Monday, March 28, 2011

Cross Stitch Inspiration

Honestly, I never know what I will get into next. My mother gave me these aprons made by my grandmother. She did the most beautiful stitching. I can't even venture a guess as to how many aprons, tablecloths, pillowcases etc. she must have made in her lifetime. Here are some of her aprons.



You have to see the detail, and the backs look almost as nice as the fronts!






The navy and white (above) and turquoise and white (next photo) are two of my favorites.














Of course this pink is beautiful as well. OK, I have lots of favorites!









This is a dress I made for my daughter in about 1971. I asked grandma to work her magic on it and she turned a basic dress into a sweet little dress I hope my daughter will cherish some day as much as I do. I remember it like it was yesterday. She was so pleased to do it.















Here is a set of her pillowcases...









This is part of the design that goes all the way around the outside of a tablecloth. Just think, to do that she would have had to count every thread of that tablecloth because it isn't a repeat pattern.









This is my little project. As you can see, I'm not nearly finished. My work doesn't compare to hers, but somehow I feel a connection with her as I work on it and I find myself thinking about her a lot. She has been gone a lot of years and I would give almost anything to have her back and ask her all the questions about her life that have come to mind over the years. My interest in genealogy just makes me want to know everything about her and her life.












I also wanted to share this wonderful book I won over at one of my favorite bloggers. Mary Anne at http://magpiesmumblings.blogspot.com/ drew my name for this book. It is filled with recipes and ideas for dying with natural ingredients such as rhubarb leaves and tree bark. I feel myself going off in another direction again ~ lol.












While I'm here I wanted to let you know I am having somewhat of a giveaway over at my other blog. All you need to do to be entered is email photos to me of your fabric storage solutions in your studio so I can post them on that blog. Of course I will add a link to your blog/shop/Web page along with it giving you full credit. Following is a link to take you there. I hope to post the photos to share with others sometime next Sunday, April 3, 2011. This is open to anyone, so feel free to share my link.



9 comments:

Marsha @ Tattered Chick said...

Absolutely lovely and what wonderful memories!

When I was young, cross stitch, crochet, knitting, my stepmother taught me all of these. She was a stickler, the front had to look the same as the front on the cross stitch. I believe I still have some of the things I made.

For the life of me now, I couldn't do any of it, LOL

xxoo

BonjourRomance said...

Your Grandmother was a talented seamstress. How wonderful to have these treasures. Enjoy!
Mimi

Createology said...

Your aprons remind me of my Grandma and her stitching. Lots of gingham fabrics and lots of cross stitching on it. Some of the stitching was smocking and some was chicken scratch. Oh the memories this brings back. Happy stitching...

Anonymous said...

The book looks FUN! Let me know what you dye!

Cross-stitch: a treasured art and an extra-special treasure for you. Your Grandmother's pieces are so pretty and now they are your's to love. That blue dress is too adoreable, too. Yes, it does seem that the gene was passed to you as your hearts on gingham are just as sweet as your Grandmother's.

Family is gone and I'm getting back to 'normal' around here. The cleaning/washing is done and now to conventrate on some art this week. Snow today and tomorrow (not alot ~ nothing is sticking) so a good time to re-group. Oh, Breck got 11" of snow last night!

Thanks for sharing your memories....they are special.
Jan
xoxo

Kim B said...

Thanks for sharing your grandmas talents with us. Super nice. Have a wonderful week. Kim x

Ruby said...

I love aprons and chicken scratch! And family memories!! Can't help with the storage solutions, I'm still in the struggling to get there stage! LOL

Blondie's Journal said...

You are so lucky {and loved} to have inherited these beautufl aprons and linens. I have fallen away from cross stitch, but I used to get so much pleasure from making samplers. Your post has inspired me to pick up my needle.

Hooray on your win...the book looks great!

XO,
Janie

Magpie's Mumblings said...

I thought and thought and finally remembered - chicken scratch!!! I have no earthly idea why it was called that, but it always intrigued me. My grandmother did it too.

mel m. m. mccarthy said...

Wow these are a treasure: the memories and the aprons. So beautiful!