Patterning Our Place

 

I've always admired and treasured the pillow cases, dish towels, quilts, doilies and all the other handwork pieces made by my grandmothers and other family members.

This little doily is doubly meaningful - not only did my Grandmother Ridnour make it (R for Ridnour) - but it is now R for Ramona. Even the bit of color on the outer edge is one of "my" colors.

This morning I saw this quote from Clare Hunter's book Threads of Life - A History of the World Through the Eye of  a Needle.

"Sewing is a way to mark our existence on cloth: patterning our place in the world, voicing our identity, sharing something of ourselves with others and leaving the indelible evidence of our presence in stitches held fast by our touch."  

It caused me to think anew about the time and talents expended by the women whose craftworks have passed on to me and that I'm now passing on to my daughter and granddaughters.

Like these candlewick pillows Grandma Delphia embroidered for me.

And the crocheted piece hanging on the wall which was made by her mother, Great-grandma Matilda Means.

I never had enough patience to learn how to knit even though people tried to teach me how because "it is so relaxing". It only made me tense because I just could not understand their instructions.

But my daughter is a very talented knitter and has made me lovely knitted pieces including these two scarves.

The only craftwork that I did achieve was some simple embroidery that I recall Grandma Lynam teaching me.

I 'wanted' to learn to crochet and tat which Grandma Ridnour was willing to show me how to do but I just could not get it. That is one of her tatted pieces on the left. The embroderied pad on the right was made by my Mom, Ruth, for her hope chest. I think it was her trial piece before she embroidered many more blocks for her Water Lilies quilt.

I had so many sets of pillow cases and dish towels given to me as shower/wedding gifts. They came from my grandmothers, aunts, great aunts, neighbors. Some of them were used so much they wore out. Others were "good as new" which I have now passed on to family members.

They may not 'speak' like diaries and autograph books, but thanks to Ms. Hunter's quote, I now realize they do have a lasting voice.