A Peek Inside - Beautiful Crocheted Tablecloth

This lovely hand-crocheted tablecloth is a gift for Miss Abigail from Jackie Mitchell, another older friend to Abby from our ladies club. Jackie was a close neighbor for many years before she moved to Oklahoma and this extraordinary gift came in the mail soon after she moved. Jackie wanted Abigail to have something from her in the hope chest. What a wonderful friend.

The tablecloth is large - about 60-inches, so it will work on a regular round dining table or as an accent topper on a smaller table. I love the ornamental pineapple motif - symbolic of hospitality!

A Peek Inside - A Linen Table Runner Gift

When Miss Abigail graduated from homeschool and began college my sweet sister sent her a gift for the hope chest, this pretty embroidered linen table runner. I honestly love that Abby has so many gifts in her hope chest.

While I don't have all her gifts photographed yet, I decided to create a label to organize these "gifts to Abby", so that we both can remember the many women who have contributed lovely things for her future home.

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. 

A Peek Inside: Easter Figurines

I think it is always a blessing when you can spend holidays with family around you. Dinner at grandma's house, games and activities with cousins, learning manners and visiting etiquette, family pictures! I grew up with a close extended family and I have warm, happy memories of holidays with my family. However, since the early days of our marriage, our extended family has been many miles away. Our children have had to grow up without the happy buzz of family holidays. My sweet mother-in-law did her best to compensate for that. When our boys, and then Miss Abigail, were young children, their grandmother would send holiday boxes full of treats and inexpensive toys. She really never missed any major holiday or birthday! Our children came to count on these boxes and eagerly looked forward to them!

After Abigail grew into a teenager, the boxes gradually trickled off and finally stopped. Obviously my mother-in-law couldn't keep it up forever and Abby is the youngest grandchild. The last Easter box came a few years ago. Together with candy and a beautiful card, Grandma included these figurines to decorate the table. Naturally they are included in the hope chest for future Easter celebrations!.

A Peek Inside: Vintage Ric-Rac Gingham Apron

Kelly was wondering about a how-to on the pretty vintage ric-rac gingham apron shown in Miss Abigail's valentine set. She admired the vintage flair and thought it might be simple enough to make with a little direction. I didn't sew this apron, so I don't have a pattern to share. I thought I could at least take a few close up pictures and explain how I think one could re-create it.

This apron was actually a gift from one of the older ladies in the Stanley Homemaker's Club, of which Abigail and I are members. The Homemaker's Club was officially formed in 1942 as part of the old County Extension club program. We are no longer formally affiliated, but rather meet twice a month for tea and conversation. I love our "show & tell" meetings especially. Abigail was born into the club when most of the ladies were already grandmas and they spoil her flagrantly! Peggy is in her 80's now and this was once her apron, reportedly hand-made by a member of her family. It is probably between 45 to 60 years old. Gingham was especially popular in the 1950's as a domestic fabric. Aprons were often made with gingham and embellished with cross-stitch embroidery and ric-rac.

The half-apron is sewn on a machine, but the bottom hem and the ric-rac are sewn by hand. It is 35-inches wide and 20-inches long, with a deep 3-inch hem. Three rows of medium black ric-rac are offset with two rows of baby black ric-rac. You can see a tutorial of the technique used to apply the ric-rac in this tutorial I wrote about ric-rac pillowcases.

The body of the apron is not gathered to a waistband, but rather has four (.75-inch deep) pleats which narrows the waist to 20 inches. A simple rectangular facing (2.75 x 20-inches) finishes the back and creates a waistband for the apron. The pleats are about 3-inches tall. More ric-rack is applied to the waistband.

The ties measure 2.5 x 27 inches (narrowly hemmed) with the end turned up and tacked into a point. They are attached underneath the facing.

Finally, a pocket, measuring 5.5-inches wide by 5-inches deep is sewn on the right hand side of the apron. It is attached 3-inches down from the bottom of the waistband and 6.25-inches in from the right side hem. Because of the pleats, I'm sure the pocket was attached before the pleats were sewn.

 I agree with Kelly - the apron is darling, and could be re-created with just a little experience with sewing. I'm so pleased that Abigail has this in her hope chest, both to remember Peggy and to dress up a little when she feels like it.

P.S. Please remember that the measurements are finished measurements. One would need to add allowances for seams and hems.

BTW - How do you think ric-rac should be spelled? Rick-rack?

A Peek Inside - Recipe Book

Miss Abigail received this recipe book for her hope chest in September for her birthday. It is the third recipe book that our club published and I think it is my favorite. There are some really good recipes in here. Abigail didn't have a stable copy yet for her hope chest. I have bought these cookbooks by the stack to use as wedding gifts and if I needed one and didn't have any at the house, I have been known to rob Abby's hope chest and then replace it again with the next purchase. Our good friend Peggy took care of this problem by presenting Abigail with a sweetly inscribed copy, especially intended for the hope chest. Thank you Peggy for circumventing my proclivities.

Peggy has contributed several items to the hope chest, and I think there is something from all the ladies Abby grew up with in there now. I love that Abigail will use these items and remember these wonderful women all through her life. They have been exceptional examples of the term homemaker.

This recipe for Pita Bread Pizza helped Abigail win her first 4-H contest. She was just nine years old and competing officially in 4-H for the first time. There is certainly a lot of water under the 4-H bridge. What a fun memory.

Hope Chest Christmas

Miss Abigail received two major gifts for her hope chest this year for Christmas - dishes and flatware. Some months ago, Abby and I went window shopping to see if we could find dishes and silverware that she liked. The parameters were simple. She had to like the patterns (she likes classic looking patterns.) They needed to be of high quality and they needed to be affordable. We went to several stores just to look and we found a flatware pattern that she liked right away - Oneida's "Camlyn" pattern. Abigail likes the contrast between the brushed finish and the shiny. I was happy with Oneida's quality and availability. We looked and looked at dishes. Abigail wanted a neutral color and thought white would work. She liked the idea of Corelle partly because that is what is in my cupboard and because these dishes are so sturdy and lightweight. But the white is very plain and the current patterns just didn't appeal as much. Then we saw these wonderful embossed Corelle dishes in Kohl's and she thought they were just the ticket, but they are so much more expensive than the regular Corelle. We kept looking and found them in Bed, Bath and Beyond as well - equally expensive. So we've just kept looking for all these months and never found anything else that she likes as well. Earlier in December I went shopping for Christmas and lo, and behold Target had this Corelle in stock and it was on sale for a very nice price. Hooray! They also had the Onieda "Camlyn" pattern and it was also on sale. Thankfully, I've been saving money for quite some time for just this purchase and was so pleased to get both the dishes and the flatware for much less than I thought I would have to pay. Thank heaven for tender mercies.

 

These crystal tumblers were Abigail's hope chest birthday gift this year. She likes the idea of these tumblers as a kind of compromise between everyday sturdy glasses (plastic perhaps) and the fine crystal goblets she has from her grandmother. Both the embossed Corelle and the flatware are fancy enough for dressed up dinners, yet simple enough for everyday. Abigail can also buy additional patterns of Corelle from the open stock to mix and match if she wanted to create a different look or theme. The crystal tumblers really dress up the place setting.

So, there are two very big items crossed of the list. I'm pleased to have that purchase made.

A Peek Inside: Pretty Doilies

I've mentioned before that I belong to a ladies club and that Miss Abigail has been an informal member since she was born. In fact, though we don't do formal membership at all anymore, Abby is as much a part of the club now as anyone. Both she and I have been gifted many lovely things over the years and some of these gifts are in her hope chest, in honor of or in memory of these special ladies.

These lovely hand-crocheted doilies were made by Miss Sheila, a wonderfully talented woman who has always been so interested in Abigail. I should have put something alongside them to help you understand the size better. They are both about 7-9 inches in diameter. Just the right size to place under a vase of flowers. It is so nice to have these beautiful accessories in the hope chest.

White Bird Serving Dishes

These pretty serving pieces were my gift to Miss Abigail for her sixteenth birthday. She helped me pick them out and I am glad she chose plain white. Such a nuetral color will make them versatile. We were thinking how pretty they would be on a "tea" table, or even on a mantle or lamp table with shells.

A Peek Inside - Sharon's Sterling Gift

Miss Abigail has been the beneficiary of a number of wonderful gifts for her hope chest. Once people find out about our project, so many want to contribute something. Our good friend Sharon gave Abigail these two pieces of sterling silver. Sharon told me that she had registered for silver as a bride many years ago and was gifted just these two pieces. Recognizing that modern style is more mixed up and eclectic, Sharon hoped that Abigail might be able to use these utensils. They are so elegant! I immediately thought of wonderful holiday cheese balls and lovely dessert sauces and went looking for the small antique pressed glass dessert stand in the back of my cupboard. I think this makes a nice holiday serving set. What wonderful friends we have!

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!

A Peek Inside - Garnishing Tools

Miss Abigail recently received this beautiful set of garnishing tools for her hope chest. Of course, she may use them right away and I'm already looking for an instructive book about garnishing. There is a triangular knife in the set that will make zig-zag edges on a cut melon sooo much easier. What a great gift! Many thanks to Miss Isobel!

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. 

A Peek Inside - Tea Set

Last week, Miss Abigail was very happily surprised with a wonderful gift for her hope chest. In honor of many happy days spent together enjoying tea and company, Pat Humme, one of Abigail's special Stanley Ladies, presented her with a full china tea set, including several serving pieces and cups for eight. "Every young lady needs a tea set," Pat said, "especially Abigail." Pat also included a lovely cutwork tablecloth and eight matching embroidered napkins. It is a magnificent gift and much appreciated. Abigail is now cheerfully planning tea parties and will be a most elegant hostess, thanks to Pat.

Of course Pat knows that neither Miss Abigail nor I drink traditional green tea. Our Mormon friends might well blink their eyes. But the ladies have taught us that having tea together is more about enjoying company (and chocolate and biscuits) anyway. Hot cocoa, herbal tea, mulled cider, tart lemonade or memorable root beer floats are usually on the table for us. Pat is moving to Missouri to be close to her family there and we will miss her painfully, especially on Tuesdays and always at tea time.

A Peek Inside - "Home" Quilted Wall Hanging

This quilted wall hanging was made by Miss Pat, another of our special lady friends in the Stanley Homemaker's Club. Pat has been a quilter extrordinaire, but has now almost given it up in a new passion of dollmaking. So, I'm extra glad that Miss Abigail has this in her hope chest. It will be so pretty hanging somewhere in her home someday. It is lovely, isn't it?

A Peek Inside - Mouse Dishtowels

Miss Abigail has a quite a few sets of dishtowels in her hope chest already, but this precious mouse set was made by a special friend. Doris learned to embroider many, many years ago and although she is now in her 80's, she still enjoys doing it. Her embroidery is exquisite! Doris’s tiny, careful stitches, with all the little details completed, make this set truly exceptional and I’m so glad that Miss Abigail will have these as a particular legacy from Doris.

I once asked Doris how she did the tiny details so well. She told me, “Well hon, you just have to use one strand of thread and make the stitches as small as you can.” Sigh...no shortcut there. Although I was initially taught to use two strands of thread, I sometimes use three strands so that I can make slightly bigger stitches and eat up the lines a little faster. Doris always uses two strands, unless she’s doing the details. Lesson learned. Just look at the following close ups of her work. She is an inspiration to me!

Doris is a member of the Stanley Homemaker’s Club, to which I also have belonged for many years now. The club was organized way back in about 1942 and is still going, although some members are now aged. Abigail is graciously welcomed by all of the ladies at our meetings. These ladies have watched her grow up and often spoil her with gifts and treats. She really loves club days and I am so grateful that she has many various and wonderful examples of the term homemaker.

 Doris and Miss Abigail at our recent club luncheon

Miss Abigail has several other items in her hopechest that were made or given by these wonderful women, including two other sets of dishtowels made by Doris. We’ll show those to you also, by and by.

A Hope Chest Gift

This is a younger Abigail on Christmas morning with an extra special hope chest gift from her brother. In the coming years, I know absolutely that she will come to treasure the gift more and more.

I'm so pleased that she has an actual place to collect things. I always wanted a cedar chest. In my community, a cedar chest was the traditional gift for girls who graduated from high school, but my parents just couldn't afford one for me. One of the most tender conversations I ever had with my father was on the night of my high school graduation. He came to me and tried explain why I shouldn't expect to receive a cedar chest. Of course I really had only hoped. I actually understood the situation without his explanation, but I have a sweet memory of my father's wish to give me what I wanted, even if it could not be done. And so, as soon as Abigail was reasonably old enough to start learning about a hope chest, I started looking for one. I understand the position my parents were in, cedar chests are really expensive!

Our son Cameron took a woodworking class in college and needed a project. Cameron knew that I wanted a hope chest for Abigail and he offered to make it for her. Of course I was thrilled. My only requirement was that it be made from pine. He took some real hits in the class from his instructor and others who were sure that I wanted cedar in there somewhere and a nicer wood like oak or something. But I knew what I wanted and Abigail wasn't old enough to have an opinion.

So why did I want pine? Because I plan on helping Abigail fill her hope chest completely. I know it will be heavy. When she moves from apartment to apartment in those early married years, I can promise that Abigail's future husband will not want to lift and carry an oak chest filled to the brim with linens and other hope chest paraphernalia! Pine is the lightest wood. I know it is soft and gets dinged and battered more easily, but I like pine, and I think it is sturdy enough. Poor Cameron had to keep explaining to his teacher that he really wasn't just cheap!

I also didn't want cedar in the chest. Cedar isn't actually a great idea for use in a hope chest. It does work to repel bugs in wool fiber, but it also yellows and actually deteriorates fabric over time and it can be lethal to photographs. The scent is very strong. We can add cedar panels in the bottom if we ever want to have cedar, or use loose cedar in sachets. I wanted to have the option of NOT having the negative effects of cedar. Pine is a wood with resins that repel bugs also, it is just not as strong as cedar.

I think Cameron made a wonderful chest. He followed my instructions to a T. It is big enough, but not too big. He put in a nice hinge that holds the lid open. He left it unfinished because I asked him to. This hope chest was as much a gift for me as it was for Abigail and I am so thankful that I have such a thoughtful, talented son.