Feb. 2013 - My sister and I went garage sailing and found a large box filled with hand decorated linnens. The seller only knew they were left overs from an auction house. The work this woman put into her linnens, they had to be from the early 1900's because no one does this type of work now. On one tea towel was stamped "Irish Manufactured".

I did the Swedish embroidery on huck toweling fabric in the late to early 70's. It was done somewhat like counted cross stitch is. Martha Pullen recommends that you soak your antique cloth in Biz. She said it can be left in there for over a week if need be. I know for a fact she soaks the antique clothing she shows on her show in that if it's stained. (My grand daughter modeled one of her antique dresses at a church fund raiser several yrs. ago. Daughter was a basket case afraid something would happen to it as it was so delicate!)

1 comment

by clawton 11 Feb 2013

I too did some of this in the 60's and 70's, maybe even the 80's. It was fun to do. I saw the fabric in kits/packages not too long ago at JoAnn Fabrics.

I can't wait to see what creations you find for some of these. I know that someone, somewhere is happy that their wonderful work is not going to waste.

It is a treasure. Lucky you

Oh my, what a find!! The crocheted edgings and the hand stitched designs are gorgeous! You sure were lucky to find these lovely pieces.

Thanks all for your comments! The box cost us only $4. and at home we found so many of the pieces with discolored stains. My sister has been working on them and slowly getting the stains out but still needs help, any suggestions? Most of the staining is from actual storage!

1 comment

by laffma1 11 Feb 2013

Dolly - if you are still in the USA, ask your sister if she has some Oxyclean. I used this on one of my grandmother's hand crocheted tablecloths that was yellowed in some spots and also had a few rust stains. After letting it soak for awhile and all the stains were gone, I then washed it with liquid detergent and fabric softener on the delicate cycle and it turned out beautifully. Hope this helps you.

What a treasure! I would have snatched that in an instant too. ! That box was meant for someone who appreciated all the work that went into them. Glad you got it! Suzanne

Iam envies,what a Find.Let us know how you will use the loose Pieces?

What a wonderful find. I especially love the 'drawn thread work'.

Country Women's Association in South Australia still teach these crafts. I have learnt many of them, so they are not going to disappear, we hope.

Oh what Treasures and thankfully you saved them. Who ever did these would be so grateful you now have them.. these are certainly pieces not to be waisted...enjoy and thanks for showing us.

I started to Learn Knitting Scaff, dolls clothing then Jumpers etc. and Embroidery before I went to School Cardboard pictures, Then Handkerchiefs, aprons, doylies then tablecloths. Being no TV to watch it was very easy to fill the time away & I loved to see my sewing improving as I had a lot of relations to encorage me upto the age of 9 when my mother became very ill. Then the school I went to taught all girls fancywork we also had one boy in our class his embroidery I thought was perfect & I learned extra from him (Don't be in a hurry) Then when I married I met my husbands Aunt who was an ex Nun & her work looked the same on the back as it was on the front. She gave us a tablecloth that she did, I still have it for special occasions, I also have doylies that I did also I have some that I painted although they have faded. I treasure these because they were all done with love & by hand. Treasure your treasure

What a beautiful find of vintage handy work.

What an amazing selection of linens. It reminds me of the selection I have from my late mother that I know I have to sort through. The first is a bathroom handtowel, I have a number very similar embroidered with my grandfathers initials. The second is also typical of the era. The third is again a typical style of many pieces of table linens that my mother and grandmother owned, it is pulled thread work and often is a small table cloth or tray cloth, sometimes large tablecloths were made in this style. It really could be the pieces that I have in my home. I would think that some of this has originally come from the UK and be from a young womans collection of linens embroidered for her bottom drawer which she would have built up in preparation for her marriage. The embroidery you have shown us is typical of what many young women would have been making at the turn of the 1900's What are you going to do with it all? You and your sister going to do with this magnifcent collection

Picture 4 pulled thread work: think of this as a sampler, demonstrating all the styles she was learning (or teaching). It seems so random, but there was probably a circle or girls or women all learning to do this.

Wow! You really hit the jackpot! I think the first picture is called Swedish Weaving. I did some of that back in the sixities. Whoever did all this work was meticulous! And, she probably had much better eyesight than I have! Just beautiful - and I agree, these are not appreciated by enough people today!

The first picture is Swedish embroidery done on huck toweling. It was
probably done in the 70's. I remember doing some about that time. What a find for you. Enjoy! I wish that I had been with you. olds/maureen

A true treasure ! Fortunate to find such a prize !

I know how you feel. We have a dumpster on the resort. Someone threw away 12 aprons from 50's on and I just happen to get to them first and before anything was thrown on them. They are all different and made of different materials. enjoy!

Incredible! Lucky Girls!

WOW
what a great find!!
beautiful handwork!beautiful !

What an amazing haul! What are you going to do with them?