a little artistic magic

Whenever I pass by a flea market, antique store, junk shop, etc... it is hard for me not to go in and check to see if there are any table linens that need rescuing, or maybe a blue Christmas plate.   Aunt Alice always said that everyone needs something to collect.  She was right.

I felt like I hit the jackpot with this find last week.  Butterflies and flowers hand stitched on a table runner.  What home does not NEED one of these? 

I like to think about the person who did the stitching.  I want them to know I am enjoying the fruits of their labors.  

I also happened upon one of these brightly colored tablecloths.  I think they are stamped on but I really don't know for sure.  What I do know is they are my absolute favorite.  This one has an unusual color scheme that I could not pass up.  

At the same place I got the table runner I also found this small table cloth.  Lovingly stitched by hand. 

When I was taking it out of the wash, I noticed on one of the baskets of flowers the embroiderer switched things up just a bit, adding some blue and a different shade of green. 

You tell me.  Did she run out of thread or just decide to add her own personal touch at the end?   To me it feels the same as a quilter throwing an unusual shape or color into a quilt.  The addition of a little artistic magic. Something to make me think, "how did they know to do that?"

Comments

[Joan]

Most of these embroidered items were popular in the 30's & 40's, a tough time economically for a lot of folks in this country and other parts of the world. I'd venture to guess the embroiderer ran out of orange thread, couldn't afford to go buy more so she made do with what she had on hand.

My mother did cutwork embroidery, not one piece was passed on. All my aunts embroidered during the war years. I learned from my grandmother who bought little cross stitch kits at the dime store (Woolworth's) for me that I can remember embroidering when I was about 7.

When Red Work embroidery enjoyed a resurgence in popularity about 8-9 yerrs ago I did a ton of that, all gifts that I gave away. We had a Red Work club at the local quilt store. That was lots of fun. At the moment I'm embroidering a set of tea cups with flowers in them, squares that will then be put into a tea cup tote for all the friends in my knit/crochet group. I found the pattern in an Australian quilting magazine years ago. The ladies in the quilt guild would meet at their church to make quilts and each would bring their own tea cups in order to have tea during the quilting bee. I thought that was such a novel idea I had to make one of my own when I found the embroidery patterns with the tea cups.

I love old linens. I have collected several pieces over the years. Old hankies are another favorite item.

[Pam]

Great finds, and love your writing as always. That butterfly is begging to be recreated in an art journal or sketchbook-with your own artistic magic thrown in!

[Peggy]

I LOVE vintage linens and hankies and have a ton of them. Even torn and tattered, one day I will make an awesome bunting!

[Leslie]

I have a good linens collection myself, so I appreciate your great finds. I have several of those stamped tablecloths but none with color schemes so lurid as yours. Did that actually go with anyone's kitchen, I wonder? So fun to wonder about the makers and I'm glad there are a lot of us who treasure the work of those past women who loved to create a little beauty for their homes.

[Chris Oliveira]

I hope someday someone just like you rescues my art!

[Linda]

I also think about who did all that work and wonder if they were used. Sometimes they look brand new and unused. Great hunting reward.

[Robin]

I love embroidery...feeling that she ran out of the particular color of orange. They were always making do with what they had. I think that was a great find, how fun.

[Leslie J. Moran]

When my grandchildren arrived for a while before moving into their new home, I pulled out all my vintage table cloths and made sure there were days when linens graced the tables. They are now in their own place and I have a pile of ironing waiting :) Hope one day they will remember where they saw vintage linens.