old. She wanted me to create something for her daughters and grandaughters, using those hankies. I found a project online to fold the hankies to resemble butterflies in flight - mounted them on pale blue fabric and stitched them to look like you're viewing them through a window. There were a few hankies left and she gifted them to me!

Lizzy D said...

What a delightful sidetrack! The hankies are so sweet and precious, such memories they hold.
I'm not sure I could do it, but there are wonderful sweet simple quilts, look on Pinterest, that make use of hankies and show them off completely without cutting them up.

lizzy

lizzzz.d@gmail.com

Chantal said...

What a lovely post, Julie. I remember Grandma always had one up her sleeve. Don't know what happen to these. It would save so many trees if we were to go back to using hankies. I saw on Pinterest a quilt made with hankies. They were folded so to look like the skirt of the lady who was applique. It would be a nice to keep your collection. ;^)

Teresa said...

I have a stash oh hankies as well, some were my Mom's, and others are ones I have picked at Antique shops. Always planning to make a quilt with them, but so far they are just in a box in my sewing room closet. I saw a couple in your pictures that are very similar to some I have

Sherrill said...

I had a bunch of those and think they're still around here somewhere. No plans to use them for anything. They'll probably lay around til I check out and someone else will have to deal with them! HA

Tired Teacher said...

I rescued numerous hankies at a thrift shop and have some of my Mom's as well. I use them daily and have them tucked in coat pockets and in my car. I remember carrying my lunch money (mere change in those days) to elementary school safely tied up in a hanky.

Kyle said...

What a delightful collection. It's the story of the women in your life. Do you think hankies will ever make a come back? Probably not.

PatriciaLud said...

What great finds! I think they'd be perfect to back with some pretty fabric and make a wall hanging. I mounted some of Grandma's doilies, gloves and keys for a shadow box. So nice to see them up every day. Good luck finding a home for them.

Cheryl's Teapots2Quilting said...

Make a quilt with them. I have a box full that will be in a quilt one day. Lots of hankie quilt patterns out there.

Jennie in GA said...

Love those old hankies. Many years ago I made a quilt for my sister using them. I fused them with soft fuse to a white on white background, then stitched them down. It made a lovely keepsake, but couldn’t be used for everyday wear and tear.

jude's page said...

As others have mentioned, they would be great sewn carefully to a background and made into a quilt. Lovely keepsake for other female members of your family.

KaHolly said...

My friend in N. Tx chose the best few of her moms and framed them with those all glass frames. She hung them in their guest bathroom and they are so delightful. Maybe an idea for you? I’ll be visiting her in March. Should I send you a picture?

Ruth said...

I was going through some old craft magazine articles and found "Angels made from Hankies" - no cutting of the hankies either. Your own hankies are so cute! I love that circle hankie. I'll bet you find something you'd like to use the hankies for!

Quilter Kathy said...

Such special and pretty hankies! I saw someone the other day use a hanky and it was surprising... it's an old custom.

Janet O. said...

Cute little heart mug rug!
What precious hankies. Very pretty things, aren't they? Are you tempted at all to make a quilt from them?
My Mom used to crochet fancy borders on hankies and I have only one in my hankie collection. Very special to me

Lori said...

My mom didn't use them but my grandmother did.
The older my kids get the more sentimental they are. I like that!

Puffins and purples!!

I was tempted by Puffins...a squirrelly breed!!  LOL!  This fabric was shared with me, and I have been loved these bright, candy corn colors...