Thursday, January 22, 2015

The Hope Chest Inspired Shower, Part 5: The Embroidered Hankie

Something Blue?

Please click on the photos to enlarge the pictures.  Photographing this hankie was difficult!

This will be a short post about a little gift addition to the 'Hope Chest' shower gift basket for my niece, Kelly's, Tea Party wedding shower.  (See HERE for details of the shower, an explanation of the 'Hope Chest' gift project, and the first set of gifts.  See Here ,  Here , and Here for Parts 2, 3, & 4.)

I collect pretty antique and vintage handkerchiefs.  I like them all:  embroidered, lacy, colored, and printed.  I often use them in my sewing projects.  I have made many of them into lovely little baby bonnets.  This one was a soft linen with a lacy crocheted edge.  I embroidered the blue flowers and green leafy vines with a lovely embroidery thread: DMC Floche.

The following description is from this website:  http://dmc-threads.com/dmc-floche-embroidery-thread/
DMC Floche is a twisted thread made from the finest long fiber cotton, mercerized to create a beautiful finish. This superior quality thread is especially suited for fine embroidery.
DMC Floche is comprised of 4 non-divisible strands in size 16 thread, each strand equals two (2) strands of DMC Floss. Threads can be stitch in a single or multiple plies and slide easily through fabric. During the manufacturing process, the cotton is combed, singed by flamed and mercerized creating its beautiful finish. The end result does not knot, kink or fluff and is soft and gentle to the touch.

I deliberately embroidered in the center of  only one side of the handkerchief so that it could be made over into something else.  My thought was that Kelly might want to carry the hankie at her wedding (in her purse or whatever) and that she would give it back to me to turn into a little bonnet someday like the one I made below.


I'm a lacy hankie, as pretty as can be.
With a bit of stitching, a bonnet has been made out of me.
To be worn home from the hospital or perhaps on my christening day.
Please cherish and pack me away.
Then on her wedding day, a few stitches snipped
and a wedding hankie I'll be.
And if by chance it is a boy, someday he will wed
and to his bride he can present this hankie
once worn upon his head.
 Author Unknown



10 comments:

  1. That embroidery is lovely. I'd never heard of DMC Floche before. The description was very interesting.

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    Replies
    1. I really have liked using Floche for shadow embroidery and the raised bullion roses and other flowers, Charity. It is a bit more expensive but worth it!

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  2. Hi Karen,

    So lovely to meet you!

    Such exquisite artistry! Dainty, elegant and sweet, your hanky is a thoughtful gift. I'm sure Kelly will appreciate your dedication.

    Thanks so much for visiting Poppy View, and your lovely comment. Hope to see you again, soon.

    Wishing you a wonderful weekend,
    Poppy

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Poppy, for visiting here and your sweet comments.

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  3. This is a beautiful hankie and I love the idea.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Marilyn! I enjoy embroidering and also using vintage linens in my projects.

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  4. I have always lovely the wedding hanky/baby bonnet idea...so sweet!
    Ruth

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  5. The embroidery is beautiful, Karen! And I love the delicate edging as well. I also love antique handkerchiefs - I always look at linens first in any antique store. I like the idea of a baby bonnet - I wish I could have done that for Miss Abigail and had her carry the hanky to her wedding. It works just as well the other way around though. What a spectacular gift this is!!

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    Replies
    1. Oh, Kathleen, we share some of the same thoughts! I, too, wish I had thought of this hankie/bonnet when Victoria-Rose was an infant. She WILL have a gorgeous hankie for her wedding and I will convert it, though. I always look at the linens first in antique stores, too! Then I look at the china, crystal, and the silverware. :)

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