Bella's Strawberry and "The Hoop"...

Bella's Strawberry Sachet is finished, so I can share it with you today. Lots of little flowers, and a special silver paw print near the tip. Of course, I have a silver acorn attached to the top, too. 

I chose a grey houndstooth wool for our black Labrador girl, and the tassle top is composed of thread colors used in the embroidery. I stuffed this one with organic cotton so it's nice and firm. It will join the other berries I've kept in a pretty, oval creamware bowl.

 

I worked on this piece last time I was with the Sewcial Sisters, and Kathy D. noticed my hoop. You will have seen it in photographs every time I share a small piece I'm working on. It belonged to my mother-in-law, Evelyn, and when I'm working on something special, I reach for this one first.

Kathy asked if it was a Queen hoop, and I said, "I don't know. What's a Queen hoop?". I turned it in hand and sure enough, it said "Queen" on the edge. I asked what might be special about it, and she showed me a listing for an oval one on Etsy or Ebay (I can't remember) that was listed for a whopping $700! We agreed that it was probably an astronomical asking price, but while there were other circular hoops listed, this was the only oval.

So, I took my embroidery off the hoop and showed her the features that make it different from our other hoops. Queen patented the metal wheel tightening mechanism in the 1940s, and there is an imbedded wool felt liner on the inside hoop that helps keep needlework taut. Because of the wheel mechanism, the outside hoop does not completely open and come apart.

My understanding is that they also manufactured metal hoops with the same tightening wheel, and if I look hard enough, I'll find the one that I also got with my mother-in-law's embroidery things.

I have to say that if Handsome's dear mother had seen that $700 listing, she would have laughed out loud. If you look on the lower right image above, you'll see that written in pencil on the inside of the felt-lined hoop is "25¢". I can hear her chuckle as I write this.

All I know is that this hoop is precious to me because of who previously owned it. It has the patina of age and use that was worn in by Evelyn's hands, and no amount of money - large or small - will make a difference to me. It's priceless in my eyes, and I'll continue to feel close to her every time I use it.