Ideas from you creative people required

[Nevis5]

I've inherited quite a few of my late mother's beautifully hand embroidered table linens.   It's mainly tablecloths although there are a couple of tray cloths as well.

I don't have a table (at all at the moment! but one is on order, thankfully) which will fit any of these cloths, and I also have Christmas cloths etc of my own so don't need more.  Does anyone have any bright ideas of what to do with all these linens?  I don't really want to give them away/sell them at the moment as I have so many memories of the time Mum spent embroidering them.  Neither do I want to wear them particularly but I've absolutely no idea what else I can do with them.

Please can anyone help? x

[jintie]

There was an article in Threads magazine a few years ago. Mine are all in the loft- does anyone else remember?

[SewRuthieSews]

Cushion covers.
pillow cases (would be lovely in the bedroom)
laundry bag (hang on hook in bathroom or bedroom)
use as curtains at window or in front of a shelf/hanging rail (can use push fit rail to hang)
turn into tea towels or an apron for the kitchen
drawstring bags for packing undies when travelling
wrapping paper storage bags
carrier bag recycling
lampshade
bedcover
wall hanging

[Iminei]

From The Darkside point of view I would suggest using them as panels in a simple quilt to place on the back of your sofa, or for you to snuggle under during the winter months .. but that would involve some cutting up

Pics would help to see what form the embroideries take.

Ooohh following on from Sewruthie ... cafe curtains???
Maybe even open a small tea room to showcase them ??!!!

I'll get me coat!

[Greybird]

I use items like these for cushion covers - not family items like yours, but ones I've bought from antique fairs and charity shops. I use damask tablecloths for the (envelope) backs, embroideries etc for the fronts. Sometimes you have to select part of the design for the front and applique it on. Any leftover bits can be used for a random patchwork (the only time I ever do any!). A cushion can be used as a sort of "picture" on a chair, bed or sofa and is a more intimate way of preserving memories. Much nicer than stuffing them into a drawer never to be seen.

I did see something some time ago where lace and crochet doilies were being used to make tiny bridal handbags. Could also be done with offcuts. Lavender bags are also an obvious use for these. Dried lavender is lovely but relatively expensive. A lot of them are made with a lavender/dry rice mixture.

[BrendaP]

Drape them over a decorative towel rail/clothes horse to just enjoy them - rotate the order from time to time.

Wrap around batches of out-of-season clothes.

Have a posh picnic and spread them over the lawn to serve cucumber sandwiches and pims.  You must, of course, use silver cutlery, bone china and crystal glasses

Use as linings for drawers and shelves.

If you can bear to cut them up (or use anything which has some damage) make handkerchif sachets, sunglasses pouch, needle book, cutlery roll, cosmetics bag, and small bags/purses for storing sewing/crafting bits and bobs.

[doesntworkonwood]

I second the quilt suggestion.

When I was younger, my mom and my aunt made beautiful quilts by sandwiching old fabric together and then embroidering through all of the layers.

Whilst it's not exactly the same as the fabric is already embroidered, I think it would look very beautiful and be a nice keepsake.

[Nevis5]

Wow, thank you all so much!  That's really given me food for thought.  I don't have a problem with cutting them up if I'm going to use them for something else - I think Mum would have appreciated the fact that I haven't let them go to rack and ruin even if I'm a Terrible Daughter for not laying the table every day with clean linen and crystal glasses 

Not sure I'm capable of producing a quilt that wouldn't look as though it was made by a four year old, but I will Google some pics of something to give me inspiration. 

I like the picnic idea @BrendaP    thank you x

Thank you all so much!  I'm not sure where my camera is at the moment @Iminei but if you're interested I can see if I can dig it out.  Except that in my enthusiasm I washed and dried all those tablecloths yesterday so now I have to iron them all first.......

xx

[Morgan]

what you do with them and whether you use them depends on whether they work with your personal style and taste

Lots and lots of ideas on Pinterest for repurposed hand embroidery - see here for just one and here for another

and this is a different take altogether which incorporates them into the decor and style  - how to live with your treasures

[Iminei]

WONDERFUL article @Morgan  .. thank you x

[Acorn]

I think @Greybird posted some pictures of the things she made at some point fairly recently - and they were absolutely beautiful.  Worth digging out to have a look.

[Acorn]

Here they are.   

[Nevis5]

Wow, @Morgan , thank you for the Pinterest articles and the other one.  I'd looked at Pinterest but not found those.  Lots of ideas there!  And @Acorn  and @Greybird , those cushions are absolutely stunning.  Thank you both xxxx

Sadly there is only one lace tablecloth amongst the heap, I would have found it easier I think to reuse that in some way.  The embroidered ones are beautifully done (Mum had a diploma from the Royal School of Needlework from back in the Dark Ages) but are very flowery.  DH loathes them.  So I don't think I can display them round the house.  But I'm very tempted to use parts of them as per the Pinterest ideas. 

I'm so very grateful to everyone for their ideas.  Thank you so much