If you are fortunate to hear stories of your grandparents past, you may have heard this one. My Grand Maman- grandmother in English lived through both the 1st and 2nd world wars. These were days of rationing where you learned quickly to make a dollar stretch. I am thankful to her for so many valuable lessons. She was such a grand lady -I never saw her in pants, only dresses and skirts with matching cardigans. This is where the memory of the hankie came to be treasured to this day. She always had a hankie tucked into her sleeve or pinned to her cardigan, adorned with a silver pin on her right side of her chest.
I still remember asking her “why do you love hankies so much”? With her lovely smile and gentle blue eyes, she shared that during the wars, many women did not have a lot of money to spend on nice clothes, but they could always purchase nickel and dime hankies, that they could pin to their sweaters. Even a worn sweater with a colorful hankie pinned on or tucked into a pocket of a blouse would always invite a compliment. A hankie she said could change a whole outfit.
( some of the hankies she left me)
When she passed she left me with many treasures, but the one thing I have always fussed over were the hundreds of hankies that were all washed and starched and tucked into shoe boxes lined with tissue that still has a scent that reminds me of her.
For a while, I would hunt out estate sales and bid sometimes too much for a variety of these tiny cotton treasures, suffice to say, my collection has grown. I have lost count, my GrandMaman would be chuckling at what I have made with them, needless to say, she would be honored by this shared memory.
These are Hankie Keepers, they are used to tuck your favorite hankie into them, Makes for a wonderful and unique gift when you are stuck to present someone with something very special. No two would ever be alike. All of mine are made with 3 hankies, One for the construction of the outside, one for the lining on the inside ( the lavender one has purple dots fabric in the lining, as I just could not bear to cut through the extra lavenders I had. ( so that is optional, you can line them with light cotton. And the third one, a special one, is tucked on the inside. Otherwise, all the ones you see here are all made from antique hankies. Many have wonderful borders which I show you how to highlight on the outside of your hankie keeper. Nothing is wasted. Even some of Shelly’s buttons and embellishments make for such a sweet touch.
This Hankie Keeper came to mind when I was wondering what to do with my collection, so here is your pattern that has 25 colored photos on how you too can make these fine and delicate treasures, you may just want to keep them for yourself. I certainly am being pulled here, as each one of these I want to hoard away…..but I won’t. BECAUSE…..
They will find themselves on their way to Shelly, and after this month has ended. all the samples I have made each week will be all wrapped up carefully so that Shelly can place them up for sale on her site and all the money that is raised, will be donated to a local food bank. I think that is something I can live with, and those who will purchase these will have a treasure and a reminder of what we can do together to help so many. Also, a great story that you too can share.
All of our patterns sell for $3.00 US. each with a purchase of $20.00 of buttons, embellishments, or miniatures. Oh wait till you see what I have in mind for those. If you wish to just purchase the pattern, they will always be $11.00 US.
All of the patterns I illustrate with photos and step by step instructions and I always include many tidbits, needles, handles ( Shell will have some) fabrics I have used. Riley Blake Designs will be my favorite fabric manufacturer as they always have my signature gingham fabric along with so many new collections. They have always been supportive of my adventures and not surprising they would embrace me again for this journey into small project designs.
Ps the only one that will not be included for sale is the one with the bubbles, pink one, (that first one) has already been spoken for. The lady who would not take NO for answer gave a substantial check to our local food bank. Even I could not resist that offer. I really did want to keep that one for me. But I am more than prepared to dig through my boxes of hankies and make more…
You will be able to find all of our patterns listed here on Instagram and Pinterest too.
www.instagram.com/shellysbuttonsandmoree
www.pinterest.com/mdmsamm/shellysbuttonsandmore.com
Handkerchiefs. check out etsy and ebay, I just saw hundreds, be sure to look for those that are around $2.00 a piece, they will work perfectly. There are some as high as $50.00.
So share with us, which one is your favorite? I am leaning towards the lavender one, not sure how that happens but as each season passes, lavender and purples just make me swoon. I know Shelly loves GREEN.
So till we meet again, keep those memories alive, and hint for next week, it is all about a cover-up.
You so Matter,
Mdm Samm
