Thursday, December 2, 2010

Handsome Handiwork Features Flowers

This is a small pillow, 9 x 11 inches which I believe was made by my mother. She always kept it in her cars, I think for good luck more than any type of support or fashion reasons. It's a thin cotton fabric over what feels like stuffed cotton. The flowers and leaves applique look like it was cut from an old piece of fabric, a tablecloth perhaps, and is sewn to the denim-blue backing with decorative stitching. It has definitely seen better days—it's faded, the stitches are loosening up and are ripped in places. It must be at least 40 years old, so I guess it's allowed to be a bit worn. . . I usually keep it in my Infiniti these days. On the rare occasions I actually drive anywhere, it's a silent reminder of where I came from and who I am.

Needlepoint roses crafted by my Uncle Bill, Hoohoo's husband and my father's brother. He did all sorts of handiwork from kits—needlepoint, crewel, pieces made from wire, even paint-by-numbers. One of my favorites he made is a framed needlepoint Mona Lisa. How many people have one of those, lol? This piece was going to be a pillow with a fabric backing, but he never finished it. I have several more pillow fronts in various techniques he made, and now that I think of it, several more items he started and never finished. . .

7 comments:

  1. That's too funny, my mom used to do the same thing.
    She made a few pillows and portraits all from needlepoint. Unfortunately, her eyes took a toll with all the minute details and treading!

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  2. I did a few needlepoint items. My first an eyeglass case, the others were either pillow covers or seat covers. But I don't have any memory of taking it the final step to completion.

    I did try smocking and made a little baby dress for my granddaughter, my one and only attempt at that craft.

    I did much better at finishing needlework projects (cross-stitched) and the like when I made tea/hand towels. I would go between this and knitting, making sweaters, caps and scarves. I still knit today from time to time.

    All these hand crafts will be a dead art I fear, seems the only thing the young kids do today with their fingers is 'text'. The speed of some is truly an art.

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  3. i can knit and perl! my grandmother taught me when I was around 6-7 and I've never forgotten. I actually made a couple of scarves last winter. My dear friend Meghan, 29, and who I refer to as my daughter, lol, is a prolific knitter. In the fall and winter she's never without her work and pulls it out on the train she takes to NYC everyday, in the car, even sitting around hanging out here on weekends if she comes over. I love watching people create things. We have a great wool shop right in town, with all sorts of handmade items for sale that her customers knit and crochet. I have a container with all of my grandmother's knitting needles in them, they must be 50-60 years old if not older. She used to dump them out on the floor and then have me pick them up by color or by size. I learned my colors that way!

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  4. My grandmother was crocheter and taught me the basic chain stitch, I could seem to take it to the next level. My next door neighbors were the knitters and taught me like you at a very young age, I would love to hang out with them and knit, one of my fondest memories as a child.

    You know there are caps you can make for the troops in the Mid-East, I will have to look up the information and get back to you, in case anyone is interested.

    My granddaughter is coming over today to put up the Xmas tree, so I am going to make us a pot roast for dinner. Fair trade-off.

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  5. Knitted cap information for the troops:

    http://www.emanuelnyc.org/simple.php/com_volunteer_knitcaps2

    Plus tons more if you just Goggle knitted caps for the troops.

    :)

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  6. WHAT A COOL GRANNY.I HAD TO GO TO SCHOOL AND LEARN MY COLORS. LOL.
    I TAUGHT MYSELF TO CROSS STITCH. AGAIN,I GAVE EVERYTHING AWAY AS GIFTS.I HAVE NOTHING TO SHOW FOR ALL MY WORK. OH WELL,I CAN'T TAKE IT WITH ME,NOW CAN I.
    I ALSO DID SOME PEN AND INK PICTURES THAT TURNED OUT VERY GOOD BUT AGAIN GAVE THEM AS GIFT. ANOTHER THING I WOULD LIKE TO TRY AGAIN BUT IT'S ALWAYS SOMEDAY. MY GRANDMOTHER THAT WAS A TOP NOTCH ARTIST. IT MUST HAVE RUBBED OFF ON US KIDS. MY OLDEST BROTHER WAS SOMEWHAT OF AN ARTIST TOO. I'VE JUST FORGOT SO MUCH OVER THE YEARS ON WHERE TO START. MAYBE SOMEDAY. AS I SAID THE OTHER DAY I JUST MIGHT BUY MYSELF SOME COLORING BOOKS. LOL AGAIN. I STILL MAY RESTOCK SOME PAINT BRUSHES AFTER THE HOLIDAY. I LOVE TO DREAM

    GRANNY

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  7. thanks, Annie. I'll make sure Meghan gets the cap instructions!

    Granny—Someday is here. Get started on some art or something!

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