Monday, January 28, 2013

Stitches in Time

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Kind hands, one day in 1892, placed this beautiful, pink sewing kit in Anna’s little girl hands…

Anna Meier Brandly young

We don’t know who the woman behind the kind hands was.  An aunt maybe…a motherly, caring neighbor?

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Whoever that good soul was knew that Anna’s mother had died just the year before, and perhaps she needed a little help beginning the life-long love of needlework that she was to have…

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Whoever she was,  Anna was very grateful, as is shown in the careful way she used, and kept, and handed-down this sweet memento of her childhood…

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And my mother and I are grateful, too.

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130 years old now, the little pink sewing kit hangs today in my mother’s room on her armoire…no hiding in a box or cedar chest…heirlooms always out in the open for all to love and touch…{it’s such a gift to FEEL history…}

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…loved through the years…a bit threadbare in places, but beautiful, nonetheless.

Here’s my young mother, Karen, about the age that her grandmother, Anna, placed the little pink sewing kit in her little girl hands, about 1949.

Here she’s holding Anna’s childhood doll that I’ve told you about before {even older than the sewing kit!}

Karen & her Grammie's doll, 1946 

That early gift of love from Anna to my mother possibly encouraged her love of sewing & creating that she’s enjoyed all of her life…

And then--

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When I was a little girl, I remember taking it into my room, sitting on my bed with it, and carefully feeling, with my little girl hands, the softness of the silk, looking through the beautiful blue bead as I held it up to the light streaming through my window--a treasure, carefully kept…

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…a silken cord-wrapped bracelet with simple blue glass bead attached…the perfect size for a little girl’s wrist…{I know.  It used to be my little girl wrist that would fit inside.  And Karen’s. And Anna’s.}

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The lovely pink, silk pouch with bone toggles, and just a little bit of embroidery left to be seen…

That still contains three VERY old pins…

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…and the little snips still kept in their own silken pouch…

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…still sharp as a razor {I tried them!}

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Such a sweet and precious little gift entrusted to one so young…but one who understood and kept it ever so carefully, so that it could be shared with those she would love in the future…

Julie

12 comments:

  1. Oh my stars! The stories you have are such a treasure. You are truly blessed to have so much history from your family to hold. I never grow tired of these stories.

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  2. Julie, Julie, Julie! Just when I think you cannot top the last family treasure or story, you come up with this. Wow, wow, wow! It gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. Absolutely, incredibly amazing! Your family is something else. I swear, you could start your own little museum and fill it with the most interesting family treasures, heirlooms and artifacts. Just wonderful! Best wishes and blessings, Tammy

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  3. Julie---thank you----I needed hat right now....XOXOXO

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  4. What an amazing family treasure!! So carefully loved all these years!!

    chris

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  5. What a wonderful treasure that has been passed down. I just love your family stories. Your girls are blessed to have you document and have so many family treasures. Have a great week.

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  6. Hi Julie: I came to visit from Dear Donna at Brynwood Needleworks. This is a lovely post of wonderful memories and such a treasured sewing heirloom. I shall be following and visiting often. Creative Hearts are Happy Hearts...

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  7. Julie, your family is so amazing. Thank you for sharing them with us. This story is precious and so are you! Twyla

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  8. Such a beautiful treasure to have!! Thanks for sharing! xo Heather

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  9. Julie, I love seeing your photos and mementos of your family. Thanks for sharing your family stories with us.

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  10. wow, you have the most lovely heirlooms .....and the stories you have gathered of your ancestors is AMAZING....how do you gather it all up.

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  11. Now that is a true treasure... I love the peach/pink color and the photos are also a gem, thanks for sharing and please do tell your Mom how much we enjoyed it! Hugs, Diane

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  12. Oh Julie, this one brought tears to my eyes too... but happy tears as always... such a priceless little treasure... that so many little girl hands have held... and will continue to hold... I know it is not only full of the sweet little sewing essentials but also the love of all of these beautiful ladies, including you... thanks so much for sharing this!... also, I saw your comment on Sharon Lovejoys blog (I hope you found her through my link!)... she and I are actually distant cousins... we both just found that out this past year and I was sooo excited!... you will adore her, beautiful inside AND out... and such a wealth of knowledge on all of the precious things in Nature that you and I both love as well... and she lives not too far from you!... oooh, I do hope you can meet her at one of her book signings down there for her new bird book!... much love to you, xoxo Julie Marie PS Found the perfect frame for my poem... will take a pic soon!... thank you so much again!

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