"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands........" 1 Thessalonians 4:11

Friday, May 15, 2009

Where The Needle Comes In....

As most of you know by now, I added the words " a needle in my hand" to my blog header because I combined my embroidery blog interest with my country living blog. I still have my embroidery blog for tutorials and links to embroidery at Yesteryear Embroideries http://yesteryearembroideries.blogspot.com/

Through both blogs I have made such wonderful friends from one end of the globe to the next. When discussing preserving and re-doing old linens, Gina, from Patra's Place of Stitching and Vintage Linens, http://patrasplace.blogspot.com/ contacted me about some vintage linens she no longer wanted and would like to send my way. Of course, I could not resist! Thank you so much Gina, I just love them all. By the way, Gina is from Australia and she would love for you to stop by and say hello either at the link above or at her apron blog Patra's Embroidered Aprons http://patrasembroideredaprons.blogspot.com/ She does some amazing stitching and has some beautiful vintage aprons!
So this is where the "needle in my hand" comes into the scene. Out of the stash that Gina sent, I fell for this cute little tray piece.

Whenever I find vintage linens, I always trace the design so that it will be preserved for later use.


This is the recommended colors and stitching for the piece shown on the label. However, I always choose a path less traveled.....



and embroidered it in these colors and these stitches.




I crocheted an edging around it....






and now it's done! I will stash it away and start another piece! Do any of you have a special hobby or craft that you do? Is there an art form that you learned by the patient teaching of a family member. I would love to see and hear! I will be posting pictures of my garden and the critters that stop by next week. So have a good week all!






16 comments:

EBet said...

I like the colors you chose, we have similar taste.
I all most tried embroidery once but never got a round to it. Locker hooking spinning and knitting is my forte.

papel1 said...

Kathleen,
What a great idea to trace a pattern (embroidery) so you have a copy of it in addition to the piece you embroidered. It is lovely.
Judy

Anonymous said...

i have a small box of embrodiery patterns that belonged to my grandmother.

i wonder if it would be worth duplicating them in any way?

Anonymous said...

What a treasure you have received. I love the colors and stitches you chose - that is so pretty! I loved to cross stitch but a stiff neck prevents me from doing that any longer.

Kritter Keeper at Farm Tails said...

wow, you are very talented! i have some of my grandmother's work which was amazing with perfect tiny stiches... how do you do it!!! i love that you preserve the patterns.

Vickie said...

When I go to garage/estate sales, the first I look for is old linens. I love them. I don't do needlework, but love to find old pillowcases with the hems crocheted, or old vintage tablecloths, napkins, etc. Looks like you hit the jackpot there. I do like the colors you picked out for the tray piece and the edging you put around it. Very nice! I do English smocking, that's about it.And I haven't done that since my kids were young. Maybe one of these days, I'll have some grands to do that for again!

KathyB. said...

I do like your color choices best, and you do such beautiful work. I have a very old sampler I need to care for and would like to hang up, but the handwork is very, very faded. Maybe I should trace it and embroider it for display and keep the century old sampler put away!

Good tutorial!

peggy said...

That's so beautiful! I've been collecting all kinds of needlework for many years..because I look around and no one does it and we shouldn't lose it. My embroidery is pretty primitive but I find it so relaxing to do, especially if I am trapped in front of the TV. (And Nancy, you could make a little scrapbook with your grandmother's patterns, she would like it if you did)

Gingerbreadshouse7 said...

Kathleen, you do such beautiful needle work, I liked the colors you chose best:o)...and I can't wait to see what you did with your garden.You really stay busy...Ginny

Vickie said...

Oh I forgot. Thanks for the tip about kerosine & chigger bites. I'll keep that in mind - cuz I'm sure to get more! They're doing a little better. They were swollen & had fever in them for a couple of days there....

Lisa @ Life with 4! said...

The colors you chose are beautiful on that runner!
and I wanted to say thanks for your kind words on my blog. It's always a relief to hear of other mom's who have a child they struggle with or have struggled with.
I just remind myself that God has faith in me that I can do it, or He wouldn't have given me this kids to raise!

Lanny said...

What beautiful work. I really must get my sewing room in order.

1sagenutmeg said...

When my mom died she left me and some half done work.Tomorrow i will get them out and begin finishing them thanks to u

the voice of melody said...

You have such a wonderful gift. Treasure it always and all the beautiful things your hands make. :)

Connie said...

That's lovely, Kathleen. You do beautiful handwork. Although I haven't done much lately, I like to crochet and sew.

Princess S said...

I love the embroidery!!! I like to embroider.....especially on crazy quilts!!