A few months ago my aunt moved from her rather large house into a small apartment. She has been divesting herself of various family heirlooms which, being the oldest sister, had somehow found their way into her home. I was lucky enough to receive a fabulous library table that needs to be refinished (it was once my great-grandmother’s dining room table, but was cut down), a fairly rare commode set, and a fabulous collection of embroidery patterns and other crafty papers.
Commode Set
My mom and I have only taken a quick look through the box, but it is the proverbial treasure trove. The patterns are delightful, and many of them have notes in my great-grandmother’s hand. Even more charming are the patterns from The Canadian Countryman, which feature articles and recipes on the back. Some even have dates going as far back as 1913.
Great-grandmother’s stash of patterns
Unfortunately, I am useless when it comes to hand embroidery. I need my detailed patterns, fabric with little holes, and all of the organization and exactness that goes along with cross stitch. Hand embroidery seems so… free-form, so chaotic. But, I really want to honour my great-grandmother’s things and learn to embroidery neatly so I can make things from the same patterns she used.
