I am obsessed with wonderful embroidery scissors and have several gorgeous (and expensive) pairs. I have a couple antique sterling needle cases, an antique pearl-handled awl and many special hemostats etc... I do have several needle books which I use all the time but I stick needles and pins at random in them and their main focal point is the scissor holder.
It wasn't until Susan Elliott did her
post on how the Japanese pay respect to their important tools that I realized how cavalier I was about the lowly needle.. They were dispensable and I'd just open a pack and grab another. I then realized that a needle is the most important tool in my entire life. I have favorite garden tools I want buried with me... I have a huge chef's knife my dad gave to me 50 years ago that I treasure.. but as a tool I had given little thought to all the tiny needles I've used. So this little needle book is my way of rectifying this horrific oversight on my part. It is my way of honoring all the needles I've used and discarded over the last 66 years.
So last night I started laying out the laces... I fuss and stew about the foundation layer and then proceed to bury it with the other laces.... but I'm making progress. I love this little image because she looks about seven years old and I was that age when I embroidered my first set of dishtowels which had puppies and the days of the week on them.
Ahhhh, Gerry, you have the most beautiful collection of laces. What a lovely cover this will be. Why is it that we often over look the things we use the most, we are most familiar with, the most important things..? What a lovely little book you will have. Suzie in Idaho
ReplyDeleteI was awarded the Liebster Blog Award , and now I offer it on to you, as one my favourite inspirational artists that I follow. Check my post out at http://fantaisiescrazybyevy.blogspot.fr/
ReplyDeleteBeautiful day
What a wonderful idea, I own several needle books. I do have a favorite, but I also have a few favorite needles too, and get really sad when I break them, I have a jar that they stay in.
ReplyDeleteArlene
http://arlenes-crafts.blogspot.com.au/
I must not be hard enough on my needles since the only ones I break are on the sewing machine when I hit a pin.
ReplyDeleteI love your needlebook and the image. I never know how to layer my old lace to make it look good on anything.
I was seven when grandma taught me to embroider on a pillowcase. My granddaughters are 7 and they are getting embroidery hoops, stamped fabrics (by me) to embroider on, crochet hooks and some wild yarn, a turtle pincushion and small sewing machines. They've been wanting to learn so I'm determined to have a couple of stitching buddies.
So, now I think maybe the GDs could probably also make needlebooks!
The needlebook looks lovely Gerry and I enjoyed your musings on the humble needle!
ReplyDeleteGotta love lace. I remember the first thing I embroidered when I was about 6 years old. It was a cob of corn on a piece of yellow flannel that was supposed to become a pot holder. I can't remember if I ever made the pot holder but I can still picture the corn cob. And in my first Home Ec class we had to make a needle book with our initials embroidered on it. I still use it but I'm going to make myself a nice cq one...soon.
ReplyDeleteYour needle book will be something to treasure. I remember the first thing I embroidered was a cob of corn on a piece of yellow flannel when I was about 6 years old. I made it into a pot holder. And in my first year of Home Ec we had to make a needle book with our initials embroidered on it. Not at all fancy but I still use it. But one of these days I'm going to make myself a nice cq one.
ReplyDeleteThe care and attention you're taking with this little book is admirable Gerry. The chef's knife from your Dad must be very special...those items used every day contain so much more of ourselves and the ones they love. I remember after my Mother died, my brother wanted the silverplate, two-handled sugar bowl that we used every day growing up...and he wanted a little silver heart box that sat on my mother's dresser every day and held her earrings, pins and what not...
ReplyDeleteyour laces must be fairly small since that's not a very big space to begin with. Keep up the good working....it's working!!
P.S. I like the last pic with all your supplies scattered in the background...I can see goldwork supplies, a Robin Atkins bead sampler, the inside cover to your needlebook. It's a snapshot in time of what you're working on and it made me smile...