Care Packages, Revisited
I wish I knew 10,000 different ways to say thank you, because that’s what your comments on yesterday’s post deserve in response. You are officially the smartest, wisest, funniest readers a blogger ever had, and I thank my lucky stars for it. Thank you10000, seriously. You said everything I needed to hear, and provided so much awesome counsel for all the funkifiers out there. I say thank you on behalf of all of us.
And now, for something not at all funky (except, actually, slightly funky in the olfactory sense)…
The two best care packages I ever received were boxes overflowing with vintage clothes, tinged with a strange haven’t-had-contact with-fresh-air-in-50-years scent. Both sent an indescribable jolt of electricity of excitement down my spine. I love old things, in part, because of the lives they had before they enter into their new owner’s hands. In both of these cases, somewhat unbelievably, these were the clothes of best friends’ deceased great aunts. Not only were these pretty vintage clothes, but they were worn by women who have a very direct link to my modern life through their genealogical lines, and really, that’s pretty cool. When you buy a necklace or sew a dress, do you ever stop to think it might one day end up in the hand’s of your niece’s best friend? That’s recycling at it’s best.
One of these great aunts had lived a creative, cosmopolitan life, had been ridiculously gorgeous and stylish, courted by fashionable and powerful men the world over, and had a brilliant wardrobe that included a kelly green silk cumberbund belt, a white horse-hair purse, gloves of every length and fabric, and a robin’s egg blue bathing costume with figure enhancing boning in the bodice. Her clothes helped my wardrobe make the transition from college to “first job” — whatever co-ed type outfit I was attempting to wear to work, with the simple addition one of her belts and a pair of gloves, was somehow, through a kind of vintage magic, transformed by accessories.
The second box came this week. Taking the musty, mothball-scented clothes out of a big box once filled with office printer paper, the life of a woman in Lisbon, North Dakota spilled out onto my kitchen floor. Based on the clothes, she seemed to have worn a variety of dress sizes over the years (raise your hand if you identify with that), held on inexplicably to a scratchy, early 20th century sleeping gown, had a penchant for swingy, clingy red dresses in her svelter days, and an unfailing eye for graphic 1930’s cottons. My friend had neatly folded a thick pile of cotton remnants inside a shoebox. Pawing through them was to see the real-deal inspiration for all those fabrics at ReproDepot.
The dresses that fit, I will wear (in fact, as I write this, I am wearing a homemade red cotton dress with a watercolor brush crosshatch-like pattern on it that, bless her, has pockets). The question is, what should I do with the fabrics? Given how they have such an effect en masse, I’m loathe to split them up into separate projects. Perhaps they could become simple appliques on a tote bag? Or I could make rosettes and sew them on to t-shirts? What else? And have I mentioned I don’t know how to quilt? Is this moment a call to action?
Sara Rose: MAKE NAPKINS.1 year ago
Betsy: I would have to second Sara Rose’s idea. Those would be awesome with a fourth of July picnic. Maybe a matching apron? Nothing says vintage like an apron!1 year ago
kristen: I say it is time to start quilting. I mean a quilt will ensure the longest life for the fabrics, just think were it might be 100 years from now. It doesn’t even need to be that big just a lap quilt or a wall hanging.1 year ago
Sara Rose: My fave apron I have is a vintage one I got at one of the armory sales here and its made from different swatches/pieces of fabric. I make anyone who comes to cook with me wear it. Its sacred. Nothing that I ever make in it has ever been bad.1 year ago
napkins could totally work. or maybe as per kristen’s suggestion i could make a little wall hanging and frame it. i wouldn’t even necessarily have to quilt it…
haha, i love the idea of a charmed apron. that’s awesome.1 year ago
Lisa (dinner party): Pillows?1 year ago
Bernie: Napkins are great! You could also make placemats for either matching or whimsical mixing up. Alternatively: a set of potholders, lined dishtowels (buy plain white or solid color ones and trim/line them with the fabric), or use as adorable bandannas, Rosie the Riveter style.1 year ago
Becky: You must learn to quilt!! It is so fun….and easy. I promise!1 year ago
miss fae: i have writer’s block too. let’s get out of the funk and set a work date this week. work has to get done1 year ago
Shandell's: Put pieces sandwiched between glass and hang them as art.1 year ago
Emily C.: Oh, napkins would be lovely.
Clothing care packages are the best–my aunt sent me a thrift store dress she found when I was at nerd camp two summers ago, and it fit perfectly and was just the best thing ever to receive in the mail.1 year ago
'Delle: I second the napkins and placemats idea. I also add to the mix throw pillows (or trim/accents for existing ones) and totebags for books and things.
If you want to learn to quilt, but don’t necessarily want to do the quilting part, I suggest what my family calls a Cathedral Windows quilt. The fabric is folded upon itself a couple of times in the process, eliminating the need to quilt a backing onto it. http://www.quilterbydesign.com/lessons/cathedral/cathedral_windows.html1 year ago
Christine S.: I, too, appreciate your sensibility regarding clothes and items that are new to us that have had a life (or lives) elsewhere. It makes me feel so connected to others regardless of time or place.
Whatever you choose to do with the fabric I’m sure will be lovely!1 year ago
Cindy Brinkman: I too love vintage fabric and have a physical reaction when I touch a garment from long, long ago. I buy them from St. Vincent de Paul’s sometimes. I make dolls from linen and re-deux the body with the vintage fabric. Of course they wear earrings too. They are magic to me.1 year ago
Elizabeth: I love the idea of quilting. I spent last weekend going through my grandmother’s clothing and linens (baskets of pretty little handkerchiefs!) and kept thinking how I MUST learn to quilt.1 year ago