Vintage sewing

I received a surprise package in the mail today from my paternal grandmother, who has been following my crafting antics, mostly on Facebook. (Yes, like millions, I am on Facebook. I find it is the fastest and most efficient way to disseminate information to family about V., so they can have practically daily updates about HER three year old antics, plus photos.) The bulk of the package was these two throw pillows, which had a note on top of them stating that they were made by my mother for my aunt Mary. This particular aunt was the baby of the family, so she was still in school when my parents married. 

My mom made these for my aunt in the 70's

Lots of trims!

The rest of the package was composed of trimmings (lace, bias tape, rick rack, etc.), appliques and do-dads. There is quite a variety and I'm sure I'll find a use for it all.

And some cute appliques

Can't you just picture a toddler dress with some bees on it?

And while we're looking at these appliques, check out that black patch with the embroidered flower on it. I've got a blurry close-up photo of it below for your edification. That white thing in the photo, on the left? That's my thumb. This is some seriously tiny embroidery.

Blurry close-up.

 I had to take a look at the back of the patch to confirm it was real embroidery, it's so minuscule. And indeed it is, because it has a fabric backing on it. I've seen this before on other needlework. I'm guessing it's to help keep the ends of the threads in place. (A similar effect can be seen a lot of modern, store-bought children's clothing that have appliques or embroidery - on the inside a piece of interfacing is adhered over the area that was decorated.)

Back of patch

I especially liked the patterned bias tape, and this teeny weeny basket. It could fit on my pinkie!

The Stash That Would Not Die

Yesterday I was organizing my yarn stash and I came across my long-ignored needlepointing stash. I sorted it out and got to thinking. The yarn was given to me nearly five years ago by my grandmother after she cleaned her attic. How old the yarn is, I have no idea, but it ranged from shockingly colored acrylic to subtly-toned pure wool.

When I first got it back in 2001 I knew raw resources such as this shouldn't sit around forever. I wracked my brain for ideas and eventually settled on needlepointing a bass guitar strap for my boyfriend.

That's right: needlepointing an entire bass guitar strap.

Previously, I had consigned and sold a Scotch plaid strap I'd made at a local guitar store. I've never owned a sewing machine that operated properly for more then five minutes altogether, so the strap was made entirely by hand. (As were my quilts, dresses, jacket linings... I had a lot of spare time.) Because that wasn't complicated enough, I decided to needlepoint the Celtic Tree of Life. It would be 37 inches long.

And then I made it.

Okay, I admit it's not quite finished. The needlepointing took only a couple months but the black canvas backing has taken years, simply because it's boring and tedious work. (You can see at the bottom of the strap the loose threads where I haven't finished it up.)

I know that sounds funny coming from someone who did 148 square inches of customized needlepointing in one go, but I think variety was what kept me interested.

However, the bass guitar strap did not significantly diminish the stash. In desperation, I made a pair of Fair Isle socks for a little girl I knew and then put the stash where it would be out of sight, out of mind. I haven't seen it since 2004. Now I have dredged it up again, something which in itself is not a problem, necessarily, except that it does beg the question:

"What am I going to do with it?"

I still have two big shoeboxes of it left!