Look what I found.!!!!

[Aggie May]

Not sure if this is the right place for this but here goes. I am sure someone will tell me if it should be elsewhere.

 

I found this beautiful table cloth in a bag of old clothing which a friend was throwing out.

Could not believe that anyone could commit such a crime.

This friend is into Patchwork & Quilting but obviously does not appreciate the work in this item

Each motif is about 4 inches across and made of 11 rows. Similar to Round Ripple but a little different.

The thread must be about as fine as you would want to ever work with.

The poor cloth has seen better days as it has a huge hole in the middle of it, ink, rust, and other unmentionable gunk on it.

I have given it a good soak and it is now outside getting some sunshine and fresh air.

My plan is to retrieve what I can from it, but I am not sure what I will do with it.

Suggestions would be very acceptable.

It is about 65 inches X 75 inches and is made of more than 200 large motifs and I suppose about the same of the small joiners. About 50% will be useable.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b208/Aggie2may/Crochettablecloth003.jpg

( I tried reducing the picture but had no luck so it will stay as is for now)

Have a look at the small section I photographed. I put a pink pillow case under it for contrast.

Get your thinking caps on and tell me your ideas.

Thanks a lot.

Have fun.

Colleen:hug

OOOPs, my picture leaves a bit to be desired. I will see if I can work out how to post my Photobucket address so you can see the smaller version of the picture which is clearer.

Hope this works.

Sorry, my link did not work so I will go and try again.

Maybe you will just have to look at a blurry picture while I take another which may come out better.

[Nashville Crocheter]

It is beautiful!

 

Your link to photobucket doesn't work. It asks for a password.

try copying the link from the pic in photobucket and paste it in your post here. That will link it to your photobucket pic.

[Shelleden]

OMG! What a find! From what I can tell someone put a LOT of work into that! I'm sure there are lots of possiblities.... You're sure to get some good suggestions here (but not from me - I'm blank at the moment!)

[Aggie May]

Thank you, I have deleted the link and just left the link to my fuzzy picture.

I think I will try taking a better picture.

Thanks again.

Colleen:hug

[Katchkan]

If you are interested the name of that pattern is the Lucky Star. I guess it is lucky since it found you to rescue it. Though the pattern I have the fill in motif is different, the main motif is the same. Just thought you might be interested in this bit of info.

[Aggie May]

Thanks for the name. Sounds an excellent name for such a beautiful pattern.

I certainly wish the cloth was complete.

Colleen:cheer

[sunnywolfgar]

very pretty, who ever made this took alot of time and they did what some would call join as you go motifs.

If it didn't come as clean as you like use Oxiclean on it. I use some on a curtain and came out beautifully clean.

I was amazed!

[Aggie May]

Thanks Sunnywolfgar, It is a pale Ecru colour and I did soak it in a soaker powder but not Oxyclean. There was something on it which turned pale blue so goodness knows what that was. I might give the oxyclean a try.

The poor thing has been badly neglected and because of the hours of work in it, deserves to be salvaged.

You are right about it being joined as you go which is a good and a bad thing for taking it apart. I may need to sacrifice some to save others but it will be worth it.

Have fun.

Colleen:hug

[emeraldmoon]

TAke it to your local cleaners and ask them to spot treat it. There are certain chemicals that we use( I work at one) that will take the ink out.. Might not take all of it depending on how bad it is, but will take most..

[sunnywolfgar]

Thanks Sunnywolfgar, It is a pale Ecru colour and I did soak it in a soaker powder but not Oxyclean. There was something on it which turned pale blue so goodness knows what that was. I might give the oxyclean a try.

The poor thing has been badly neglected and because of the hours of work in it, deserves to be salvaged.

You are right about it being joined as you go which is a good and a bad thing for taking it apart. I may need to sacrifice some to save others but it will be worth it.

Have fun.

Colleen:hug

 

What I meant to say last night when you join as you go is take off --cut off the part that is damaged and make more motifs and fill in the bad spot,, that can be done. Its join as you go anyways.

Just be sure you don't cut the loop on the other good motif caue you will need that loop to join with.

[dazy]

very lovely. maybe you could salvage enough to make a nice table runner and placemats or put some fabric behind it and make an accent pillow. good luck with whatever you decide to do.

[Aggie May]

Sunnywolfgar,

Unfortunately, the hole is too big to replace the motifs so I will be cutting some to save others, unless I can find the ends of the last round to unpick , take them out then re-do the last row.

I dont think my hands or my eyes are up to such fine work any more so it will probably be cutting. I will still be able to re-use the motifs I take out, to make something else.

I may even frame some bits with some old hooks I have.

Thanks to all who have responded so far.

I like Dazy's suggestion for the table runner or cushions. Would not use them myself but they would make a great gift with a story.

Perhaps I could give the first thing I do, to the friend who tossed it out.

She doesnt know I have kept it yet so she will get a surprise.

I will let you know what I do in the end.

Thanks again.

Colleen:hug

[sunnywolfgar]

Sunnywolfgar,

Unfortunately, the hole is too big to replace the motifs so I will be cutting some to save others, unless I can find the ends of the last round to unpick , take them out then re-do the last row.

I dont think my hands or my eyes are up to such fine work any more so it will probably be cutting. I will still be able to re-use the motifs I take out, to make something else.

I may even frame some bits with some old hooks I have.

Thanks to all who have responded so far.

I like Dazy's suggestion for the table runner or cushions. Would not use them myself but they would make a great gift with a story.

Perhaps I could give the first thing I do, to the friend who tossed it out.

She doesnt know I have kept it yet so she will get a surprise.

I will let you know what I do in the end.

Thanks again.

Colleen:hug

 

I will be looking forward to seeing what you do with it. show pictures when you get done.

[lizc]

oh my! how beautiful and sad at the same time....

[goldi316]

oh my! how beautiful and sad at the same time....

 

I agree. If only it could talk. Perhaps when you give that first item made from it to your friend, you could get her to tell you what she knows of it, who made it, or at least how she came by it (and perhaps why she was tossing it, beyond the obvious fact of it's near destruction).

 

As far as the blurry pic, I have the same problem! It's especially problematic when I'm holding the camera out at arms' length to get the right angle shot. When I go to click the picture, my arms jiggle and voila - blurry pic! :blush Somehow, we've got to find a better way to prop our arms/hands when we go to snap our pics, that would solve the blurry problem. Easier said than done, though... Fortunately, the beauty of the motifs were still able to be seen. That's a pattern I wouldn't mind having!

 

It really was lucky it found it's way into your hands!

[crochetmama]

Wow! What a find! Here's a suggestion--framed vintage crochet work is a hot item at craft shows around here (ND). Perhaps you could make several framed gifts (including one for your friend who originally had the cloth). If you had 4 motifs and the middle smaller motif, that might be a nice size to frame. I've seen items framed, even when they were obviously vintage with wear and tear, and still looked beautiful when framed. Sometimes they are put in shadow boxes with other small vintage items (an old dance book, old eye glasses, a small old photograph, etc) and really look lovely. You can secure the items with fishing line and place on some black velvet. Good for you for rescuing this treasure!

[crochetrae]

That pattern is beautiful! If there's not enough unruined for a small luncheon cloth, I would make several pillows of various sizes and shapes. A ribbon or ruffle around the edges would hide problem areas and where you cut could be secured by sewing the edge on the machine to stabilize it. A polyester satin would be beautiful showing through!

 

Susan

[gramcar3]

It does look like a lot of work went into making that tablecloth. It is beautiful. You were lucky to have saved it. What a waste to have been thrown out.

[Aggie May]

Katchkan told me it is called Lucky Star so I Googled that and found the pattern. It has a different design between the main Star motifs but is equally beautiful.

I will probably go with the picture framing for some, although I dont think they would sell so well in NZ, they will make nice gifts.

My friend, who threw it out, is into Patchwork & Quilting and has a shop, so I will include some appropriate items for her.

I will find out the history of the cloth and let you know.

Have fun.

Colleen:hug

PS, If any of you would like a small piece of it to frame for yourselves, send me your address and I will post a bit to you.

[mythunderbird]

colleen, i think it would make a beautiful light weight shawl, wouldn't it be lovely to be able to wear this wonderful piece of history. you know it would not be hard to do, thats what i would do with it. :D

[Aggie May]

Well, I finally had time to get started on the cloth. (Grandchildren are back at school and I finally got a day home on my own.)

The thread in the cloth is quite easily broken so that has ruled out making anything to wear from it.

I started at the sides and went as far in as I could and snipped where the motifs were joined, staying on the side that I was not going to keep.

I ended up with a piece about 40 inches X 20 inches, 2 pieces 20 X 10, 1 piece 26 X 12, 2 pieces 16 X 12, 2 pieces 12 X 8 and 1 piece 24 X 8.

There is still more but most have a cut stitch at each join so they will possibly be used to try some frames or to stitch onto some plain fabric to either make some bags or similar.

They will not be sturdy enough to use on anything which will need a lot of washing such as aprons or childrens clothing.

I will need to wash all the pieces, gently, again so I can even out the stitches where they have been joined all of these years.

Now I need to decide what I am going to do with it all.

As I said before, I will give some of it to the person who threw it out in the first place.

Thanks for the interest so far.

Have fun.

Colleen:hug