Thursday Thoughts/Treasures 04-16-20

I have posted these treasurers previously, but they are very special to me, so here they are again. 

More Needlework Treasures 10-25-12

After I posted about handmade gifts I took pictures of a number of others that I treasure.  I'll post them over the next month.  Warning:  This post contains nudity!!

Here are two gifts I received about twenty-five years apart. 

On the left is a scissors bob made with alphabet beads by Mabel Huseby from Washington Sate who I met at Empty Spools   She made me several of these that adorn a hemostat and.  various scissors, including my favorite Gingher Craft Scissors.

  

In the middle is a scissors doll made in 1986 by my late friend Margie Vandenberg as part of a Christmas gift project that was once done by Orange County Quilters Guild.  Even with over 400 members we handmade a gifts for each and every one.  This lasted several years until, I suppose the members that always volunteer got tired of volunteering.  Margie, who made the majority of these little dolls with their eleven black French knot eyes and hair, was a pro at making multiples of anything.  She was a volunteer at a local hospital and over the decades that she served she sewed tens of thousands of handkerchiefs with lace edging that were given to each newborn in the form of a little bonnet with a poem and instructions to clip certain stitches to make it back into a hanky for the baby's wedding day (girl or boy).  It was a lovely tradition that apparently ended with her death.  Many people, including me, have loving and thankful memories of Margie.    

 
I know this one was made by Margie because she gave it to me herself before the meeting.  You see the date 1986 and OCQG.  Above the date is "Xmas", but I didn't want to get the poor girl completely naked.

Monday, October 8, 2012

Another treasure from a quilting friend 10-08-12

I'm still thinking of the treasures friends have given me.  Over the years there have been several sewing accessories that became integral parts of my lifetime sewing addiction.

This is an "ort catcher" - an "ort" being a scrap or tidbit and is usually used in connection with food scraps.  But embroiderers co opted the word to mean the thread ends and tiny bits of  fabric leftover when sewing.
 
 
This little basket block ort catcher was made about 25 years ago by my dear friend Betty Lou Lucas who died ten years ago this month.   She was an accomplished needlewoman and we belonged to several of the same groups, including a long lasting friendship group. 

 

This piece has been well used and I still use it when I am able to do handwork - it brings my friend into my mind with joy.  

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Thursday Thoughts 03-19-20

I haven't done "Thursday Thoughts" before.  Thursday Threads, but that isn't apropos of this subject.  I suppose that all the talk about downsizing, cleaning out, culling, etc., has made me think lately of the things in my life that I save and treasure.  I am a confirmed pack rat and hate to dispose of anything that I might someday use or that I just keep because I like it.  I know quilters who are always trying to use up their "stash" and I don't understand that.  My fabric library is a treasure and if I use it up, I won't have it anymore!!  Of course, I do use fabric from the library, but not with the thought that I will use it all up.  Horrors!

But some things I use almost every day are things that I have had for over fifty years.  I'll take some pictures now and then to share with you.  I won't show my ratty towels - why do people buy new towels every year?  Why to do they have to match the bathroom?   Some of mine are from the early 70s and they are perfectly okay to dry off my body.  Or KoKo's. Or my car.  

Here is a pot that was old when I acquired it.  I worked at the Los Angeles County Department of Communications in 1959 and moved from my grandmother's house to a furnished apartment in Pasadena.   I had become friends with my boss Alice Lieb who was the head of communications.  She was ANCIENT, probably in her late 40s, and she was newly divorced (rather shocking then) and moving.  She kindly gave me some pots and pans, they weren't supplied with the apartment.  One is a 2 quart Revereware copper bottom stainless steel pot.   While she owned it the handle had come off and someone welded it back on.  For all these years it has been my "primary" pot for just about everything.  I have larger and smaller pieces, but this one seems to be the one that is most versatile.  I couldn't live without it!!  It is something over 60 years old!  

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