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Toogie you did an amazing job restoring them and it saddens me that you are feeling badly now, but some people just have no idea how to look after such items.
I found a whole lot of hand embroidered and crocheted doilies in my MIL's linen press when we cleaned out her house. Some of them are very old, worn, stained and in a (generally) very much loved and used condition.
When I added them to my own collection I have a pile about 8" thick and no idea what to do with them, other than I just can't bring myself to part with them.
I have a hand painted doily thingy I keep them in, (two flat, dinner plate size, wooden discs with holes on two edges of each one, with woollen threads that tie them together, keeping the doilies flat in between them). I know it has a name but can't remember what it is.
Anyway I often pull it out of my linen press and just go through each one, admiring the handiwork and the history of each beautiful piece.
I used to use doilies and table runners when I was younger and I still have a couple on coffee tables and display cabinets, but I put most of them away in preference to enjoying my beautiful Himalayan fur babies. Everything gets covered with fur.
I hope, one day, someone else will find them in my linen press and feel how much they are loved and perhaps enjoy looking at them as much as I do.
If they don't?
Well I won't be around to know about it. :-(
by toogie
03 Feb 2018
I do use table covers and also doilies. I may be old fashion but this is OUR home and we both like these things. I surround myself with things I love, fashionable or not. If someone makes something for me, you can be sure my daughters will come across it when I'm gone, if it's not on display at the time.-lol
I have already put one of these 36" square cloths, on a table but won't take it off, until its time to give back to her. I have these 'bad thoughts' of telling her, if she wants them come to my house and help me uncover what I have them on. See, I am human and in need of your prayers!!! I just don't want to hear what she does with them.
You know, when she first told me about them, she said all this came from her husbands elderly sister. The sis is in her eighties. Was married once, but widowed, with no children. She owns a large acreage with a home and no telling what. This woman said they rarely go see her even though she is only an hours drive away.
The sister gave them some things she wanted them to have and these were included. I feel they didn't appreciate enough to even take time to wash them. All I did was put them in the washer overnight, in hot water and Oxiclean. Every once in a while I would let the washer agitate them. I mean she could have done that IF they meant anything to them.
I wonder what the sister would think, if she knew, after she has kept them so long.
These are only material things I keep telling myself....
by toogie
03 Feb 2018
ps-I wanted to add, these were the color of a brown paper bag when I got them. The first thing the woman asked is how I got them so white.
by meganne
04 Feb 2018
That is so sad Toogie and I don’t blame you one little bit for being angry as well as hurt. Some people just don’t appreciate history, or vintage anything, including elderly people. I have just come from the nursing home, visiting with Ray’s 98 yo Mum. She doesn’t know us any more, doesn’t even acknowledged our presence, until I start giving her copious kisses on her forehead, her face lights up and she smiles and starts babbling away. Today when I did that she said: “I remember”
I could no more throw away, or part with, any of her precious things than I could cut off my arms.
It’s hard for people like us, to ever understand heartless people.
122864Just drop down gorgeous, We have in our area a place called "Yokefellow" they sell second hand stuff given to them, also give food to people who need it. and I found a Hand Quilted whole cloth quilt (maybe by the Amish) for $12.00 not a spot or blemish on it. could believe someone would give this away I brought it home and wash it, I hand quilt and I would not quilt one like it for less than a $1000.00 So sad when people do not value the Hand work done in our Past.
by toogie
03 Feb 2018
Oh Jenne, I'm so glad it found its way to you! I know how much you value it, not for monetary value, but for the loving work someone put into it.
My youngest daughter is like me, so I know IF I had anything worth preserving, she would take good care of it. I do have two, by hand cross stitch, pieces I did a long time ago. The girls joked once I need to do another so all three of my kids would have one when I am gone.
27356Lovely find and someone put a lot of love labor into those.
21222Please update us after speaking to her. We all want to hear "the rest of the story"! Hugs. Nan
by toogie
03 Feb 2018
I think when I give them to her in a public place, I will just hand them over and try not to say a word. That's the only way I feel I can get through it, without making things worse. If she says she only wanted the two, I would like to say, "No, keep them all. I wouldn't enjoy them now, as it would be a reminder of this experience."
I really feel used and I have never done people's dirty laundry. Don't get me wrong there. If a person does it for a living, it's nothing wrong in doing honest work, but that is not my job here.
I want to stay focused on being a good christian, so help me with prayer, to handle this rightly. This sure has given me some un-christian like thoughts and I don't like that. It has made me sick, both in spirit and in body.
11739Gorgeous. I think if she's not your best buddy, you say I will give you this and this-you choose. She won't appreciate them.
by toogie
01 Feb 2018
I have the blue one already on a table and will keep it on it, until the week-end when I see her.
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25310726010Good job on saving them! I do hand embroidery and have an embroidery machine. Love both of them. I also belong to the Embroidery Guild of America, EGA for short
https://www.egausa.org
Here is a link, try looking for the local chapter in your area and see if anyone can look at them for you as to what type of hand stitching. The long rectangle looks like drawn thread. The basket is hard to tell in the photo. Such treasures you saved. Good luck!
by toogie
31 Jan 2018
Read my response below to crazystitcher.
The woman didn't appreciate them enough to try washing them but NOW she wants them. I wonder if she will appreciate them now or just wants them.
694Beautiful!!! My Mom taught me to hand embroidery when I was young. So glad you got to save them.
Kathy
xoxo
by toogie
31 Jan 2018
I WAS happy too Kathy, just got a bad taste in my mouth now. Read my other responses to Cuties.
I will most likely give them ALL back, as I won't be able to enjoy them. Every time I see them, I will think of how she used me, and it will keep it fresh in my heart.
Not hardened my heart, is worth far more than these earthly treasures, I love.
6257Fabulous! This quilt (which I saw at a show a couple of weeks ago) came immediately to mind.
by toogie
31 Jan 2018
I have never seen anything like this Sue. Is it table runners stitched together like an abstract quilt? Looks like part of a jacket too.....
by spendlove
01 Feb 2018
It was made of just the good parts of worn items. It looked amazing hanging at the exhibition.
140716Kudos to you for seeing what these treasures really were. Such a shame when people do not see the old hand embroidered items as pieces of history. And these are stunning!
by toogie
31 Jan 2018
I feel the same way Karen. It's a shame now I have to return them, because I feel she still doesn't appreciate them for the history they hold, just wants them back now they are cleaned and look 100% better.
I look at them and imagine the stitcher sitting by the fire or lamp, head bent, lovingly making her stitches. Pray for my heart, my feelings, toward this woman. It feels like giving up something you treasure, to someone you know won't take care of it.
by mrskiki
01 Feb 2018
It is quite obvious that she is not the one who created these lovely works. Why not keep your favorite one or two and return the rest? I would not feel uncomfortable doing something like that since she "gave" them to you to start with. Hugs. Nan W
168887Wow, do glad you were there to rescue these heirloom treasures...It breaks my heart to think these would have become rags...I am without words as to how anyone would or could not treasure these family heirlooms...
313717They remind me so much of things my grandmother used to make. Looking at these brought back many fond memories. Thank you for sharing - and for rescuing them. I can't see the blue basket clearly, but what I did see reminds me of a type of basket stitch. Maybe someone else can see it clearer.
14619I think that's a couching stitch in the baskets. The last runner is phenomenal. I would put it on a dresser and add a pincushion or a lamp to cover the holes!
by toogie
31 Jan 2018
I should look up couching stitches by hand, as I must have never made these. Thanks you two.
66502Toogie, you have done an amazing job of rescuing these! What a shame they had been so badly neglected at some time; whoever made them must have put many hours into creating such treasures. I do hope that lady is truly grateful for what you have done and your willingness to return some of them to her. You certainly have a heart of gold.
by toogie
31 Jan 2018
I have been praying about my heart.
Now that they are cleaned and pressed she would like AT LEAST the best two back. I am not feeling good about this, after she told me if I wanted them, I could have them.
I know they are only 'material' things and I shouldn't let it hardened my heart toward her.
Pray for me.
3568Toogie what an amazing selection of work. How sad to think that it was about to be chopped up and used for rags. The hours of work that has gone into creating your collection. What are you going to do with it?
by toogie
30 Jan 2018
Most likely give them all back. I just showed her the 'after' photos. Now she would like at least two back..........I am sad.....:(
114295Someone was very very talented - can you imagine the time it took to do any of these!! I am happy you saved them!!
by toogie
30 Jan 2018
I know how much time it took as I do hand embroidery. Not so much anymore, since our machines, but occasionally.
by peafarm
01 Feb 2018
I'd ask her why she wants them back and then I I would probably tell this woman you will charge her for the cleaning and time it took you to bring them back to life, if she wants them back, present her with a bill and give them back after you cash the check. The last one looks like pulled [drawn thread] or could even be Hardanger style, which is a difficult technique in itself. The other crochet type style looks like 'filet crochet'--the top ones. My sister in law gave me a huge table cloth her husband aunt and uncle got bidding on a storage unit in TX. It is filled with types of crochet, lace type techniques and embroidery. I will have to try and post a pic whenever I get that big thing pressed. It had been washed so all wrinkled badly. Also linen I think.
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