Do you have any heirloom/sentimental craft items?

[Molehillmountain]

I was just tidying up after today and got sentimental over some dolls blankets my great aunt knitted and crocheted for me when I was small. I did my first proper knitting with her - a lemon yellow baby cardigan-and that pattern is a bit of a sentimental item for me too. What special bits and bobs do you have-either made for you or to make things with?

I use my late mum's sewing machine, and we have an heirloom in the making- my mum made a beautiful silk Christening gown for my dd (she was the 1st baby of the next generation) and there have been 4 other family babies have worn it. We also have a beautiful wedding ring shawl which was knitted for my sister, and a lacy crocheted jacket made for my sister's Christening which all the subsequent babies have worn, so I guess they could be called heirlooms too

I don't have any real heirloom things, but I did 'inherit' some fabric when my mother in law died - no-one else in the family would have used it. There are several beautiful African wax prints she brought back from Congo, where she grew up until age 12. After moving to Belgium (where her/my in-laws' family are from) she didn't return to Congo until 40 years later and the fabrics are from that trip. It was very emotional for her to go back (and difficult I think), and as she was very creative I think she must have found it a great thing to pick these fabrics out to bring a piece of Africa 'home'. Unfortunately she died unexpectedly young a couple of years later, never having sewn anything with them apart from one tablecloth.

So, I take a lot of pleasure in using these fabrics that she never got to use herself, and in thinking that she would like to see them sewn with. I'm not making 'heirloom' or sentimental things with them - it would be a waste really as my husband's family wouldn't appreciate them! She was rather introverted anyway so, for example, I have made a t-shirt with one of the fabrics which makes me remember her quietly every time I wear it. It's one of my favourite things about sewing/making - that you can put meaning into things, for yourself or for others.

how lovely - I do not have any heirlooms but I hope one day the baby blankets that I have made will live on for the next generation. I didnt know my grannies very well so I dont even know if they were the crafty types.

My late Nanas pin cushion, pins, thimbles & measuring tapes :) - When I made my cousins wedding gown I made sure that these were all I used, as if she'd have been alive she would have been making the dress not me, so it seemed fitting excuse the pun

i have my shawl that my gran made for me. my mother had me 15 years after my brother and my gran had to make a new shawl for me so i still have it. could not use it for my children as it was damaged so i had to make my own for my kids but have put it away to use if future perhps for my granchildren if they have any.

I use my Grandmothers old crochet hooks and have inherited tons of her old wool and half started projects, she died when I was 9. When I had Dd1 we found an almost finished crochet jacket she had made for me as a baby and I finished it for dd. I also finished a crocheted cushion as a present for my Mum from her Mum.

sentimental - my first samplers from infant school.

nothing i know of that's heirloom, but i suppose my mum does, so i'll probably get those later :)

DD was baptised in the same gown as i was, but it's only 2nd generation now, so not so heirloom

My mum passed away last month, and I've really surprised myself by the items I'm finding most comforting and sentimental - she did embroidery and tapestry and her pictures, cushions and tablecloths are the items I am really treasuring. I feel nothing for the collected ornaments.

It's made me look on creating a legacy in a very different way.

Xnedra That's lovely that you were able to finish your grandmother's projects, yout mum must have been very touched.

Galaxy Sorry to hear of your loss. Glad you can find comfort in the things your mum made. i'm currently working on a massive sock yarn blanket & I quite like the idea of future generations complaining about mad granny lentil's colour choices snuggling under it when i'm gone!