Happy Valentines Day to you! I thought the day needed some pretty, and for me that often means a few linens and a bit of china to look at.
A handful of pretty cards seemed right too.
I love giving away vintage linens as gifts. But I also wanted to show you an old piece of lace that I've had for many years that was made especially for me by my grandmother that I've had put away.
A hundred years ago it seems, I saw this heart pattern in Country Living magazine. My Grandmother used to crochet everyday to relieve the ache and stiffness in her hands, and one day I asked her to make this heart lace edging for me.
My intention was to make a linen tablecloth for this beautiful lace. At the time, I was home raising kids, and doing a lot of sewing and handmade work myself. My sewing machine was always set up in those days.
But not long after this lace was made disaster struck. There was a break-in and my machine was stolen. But that occurred only after we had already lost our house in the downturn of the eighties.
But that was long ago and far away, and tons of water under lots of bridges. Through it all I kept my lace tucked safely away like some pioneer lady trekking in a wagon over the miles and ups and downs of daily wilderness. Time just somehow marched on through our prairie lives. Years passed. My grandmother died. The children all grew up. And I never did return to a sewing machine. But once in a while I brought out the lace, made in a rectangle to my specifications.
I have found a few nice pieces of damask and homespun vintage linen in recent years that would serve nicely for my lace. But all urgency is somehow long gone too. My DIL Emily even gave me a refresher recently on how to thread a sewing machine again. And I wonder if the earth will shake when the time finally comes and lace and material meet after all this time.
It all feels imminent. But I am left to be amazed over how the times just passes. . . .
I hope your week stays sweet!
Jacqueline
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