family

it all started with a pair of curtains

I think my grandmother may have given me my inheritance today.
It all started with me mentioning at lunch that I wanted to make some curtains for the girl’s changing house down at the pool. (Otherwise, we girls are there in all our glory for the people coming down the path to the pool. It is a much needed curtain.) So today after lunch, she took me upstairs to look for curtain fabric from her double-doored closet full of sewing, knitting, needlepoint supplies, kits to make down jackets and suitcases, even a bag of whittling tools–a  true crafting mother lode (no punn intended).
We went through several piles of fabric she wanted to save–"might be a blouse, might be a pair of curtains, these are good for tablecloths for parties…But here, go through these and take what  you like for yourself." She’s been telling me, ever since I moved here, that she wanted to show me the things in the closet, because she knows I love to sew and do ‘lots of projets’. So, I merrily looked through her wildly colored fabrics and bright prints finding things that I fell in love with. Not even on my BEST of shopping or thrifting or garage sale-ing days could I imagine such wonderful things. And yes, I put some back. I didn’t clean her out–well, technically I did clean her out–she asked me to go through  bags and bags of saved ‘dungarees’ that she was holding on to for patches, and some old curtains that she was "overly ambitious" about reusing, and old sheets that were never resized to fit a smaller bed. (Can you imagine?)
So I did do a lot of cleaning for her, but not cleaning out. But I have to tell you, I look at these fabrics and they make my heart beat fast. Not just because they are beautiful and fun and funky, but because they are my grandmother’s. My grandmother’s.
The passing down of this fabric sparked a MAJOR cleanup of my crafting supplies and fabric stash–two plastic tubs sitting on top of each other in the closet. So horribly piled upon, that on more than one occasion I have walked to the closet excited to start a new project, then turned around and closed the door, overwhelmed by the effort it would take to extract a yard of fabric.
So I’ve been up to my ears in closet clean-outs today, tripping over fabric and boxes and shelves, but enjoying every minute. Tomorrow, I’ll show a picture of my closet, if I can get enough light. It was too dark tonight to take a closet picture. (Is it ever bright enough to take a picture of the inside of a small closet?)

I realize these pictures are a little blurry. I was rushing to get it all put in place before Dan got home.

Img_4184_1

one of my favs (my foot for scale)
Img_4181

a few of the pieces still had their original tags. can you believe the price?

Img_4182

And oh yes, there will be curtains in the pool house this year, ladies. Great curtains.

I think my grandmother may have given me my inheritance today.
It all started with me mentioning at lunch that I wanted to make some curtains for the girl’s changing house down at the pool. (Otherwise, we girls are there in all our glory for the people coming down the path to the pool. It is a much needed curtain.) So today after lunch, she took me upstairs to look for curtain fabric from her double-doored closet full of sewing, knitting, needlepoint supplies, kits to make down jackets and suitcases, even a bag of whittling tools–a  true crafting mother lode (no punn intended).
We went through several piles of fabric she wanted to save–"might be a blouse, might be a pair of curtains, these are good for tablecloths for parties…But here, go through these and take what  you like for yourself." She’s been telling me, ever since I moved here, that she wanted to show me the things in the closet, because she knows I love to sew and do ‘lots of projets’. So, I merrily looked through her wildly colored fabrics and bright prints finding things that I fell in love with. Not even on my BEST of shopping or thrifting or garage sale-ing days could I imagine such wonderful things. And yes, I put some back. I didn’t clean her out–well, technically I did clean her out–she asked me to go through  bags and bags of saved ‘dungarees’ that she was holding on to for patches, and some old curtains that she was "overly ambitious" about reusing, and old sheets that were never resized to fit a smaller bed. (Can you imagine?)
So I did do a lot of cleaning for her, but not cleaning out. But I have to tell you, I look at these fabrics and they make my heart beat fast. Not just because they are beautiful and fun and funky, but because they are my grandmother’s. My grandmother’s.
The passing down of this fabric sparked a MAJOR cleanup of my crafting supplies and fabric stash–two plastic tubs sitting on top of each other in the closet. So horribly piled upon, that on more than one occasion I have walked to the closet excited to start a new project, then turned around and closed the door, overwhelmed by the effort it would take to extract a yard of fabric.
So I’ve been up to my ears in closet clean-outs today, tripping over fabric and boxes and shelves, but enjoying every minute. Tomorrow, I’ll show a picture of my closet, if I can get enough light. It was too dark tonight to take a closet picture. (Is it ever bright enough to take a picture of the inside of a small closet?)

I realize these pictures are a little blurry. I was rushing to get it all put in place before Dan got home.

Img_4184_1

one of my favs (my foot for scale)
Img_4181

a few of the pieces still had their original tags. can you believe the price?

Img_4182

And oh yes, there will be curtains in the pool house this year, ladies. Great curtains.

22 comments on “it all started with a pair of curtains”

  1. What a special treat. You make me wish I had my gran closer so she could show me all her sewing and knitting secrets like when I was a little girl.

    Enjoy it all 🙂

  2. five yards of that gorgeous stuff??? way to go grandma!! how exciting that you have all this wonderful fabric that has meaning too, and that it kick started a clean up. nice work.

  3. What can be better?Grandma showing you her “closet full of fabric”…….and great fabric it is……..can you even stand it? I’m so excited for you! How truly special.

  4. Gorgeous fabric! This makes me think of some of the great looking fabric my grandmother had, when I was small and could have cared less about sewing, ugh! Have fun making those curtains.

  5. The fabric from Meemu and Mary and Sheila’s rooms! I love that stuff so much. I’m excited to change in privacy now, and not have to keep a constant eye on who is coming down the path! xoxo

  6. WOW Molly, what wonderful finds you have been receiving lately! Love the colors and prints. You must have been like a kid in a candy store..LOL

  7. great fabric! the third from the top in the stack caught my eye. red with blue and white flowers? take a picture…pleeeease 🙂

  8. What a special treat to be able to share your love of projects and an incredible fabric stash with your grandmother! Thanks for sharing – I loved reading about it and seeing your amazing finds.

  9. I feel as though a special congratulations is in order – a very special event has just occurred. I’m a little giddy for you. 🙂

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