In a perfect world, I would read all instructions clearly. Sigh.
That’s right. Last month I shared a job I used to have… which is this month’s prompt.
So…
This month, I am sharing something I collect…which was last month’s prompt!
Anyways, I have a deep love for antiques and I am so fortunate to have so many amazing pieces, with an emphasis on painted American furniture. Big, bold, fill-up-the-room pieces. And I enjoy them (and use them) every day! I have some antique textiles and even some fun antique barware. I like thinking about the history of the piece and especially about the maker who made them. I like them for their beauty, but they were made for their functionality… a necessity for their daily life.
But what about the pieces that I don’t use… the extra special treasures I am so fortunate to have. Well those are the pieces that I truly love… and the ones that hold some beautiful bits of my family history.
First up is an incredible quilt (sorry there is no “full photo”… the weather has absolutely hampered my getting a good picture of it in the yard… it is not super large, but it covers a full sized bed, with no overhang) This quilt was made for my maternal grandparents…it was a wedding present to them in 1932 – for their bed – which had to be way smaller than a full sized bed – by my grandpa’s Aunt Eleanor. It is entirely hand stitched… and it is a true treasure. Most of the fabrics were “recycled” (although they did not use the word recycled in the 30’s) from clothing that her family wore. It eventually became the “quilt on the grandkids” bed… yep, when we spent the night at Nana’s house… we slept under this quilt.
There was not a lot of room for extravagances in my grandparent’s lives. They struggled financially and I don’t know where the Hummel figures came from, but two of them were in my nana’s corner cupboard as long as I could remember. (The one on the left, I found in an antique shop some 40 years ago… the set of angels should have been 3… but I have never found the accordion playing angel to add to the collection)
However, my nana was so proud of those two angels… though we were never, ever allowed to touch them! They get the same treatment here… they are safe in Steve’s Grandma’s clock cabinet in our dining room.
My nana was absolutely a use it until it dies and then find another use for it girl. The other treasure I have is her clothes pin bag… and yes, she made it. As I recall from the story… and this was very much alive and in in use by the time I was born in 1960… it is from an old pair of curtains that had faded. But my nana never just got rid of anything that could be repurposed into something else and so as the story goes the sun had faded some areas of her kitchen curtains… and so my nana cut out the faded bits and with the remainder made curtains for her garage (because doesn’t everyone’s garage have curtains?) and the final “scraps” became her “new” clothes pin bag. Curiously, the hanger that was originally in the bag rusted and had to be thrown away. Yep… the bag has outlived its original hanger.
The other special pieces are two things that hung prominently in my nana’s house. The Ten Commandments (dated May 4..er…5 1944… signed on the back …both times… by my Grandpa – although I am not sure why he did that twice nor do I know the why behind the two different dates… however, I love having a reminder of his beautiful handwriting) and The Morning Prayer (which used to glow in the dark… really. I remember thinking it quite spooky, back in the day!) Both of these pieces now live on the wall in my “office”… the room with my sewing machine, that cupboard with my stash. It is nice having bits and pieces of things that my were part of my grandparents lives still visible and with me today.
And there you have my very tiny, but oh so precious collection of Very Special Things.
See you all back here on Monday! Have a great weekend!
I’ve enjoyed seeing your precious items Kat! The quilt is gorgeous! And all hand sewn – amazing. We have a quilt from Fletcher’s grandmother’s house, but it is so heavy – way too heavy to sleep under (I think the backing is solid wool). I do love the way things were re-purposed “back in the day.” The glow in the dark prayer might have spooked me a bit!! Have a wonderful weekend!
I love family “treasures”, being the primary keeper of family heirlooms. My family treasures warm my heart and conjure beautiful memories of my people before me.Your treasures are gems and I hope kept in the family for generations.
that quilt is quite the treasure!! Just think of who stitched each stitch and what they thought while they stitched it. Loved seeing your treasures 🙂
I am amazed how well that quilt has held up – what a treasure! And silly question – is that little dress her clothespin bag? Because how CUTE is that??!!
I loved seeing all these treasures, Kat! The quilt is beautiful and that sawtooth edge is interesting. I knew that was a clothespin bag as my grandmother had one just like it. Alas, no glow in the dark Morning Prayer. I hope you find an accordion-playing angel someday but your angel Hummels are sweet just as they are. Thanks for sharing (and I don’t believe there are any museum sanctions for switching exhibits a bit)!
What lovely things to have collected and kept safe. There is something very special about handling things belonging to previous generations. The quilt is gorgeous and must have been very welcome in the days before central heating.
This is all so wonderful!! I love antique textiles and it’s so cool that yours have family history!
(My garage windows have lace curtains!)
That quilt is wonderful, I love that it was handstitched by a relative what a wonderful wedding present. I have a few paintings that my grandfather painted, a wooden box he made and a larger fabric covered box, my grandfather made the wooden box and my granny covered it in fabric, like you they are a few small items but I love them.
You have such beautiful treasures! That quilt is especially beautiful and it looks like it is still in good shape. Thank you for sharing!
Those are wonderful family treasures to have, especially that quilt!
What treasures these are! That quilt is particularly amazing. I can only imagine how old some of those bits of fabric are, given then they probably were well-used clothes and other items long before they became scraps to be quilted.
Oh, Kat! What a wonderful treasure collection! Thank you for sharing it with us — the much beloved heirlooms AND their stories. (Also . . . there are NO RULES at the Museum of Me. Your museum; your exhibits. Always!) XOXO
I have a few things from my grandparents, my grandmother’s high school ring from 1922, my grandfather’s watch from the 1940s, and a batter pitcher that was from my other grandfather’s restaurant in the 1930’s. None of these have much value except in my heart.
I wear my grandfather’s watch on special occasions and laugh that the band I had to put on it a few years ago probably cost more than the watch did when he bought it, but to me it is priceless.
I loved seeing the things that you got from your grands. I remember my mom having a clothespin dress way back in the day before she got a automatic dryer.
Beautiful quilt and treasured stories too.
Beautiful things you’ve collected.
What a beautiful collection with such stories. The quilt is indeed a treasure. We could learn a thing or two from our grandmothers and your nana in particular.
Oh that quilt! (well, all the things you shared, but especially oh my, that quilt 🙂 I smiled about the beds getting bigger – we do love to up-size. The wine glasses I inherited from my mom I now use for cordials, and I use the water glasses for wine. (and the champagne glasses are perfect for martinis, but that’s more shape than size)