A Source Of Inspiration...

I was with "the girls" again at Books a Million last night. My friend, Adele, shared some more of her mother's handwork with me, and I was in awe of her fabulous work.

Adele used to sit with her mother and learn these techniques. This collar was created using threads and silk fabric. It closely resembles Battenburg lace, but is different in its technique. It's so intricate, and believe me when I tell you that it's hard to tell the front from the back. (One of the gals pointed out that I'd originally taken photos of the wrong side. Of course, I knew that! ahem.) You'll remember that Adele made the breathtaking lace edge for the monogrammed wedding hankies we created late last year. Her work really made them special, and the bride love them.

This is the second piece that Adele shared. It's still attached to the hand-drawn pattern her mother created on what appears to be a grocery bag. Once the pattern was drawn, she stitched and shaped and stitched some more to create the collar. This one was never finished.

Adele is one of the women who truly inspires me to become better. Her mother was a true artist, whose mentoring and teaching created another artist in her daughter. Her mother has been gone a long time, and these pieces have been in safe storage for years, but in sharing these pieces with us, Adele's mother lives on through her incredible handwork. I'm so honored that Adele chooses to share her talent and inspiration with me.

Aren't we lucky when God places these amazing people in our path? I count my blessings daily, and Adele and my friends, near and far, including you, are always among them.

Finished - With A Surprise...

The wedding hankie project is complete. I picked up the last one from Adele last night and to say they're breathtaking would be an understatement. Adele tells me that she and her mother used to sit for hours working on hankies together, and although it's been many years since she's done one, she rose to the occasion to create true heirlooms.

The bride and the recipients of the other hankies will be speechless when they receive them. Adele did most of the magic, but the monograms were my work, and I think the result of our combined effort is truly elegant.
When Adele gave me the last hankie, she said she had a little surprise for me, too. I looked into our project box and saw four pattern booklets. She told me that they were her mother's - and they were duplicates - that she was gifting to me...TO ME!!!

I had told her that once the holidays settled and my projects were caught up, I'd really like to learn how to do the hankie edgings. Her response was to give me four of her prized booklets, along with a promise that she'll be there to help me when I'm ready to try to do what she seems to do so effortlessly. (The booklet on the top of the pile in the second photo is the one she used to make the edgings for these hankies.) These pattern collections are from so long ago that they were priced at 10¢ and 25¢ per booklet! The copyrights are from the 1940s and 50s!!

I was nearly in tears when I realized the wonderful gifts she'd given me...not only the patterns, but also the promise of the gift of her time to show me how to do what she does with such finesse. I'm really looking forward to the special time we will spend together.

Thank you, Adele, my dear, talented friend. I know that your efforts will make one bride-to-be very grateful. I also know that I am excited to be looking forward to learning at the knee of one talented needlewoman. Happy New Year to all of us!

Thank you to each of you who left anniversary wishes from my anniversary post (both here and on my FB page). Handsome and I really enjoyed reading your kind comments. They meant the world to us. xoxo