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Wednesday, April 17, 2019

Family Heirlooms, Knitting and Crocheting and Selling a Family Home

This antique filet crochet doily is a family piece.  I don't know who made it, or how old it is; as I've never seen it before.  When the brothers and I were cleaning out and organizing my Dad's house to prepare it for sale, we found this in a badly broken old frame.  If you click to enlarge the picture, you can see the stains.........both of age, and on the two edges that were touching the frame.  Believe it absorbed the stain from the frame.  I examined it carefully and could see no signs of instability and so decided I would chance washing it.  I washed in cold water, in light detergent in a laundry bag for fine linens to protect it.  It's now dried and looks more clean, but the stain is still present...just better.  I plan to find an appropriate sized shadow box frame for it.  The old frame isn't repairable and wasn't the right size to begin with, which is how the edges were all matted against the frame and some of the filet wasn't actually visible in the old frame.  What a find!  Just wish I had seen this before, when I could have asked my mother, or grandmother, or one of my great aunts who made it, where it came from, who's house it had belonged to.  Such a shame to have family pieces without knowing the story.
Finished my shawl!  Just need to weave in the ends.  Really wanted another section of the pretty green, but wasn't sure I had enough yarn left to continue the next repeat.  Each repeat was 10 rows, and at the end of the 10 rows you bind off 4 to give you the pointed edge.  I ended up with 24 points, pattern indicated you might get 25 from the cake of yarn.  Love the points edge...very pretty, and the scooped edge that will be the neck edge (you can see it if you click to enlarge picture...it's the top edge where you do the increases with kfb.  The right edge is the edge you bind off.  Debating whether or not I should try to crochet a little edge there...or whether it would look weird, even if I do have enough yarn to do that..........love your thoughts gang.
And so, I've started another one.  This one won't be as colorful...black, gray and white.  So far it's hard to see any shading in the colors.  If you remember, I had to rip out the pink and green one when I was close to half way through, and lost some yarn in the process.  Since, I now know the pattern that shouldn't happen, and presumably I should be able to get the 25 points?  Time will tell.  This one is for a friend who requested the black, gray and white.  
Coffee Latte is continuing to grow.  Am working on the dark brown section now that you see at the bottom of the picture.  Completed 2 more sections since the last picture and it now measures 38 (before blocking) inches in depth.  The previous large dark brown section is the middle point of the afghan.

Some of  you know I've been blogging less due to being super busy dealing with my Dad being in an assisted living center...and working on his house to prepare for sale.  This is his house, fingers and toes crossed...we have a contract.  Just waiting on the inspection now.  Will be a huge relief to get this taken care of.

14 comments:

  1. Good luck on the house sale! The filet crochet piece is beautiful. Maybe you could bleach it since it's white? Once it's put in frame it won't need to be washed again. Love the shawls. The colors in the pink/green one blend together well. You're always so busy, both in life and in your knit and crochet and everything is beautiful!

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    1. I wondered about bleaching it, but wasn't sure how hard that would be on it. Thanks for the visits, always enjoy them and your comments.

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  2. That looks like a very homey home. Sending good thoughts for a speedy sale.

    Your shawl looks gorgeous, and family heirlooms are priceless. Might be fun to make up your own story around that piece.

    Take care, Sandy.

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    1. That's an idea, Robyn making my own story. I do have some theories as to who probably made it. Thanks so much for the visit and sweet comments.

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  3. Dear Sandy
    How nice to find an heirloom. Your shawls are looking lovely. I am sure your hard work on the house will pay off.
    Best wishes
    Ellie

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    1. Many thanks Ellie, I was pretty excited to find heirloom. Making headway on the gray shawl, as we speak.

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  4. So glad things are moving along with care of your dad and the sale of his home. That is a huge job. Also glad that you have had knitting to distract you - I have a shawlette like the one you are working on. It is called The Hitchhiker! Same idea - points on one side - as many points as you have yarn for.

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    1. Thanks so much for the visit Retired, and right you are...knitting is a wonderful distraction, helps keep me sane some days. I have the Hitchhiker pattern as well, but haven't compared to see how different it is.

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  5. That's a beautiful crochet piece, it's a shame when you don't know it's history. I've just inherited a beautiful doily myself and I'm unsure who stitched it too, I think it was my nana but I can't be certain now. I just wanted to thank you for the lovely comment you left on my last post about the death of my mum, it was very much appreciated and helped so much to know that people were thinking of me at this sad time xx

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    1. Thanks for the visit and sweet comments regarding the crocheted piece. Sorry to hear you also have a piece without a story. Still nice though to have them. I hope each day becomes a bit easier for you.

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  6. Love your find from your dad's house. How special to have an heirloom! I sympathize with all the organizing and cleaning. It is hard to sort memories when our parents go to another stage of life. Debbie

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    1. Thanks for the visit, much appreciated. Right you are about sorting memories.

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  7. I'm amazed that you have time to work on any projects! They look very nice. Good luck with the house sale.

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    1. Thank you Sherry, the projects help to keep me sane...I think.

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