Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Retro: Everything Old Is New Again.

Note: I am editing this post to use as my Show and Tell post for Friday, October 26. I shared the story of Hattie and her quilt a couple of weeks ago and now I want to share a picture of the crocheted bedspread that my grandmother made. When I started to write the post I remembered that I had already posted about the spread so I decided to just link to that post. My grandmother is the little baby Hattie is holding in the picture on my other post.

Over at Posy there is a hilarious post about Jane's adventure going into London to pick up a Cath Kidston blanket she had ordered. When I saw the blanket I immediately thought of a blanket that my own dear Grandmother had crocheted many years ago when I was just a little girl.

The biggest difference is my Grandmother made her's from the thin cotton crochet thread. I remember her working on it. She would lay it out on her guest room bed and arrange the squares until she got them just as she wanted. It brings back many fond memories of watching her work on her projects. My Great Grandmother died when my Grannie was only 6 so my grandmother had no mother to teach her how to do needlework. She taught herself to crochet after watching some neighbor ladies crochet. She took a piece of fence wire and fashioned herself a crochet hook. She used string that she had saved from the closure of feed sacks. I remember her looking at pieces at friends homes and going home to crochet a sample piece to remember the pattern by. She truly was an artist in my opinion, though I'm sure she would never have considered herself one. I never had the skill for needlework. My mom sews beautifully and my daughter sews and crochets very well. I guess the old saying is right that talent skips a generation.

Check out Kelli's Blog for more Show and Tell.

Pic: My Grandmother's blanket. Circa: around 1963

12 comments:

Sonny said...

So do you have the blanket?You can answer that in code if need be.*lol*

Carrie J said...

Hmmm....that IS the blanket. What code should I use...911?

Sonny said...

That would work.I nabbed one.Tell you about that one later.That is if I haven't already.(:

Sonny said...

P.S.
I don't know about there but they have taken home ec out of the schools here.Meaghan was taught about etiquette in health class. I can sew curtains and that's about it. I get flustered trying to read a pattern and adjust the machine I have out so I just don't do it.

Carrie J said...

Home Ec is an elective here. At least as of 2 years ago. Juliana learned to sew some, she made shorts and tote bags etc. Unfortunately she got me as a mom. I am not a seamstress. I can sew a little. Made over clothes and made clothes when the kids were little.
I can sew straight lines very, very well. LOL

Amy ~ (Life's Small Treasures) said...

So beautiful! Thanks for sharing your grandmother's story with us
~Amy

LadySnow said...

That is a beautiful blanket.

Kristy Jo said...

so beautiful!!!! and the songs fits this posts perfectly! :P

Martha said...

I love the crochet throw. How neat to think how gifted it's aritist was when it was being brought into existence!

Thanks for sharing,
Jane

Yellow Rose Arbor said...

So nice, and sweet memories!

Katherine

Unknown said...

Dear Carrie J, thank you for visiting my blog. Your post brings to mind my own dear departed mother in law who was a great craftswoman and needlewoman. She made herself a beautiful classic crocheted bedspread which went over a lovely gold jacquard pleated ruffle.

Thank you for sharing.

Blessings and bliss

Carole Burant said...

I have a baby blanket that my mom had crocheted for my firstborn back in 1978 so I can understand how much this blanket your grandmother made means to you:-) It's gorgeous! xo