I can’t say I’m positive what I’m doing with this, but here’s how it started:
I have vintage linens from one grandmother, some that she embroidered, but there’s not much demand for dresser scarves these days. Still, I love that she loved them and want to honor them, so I’m sort of repurposing them.
The center diamond is one corner of an embroidered tablecloth, and after I gnashed my teeth forever, I finally took the scissors to it. The dresser scarf is part of a set, and I have more corners on that cloth, plus I like embroidering fancy stitches, so…
I appliquéd the corner on top of the scarf with embroidery. My current concept is that I will then use the whole thing as part of a lap quilt made from these vintage linens from those I love. I have some tea towels she embroidered, along with other items, and my vague notion is that I’ll combine those with feedsack fabrics (similar era, 1930s) into something that I’ll be able to keep warm while reading, thinking of the two grandmothers I adored.
But we’ll see! To be continued…:)
What a beautiful idea and love your work so far. Please keep us posted on your progress. I have some Irish linen round table scarves and am pondering how to use in a quilt.
I am finishing up a paper pieced grandma’s garden quilt. Have had carpal tunnel surgery so not back to normal yet. Have three other quilt projects waiting.
Take care. Happy quilting. Kathy
Kathy, I’ve worked on restoring a Grandmother’s Flower Garden quilt, and my hat is off to you. They’re lovely, and they take FOREVER! 🙂 Thank you for what you said about my vintage linens. I just finished helping a friend make a linen table runner from a linen tablecloth that had been made into a dress years ago…from table to clothing and back to table! I’d love to see pictures of yours if you want to email them.
Jean, I so enjoy your newsletters about your upcoming releases but also about your beautiful quilting projects! How wonderful you plan to use your grandmothers’ embroidered linens in a reading lap quilt to remember them by! Neither of my grandmothers embroidered but one tatted and crocheted and the other was an expert seamstress. Ironically I love vintage embroidered dresser scarves and doilies and use them in my decor which I’ve purchased in antique malls and estate sales. I use the dresser scarves on my 1920s bedroom set I inherited from my paternal grandmother which includes chest, dresser and vanity, also another 20s dresser in my guest bedroom and on oval Queen Anne style coffee table in my living room!
Pat, it’s absolutely wonderful to hear from you! I hope life is treating you kindly—you’re such a lovely soul. How fun that you enjoy dresser scarves and are giving them homes on that gorgeous furniture!