Multi-generational UFO: The cutwork table linens

Back when I first introduced the inherited bits of "Aunt Lottie's Garden" (the green and lavender hexagon sets), I alluded to the fact that when my mother passed away, I inherited all the unfinished projects and all the materials stashes from my mother and father (and anything THEY had inherited that they hadn't used).  Mom was a primarily a knitter, though she did some embroidery, and dad was a weaver and machine knitter and stained glass artist.   My sister is a professional artist, but her mediums of choice are wall murals and stained glass (she inherited all of those supplies), not fiber of any kind.   She technically knows how to weave but once she did her required studio pieces, I don't think she has touched a loom since.  Likewise, I know the theory of glass and finished a single project, but it's not my thing.

I have used up most of the inherited yarn in afghans and charity knitting, and the hexagon sets you have seen as "Aunt Lottie's Garden" has progressed, so there are only a couple of projects left unfinished from my mom.  

This is a set of eight linen napkins, a card table sized table cloth and a larger tablecloth. The technique is a type of whitework/cutwork.   The basic idea of free embroidery cutwork is that you work a 'frame' of very tightly worked buttonhole stitch or blanket stitch around the edges of the area that will be removed, then carefully (oh so very carefully) cut out, leaving the frame supported by the uncut threads beneath.  Some types of cutwork embellish the open areas further with needlewoven bars and picots.

This set uses blanket stitch worked very close for the framing stitches, padded with a soft cotton in running stitch.  There are small details in stem stitch and French knots.  It is not true whitework (which is white threads on a white base fabric);  the linen here is unbleached and the work is being done in DMC #8 Perle Cotton (Color  613 - a pale greenish khaki color).   And OMG, this linen.   It's dense, and rustic and impossibly luxurious.  I believe that she  purchased the napkins and the smaller tablecloth right around WWII.   There is a definite 'Arts and Crafts' feel to the item numbers stamped in the selvages.

Maybe these were for her 'hope chest'.   She was in high school during the Depression and at teacher's college during the war years. 

Mom's HS yearbook picture: age 16

The larger tablecloth is not stamped; instead it has the motifs sketched on by hand.    The motifs seem to be traced from the smaller tablecloth and the linen is a slightly different color, though of an equal quality to the remainder of the set.   This leads me to think she bought yardage for the larger piece at a different time or from a different source.   Unfortunately, the size of the larger tablecloth does not match any table that I own or plan to own.  So I will repurpose that linen for other projects.   I'll only loose about six inches off each side as there is no center motif, only borders.

Luckily, the threads stayed with the project.   There's an entire box of 10 balls of the perle cotton, and some of the padding cotton (cotton floche or maybe candlewicking cotton - the label on that skein is long gone).

If she would have finished the napkins, I would have no issue tackling the smaller tablecloth.   But she finished six and a half napkins and now decades later, I will be trying to slot my stitches in next to hers and maintain the same look and hand.   Man, she stitched close.   Tiny, tiny stitches.......  

 

I'm not so worried about the actual cutwork part.   I did a 'dresser scarf' in this technique back in the 1970s.    This was actually a kit that Mom had given to HER mom (my Grandma Alice - sister of Lottie) as a gift and Grandma had never started it.   We were going through her boxed up things - pulling out kitchen gear for my first apartment and I snagged the kit.   It was actually a fairly fun stitch.   And I have MUCH better cutwork scissors now. 

The tablecloth will be a separate project down the line somewhere, as will a partially finished second dresser scarf in blue that compliments the pansy one above (thank you former me for keeping the threads with the project on that one, too!).  Looking at the finished one now, I should re-trim it closer.  I'll do that when I have the matching longer one done. There may even be a third dresser scarf/table runner floating around; I vaguely remember one with fruit - grapes maybe?

 

I am going to be adding a slot to my rotation for those items that are embroidery, but not counted thread.  I actually have two more old zombie WiP projects in addition to the pansy runner and the napkins that fall into this category.  Plus several unstarted projects: the card table cloth, Bateaux Bayeux, a lovely kit from Mary Corbet, a vintage German needlepoint kit that was a gift from my late mother in law, a tote bag, and some tea towels that I want to do.   All in crewel, stamped embroidery, painted needlepoint (counted canvas would go in the 'modern counted thread sampler' slot).  I will try a couple of rotations with five slots; I think it will be fine.  At one point I had ten projects in rotation (nine plus a finish/frame).   I won't go that high again - I would like to knit and quilt occasionally.