Old is New Again

Who would guess that what was popular in needlework 90 years ago would be interesting today. Perhaps the slow stitch movement will revive the hand needlework of our ancestors as we slow our movements to contemplate the work of our (and their) hands.

I wanted to get my husband out of the house this weekend as he is getting so bored with limited activity after double knee surgery. We headed for an auction that was selling automobile and petroleum memorabilia. I was able to find some things that interested me, namely some old magazines that had been saved for their automobile ads. They also had lots of old needlework patterns and some interesting old recipes. Among my treasures was an ad from a 1925 Frederick Herrschner catalog, “New Designs in Novelty Sash Curtains for Spring”. Reinforced that quote “old is new again”. I had never heard of sash curtains with hand embroidery from a bygone era but was planning to take some of my hand dyed vintage linens to Texas for hanging at my windows in the sewing room. I have the linen napkins packed but will now rethink the vintage dresser scarves and , who knows, maybe they were intended for the window instead of the dresser anyway.