Friday, March 25, 2011

Playing Favourites

Playing favourites with Shay over at Quilting in My Pyjamas.
My favourite thing this week and probably my most favourite thing of all time - my Inheritance.
I am not talking $$$ I am talking about the skills and knowledge which were so readily shared in my extended family.
I have been reminded on several occasions recently that not every one has these priveleges growing up and I have been sharing my skills with members of my craft group many of whom are much older than myself.
The pictures - yes, there are a lot - show the essence of my material inheritance, my treasures. When you are part of a large family who insist on living well into their 90's they manage to spend their hard earned $$$ before they run out of life to live, just as it should be!
This school case is over 50 years old and belonged to my aunt during her Primary and Secondary school years. It holds a collection of mostly knitting and crochet patterns which I 'inherited' from my Grandmother when she entered Nursing Home care at the age of 95.

Timeless treasures -crochet supper cloths - these are from a magazine dated 1957.

The series was Australian flora and fauna in filigree crochet.

Patons and Baldwin Baby knitting books, which also contain crochet patterns and Semco Tatting and Crochet books from the 1930's

This one is full of crochet lace edgings for doilies and I have her miniature crochet hooks to do this with.

Look at all those choices for bonnets, bootees, socks and leggings - made like stockings with ribbons to tie them at the top of the leg.

Tatting edges - not a craft I have actually tried but I like to look at the pictures any way.

A complete layette on the following two pages.

That's right it is sticky tape you see in the pictures above and below, these books have been much loved in their life time.

These are later books from the 1950's which contain reprints of earlier patterns.

How cute is this romper suit?

What about cat's ears?

I have a distinct memory of making this one in the 1980's - not sure who the lucky recipient was.

Remembering that these garments were mostly made in wool, not easy care varieties like we have today, I can imagine that a mother's work was never done!

My grandmother also taught me that it is never too late to complete a project, she started a gorgeous knitted baby shawl in the finest cream wool for her first daughter and finished it almost 40 years later for her youngest grandchild.

Check out other favourites today over here.

17 comments:

Michelle Ridgway said...

What a wonderful collection and it's great they have such a caring custodian who is sharing their value with others.

thea said...

What a cool collection! Any chance you could share the cat ears pattern? I love it.

marina said...

Now that is an inheritance!

Nana B said...

This is great! My mother-in-law made those cat ears hats for my two children. I then asked her for a black one and used that as part of my son's hand made Batman Halloween costume.

Kate said...

Very cool inheritance!

Sara said...

My aunt taught me most of my crafting knowledge, with help from my nans, so I like to blame her for all my fabric purchases, and my current oversupply of quilts, and the fact that my machine is getting worn out from overuse.

Kirsten's Cooking said...

That is very, very special! I love the cat's ears - really cute. You are very blessed to have inherited so much from your grandmother.

Thanks for sharing with us!

Maria said...

What a great collection keep in a treasured school case.
I seem to remember using some of the later patterns.

Shevvy said...

Oh wonderful! I've a few books of patterns from the 40s and 50s and one even older but I cant even remember where they came from.

Anjaliebtrosa said...

Oh how wonderful! So many lovely patterns!

Liebe Grüße
von Anja

greelyrita said...

I too love the cat's ears pattern but I don't really knit. Mind you, I do tat. You should try it, it's very easy. You can do a left-over-right, followed by a right-over-left knot, right? Well, that's all there is to tatting. The only trick is that one thread does all the turning and the other stays straight. I learned from books and that was difficult but if someone had showed me, it would have been a quick learn. You should try it...

Shay said...

It's like a treasure trove of amazing. Seriously amazing!

I was instantly transported to a time when crochet and knitting were practically a national sport. I think we're heading that way again and it's wonderful that people are willing to share their skills and teach others. I have to say your post made me want to run out and buy vintage patterns ...just so I can have a collection like yours.

I adore the cats ears. So cute!

Jindi's Cottage said...

The right kind of inheritance. I've got that pink pattern book...but mine is obviously defective, it doesn't have a masking tape spine!!!

Baa-Me Kniits said...

Oh My....you just took my breath away with all those gorgeous patterns!! What a fabulous inheritance. I love all of it but if I had to choose it would be the baby layette, wouldn't it be lovely to have had those beautiful knits for my little ones. I have been playing around with patterns and light sock wool for baby soakers and pants for the baby's up here in the tropics...wool is the best :-) Great FTF!

seabreezequilts said...

Fantastic, I learnt at my nana and mothers knee always wish they were still here to ask when I get stuck. My mum was a fantastic knitter so even, always wished she was around when my kids were little she would have actually finished babies stuff lol.

Larri said...

What a fabulous favourite! Oh, how I'd love to leaf through those pages. The styles are mostly timeless. How fortunate to have learned life skills from the best. Thanks for sharing. Happy FTF! :o)

Barb said...

What an excellent post...so enjoyed it as you do your inheritance....