The Hope Chest Inspired Shower, Part 7: The Bread Cloth

"Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread"

While perusing my collection of Sew Beautiful magazines last summer, I came across an article about a beautiful hand embroidered bread cloth and I instantly knew that I wanted to make it for one of my niece, Kelly's, shower gifts.  I knew I had the perfect soft damask cloth tucked away to re-purpose into something special:  a lovely, very old, tablecloth that had been my wonderful stepmother's and had been her mother's before her!  One area of the vintage material had worn through but the rest was in excellent condition and was such a pleasure to work with!

If you wish to see the initial post about the Tea Party or some of the other gifts I made, please see the links below: 

• The "Hope Chest" Inspired Shower, Part 1:  The Party 
• The Hope Chest Inspired Shower, Part 2:  The Nightgown
• The Hope Chest Inspired Shower, Part 3:  The Spring Kitchen Set
• The Hope Chest Inspired Shower, Part 4: Bowl Covers!
• The Hope Chest Inspired Shower, Part 5:  The Embroidered Hankie
• The Hope Chest Inspired Shower, Part 6:  The Shoe Bag and Round Travel Tote

Please click on the photos to enlarge them.

The original design in the magazine had the wheat sprays in all four corners of the cloth.  I knew that I wouldn't be able to complete this project and the others that I still wanted to do if I did the entire design, so I chose to do the sprays in just two of the corners.

I used a tiny back stitch to stitch the line from the Lord's Prayer and shadow work, stem stitch, and bullion knots for the wheat sprays.

I found a beautiful standing master butter knife in an antique store to add to this gift.

I really tried to make my handwork neat because I knew that it would be seen as soon as you uncover the bread!

I also found a triangular bread basket in another antique store that would be perfect for using with the cloth.

As I had hoped, Kelly loved the cloth and was touched that it had been made from a tablecloth that had graced her grandmother's and great grandmother's tables.  I know that when she read the tag I had prepared explaining what I had done, I felt like these special women were present with us in spirit.  I have to say that of all the things that I made for Kelly, this was the most meaningful for me.  

I hope that you enjoyed this post.  Perhaps it will inspire you to make something new out of something old!  Please join me again later in the week for another gift for Kelly made from one of my mother's tablecloths!  

Blessings for a wonderful day!