A Peek Inside - More Embroidered Pillowcases

I love hand embroidery. It's very relaxing to me! The tips of my fingers do suffer from the pricks of the needle, however. I guess you just have to put up with that in order to produce such a lovely result.

A Peek Inside - Another Set of Pillowcases

This set of pillowcases in the hope chest is recycled! Some years ago, my father-in-law gave me several pillowcases that were cleaned out of an old warehouse where he worked. They are made from beautiful, tight cotton percale and the fabric is lovely. But, these original pillowcases had a large black logo stamp on the cuff - not so lovely. So, I cut the whole hem off to get rid of that logo. Because that made the pillowcases too short for even a standard pillow, I made a new cuff with this pretty blue print cotton fabric. I used the easy "magic" or "burrito" method to enclose the seams in the cuff. Then I embroidered a design to dress them up a bit. No cost upcyling - just scraps.

A Peek Inside - Pretty Hand Embroidered Pillowcases

These pretty pillowcases were embroidered by Miss Doris, one of Abigail's older friends. The embroidery is so carefully done, so beautifully stitched.

Miss Doris was a longtime member of the Stanley Homemakers Club - the women's club that Abigail was born into. Doris contributed several things to Abigail's hope chest over the years. She was an expert at hand embroidery and made several sets of dishtowels for Abby.

This picture was taken in 2011 when Abby was 13 years old. Doris was such a friend to me and spoiled Abby as much as she could. Doris passed away a few days ago from the consequence of age and, while I am happy that she is released from this life and joins her beloved J.C., I am also sad to live in a world without her in it. She was truly a homemaker and I'm so glad Abby has so many things in her hope chest that will remind her of memories of Miss Doris. 

Finally Finished Pillowcases!

I finally finished the embroidery on these pillowcases. Hooray!

Cotton Print Pillowcases

I sewed these pillowcases from a pretty cotton print fabric for Miss Abigail's hope chest and then embellished them with a simple crocheted trim. The pattern for the crochet trim came from 111 Easy Edgings by Leisure Arts (#2924). The pillowcases have been sewn for some time and the crocheted lace also, but, because it requires hand sewing, I've been far too slow to get the trim sewn on. So, they went into the bedside basket I made for after my surgery. Hooray that I have them finished now.

My mother-in-law included a set of cotton print pillowcases in the fabulous wedding gift she made for my husband and I so many years ago. I loved those pillowcases. Of course they are long worn out by now, but the printed fabric hid the wear extremely well and the fabric just became softer after every wash. I am always on the lookout for cotton prints that feel smooth and seem to say "pillowcase" to me. One can never have enough extra pillowcases!

A Peek Inside - Cross-Stitch Pillowcases

Filling a hope chest is a wonderful thing, especially when it is filled with gifts from those who love you! These become treasures that fill your life with beauty and sweet memories. These pretty pillowcases were a gift to Miss Abigail from her grandmother. Grandma Mower has many pillowcases in her linen closet, including some that are now considered vintage and even antique. It is such a treat to stay in her home and find which treasures grace the pillows on the bed. Many are embroidered and some have delicate thread crocheted edgings created by her great aunts, now gone. Grandma loves to speak of these pioneer women - to tell their stories. I was the happy recipient of several sets of pillowcases, embroidered by my mother-in-law, when I married my husband all those years ago (this post). These are mostly worn out now, but I surely hate to retire them because I've enjoyed using them so much. I didn't save these pillowcases from use. Maybe I should have, but I used them. For more than thirty years I've washed and folded them, felt loved and thought about the skill and generosity that went into their creation. Grandma told me that she now no longer enjoys embroidery, but she still likes to cross-stitch.  I'm sure Abigail will enjoy using these in her future home too, just as Grandma has enjoyed those which were gifted to her years ago and as much as I've enjoyed mine. This is what my hope chest legacy is really about. 

Everyday Beauty

Once you fall in love with the idea of making a home, you find infinite pleasure in making it suitable, comfortable and even beautiful.  But, too often we put away our beautiful things because, well, they are too beautiful. “This is too nice to use for just everyday,” we say. We’ll save it for the holidays or when guests come to visit, and content ourselves with the plain and practical for everyday.  But our home is the space that encircles both our body and our spirit. It ought to be beautiful. No matter where we live, even in a temporary situation, a home is something we can create with the currency of beauty.

Why should you use a dishrag when you can easily use a dishcloth? Why should you use a dust rag when you can easily use a dust cloth? Truly, it is just as easy to use a towel that has, in some way, been made beautiful as it is to use a plain one, or one that is worn out or ugly. Of course, my home is more than those physical objects that surround me, but I find that my happiness is greater when I see, use, and enjoy everyday things that are beautiful. My everyday attitude is much improved.

Lest you get the wrong impression, I’ve used my share of rags, plastic cups and worn out blankets. But, I’m becoming wiser to my own happiness. It doesn’t take much to add a little beauty to everyday things. It does take a deliberate choice to actually use them.

If you own a pair of plain (white or printed) pillowcases, I challenge you to pull them out and use the following tutorial to add some simple, everyday beauty to your home.

Materials: Besides the pillowcases, you need a package of rick-rack trim, 6-ply cotton embroidery thread, two small embellishments, and a needle.

Measure the rick-rack trim, cut and pin it around the hem of the pillowcase.

Measure a length of thread three times the width of the pillowcase and cut. Use all 6 plys and thread the needle. Knot the thread.

Fold a bit under the end of the trim and bring the needle up in the corner. Make a tacking stitch. Do this on both the top and bottom edge.

Bring the needle up at the inside edge of the trim.

Take a small stitch, within the inside edge of the rick-rack trim. Take another stitch on the inside edge diagonal to your other stitch. Stitch, back and forth, within the inside edges of the rick-rack trim all the way across. The thread lays across the trim, tacking it securely to the pillowcase.

Work these small stitches in each wave across the length of the trim. Make the stitch smooth and snug, but don’t pull too tightly or the fabric will pucker.

When you come to the end of the trim, take another small tacking stitch on the top edge to secure the end and make it neat.

Tack down the bottom edge as well, and tie off the thread securely.

Sew on the embellishment. A ribbon rose, a button, or an applique would also make a cute decoration.

You are finished. Now use them. You’ll feel like a queen!