A family Heirloom

A textural feast

This beautiful rug was over the back of a sofa, when I arrived to collect Janet on Monday. I was totally captivated by it and asked if I could take a photograph.

“Certainly”, said Janet as she casually threw it on the floor.

“The floor is no place for it. You should have it up on a wall. It is a family heirloom”.

Rug detail

A closer look at the detail.

The base was rug canvas and work was built up in random shapes of rug and embroidery stitches, worked with rug and knitting yarns as well as fabric strips in linens and poly cottons.

To the right of the pink flower above is a small section worked on even weave suitable for counted thread work, and then attached to the base canvas.

With such an emphasis on re-purposing our clothes and household fabrics, a hanging like this, would be a wonderful way to reuse a favourite dress, shirt or t-shirt. Babies grow out of their clothes so fast, a hanging would be an ideal use for all the various textures and colours. It is not a task to be completed in a week. It is one for winter evenings over a year or maybe more. Tell the story of a child’s early life through their clothes.

When complete, don’t forget to sign and date it.

16 thoughts on “A family Heirloom”

DailyMusings August 13, 2014 at 11:13

What a lovely piece

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Grannymar Post authorAugust 13, 2014 at 13:11

A real conversation opener! It certainly gave me ideas………. 🙂

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wisewebwoman August 13, 2014 at 12:23

Gorgeous and evocative.
XO
WWW

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Grannymar Post authorAugust 13, 2014 at 13:10

WWW, I thought you would like it.

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nrhatch August 13, 2014 at 14:29

I’ve often thought that a patchwork quilt of favorite clothes would be wonderful to cuddle under on cold rainy days.

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Grannymar Post authorAugust 13, 2014 at 14:46

Yes Nancy, and that is how those wonderful quilts of old were made, by the early settlers as they travelled across the land.

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1. nrhatch August 13, 2014 at 23:33
  
  I have two heirloom quilts:
  
  * a quilt started by my great aunt Lucy around the time I was born, finished by my mother years later
  
  * the quilt that covered a bed in my dad’s bedroom as a kid.
  
  The 2nd is made of clothing remnants from 80+ years ago.
  
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  1. nrhatch August 13, 2014 at 23:36
    
    I don’t cuddle under them though. 😎
    
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    1. Grannymar Post authorAugust 14, 2014 at 07:04
      
      Nancy, Now you can make your own to cuddle under and then pass on down the line.
      
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