"It takes ages to finish a quilt you're not working on!"

Friday, August 13, 2010

Vintage bedspread and Mystery item.

In the final days of clearing MIL's house, I found a few more bits and pieces in the laundry, that I thought were worth rescuing. One was an ivory brocade bedspread which at first glance looked unsalvagable, it was so badly stained. But I left it soaking in the bathtub (it was too big for the laundry tub) in a strong Napisan solution for a few days, and it cleaned up very well indeed. I hung it on the clothesline, but after a day of heavy rain, I had to bring it in and put it through a spin cycle again, because the weight was threatening to bring down the clothesline! I have had it draped over the clotheshorse for two days to dry out, and last night we lay it on our bed to see how it looked. I asked MIL about it when we were talking to her on the phone, and she said she remembers it on her mother's bed, and that it was in her mother's trousseau (gosh you don't hear that word much any more!). Now MIL's poor mind these days is apt to be confused, so we don't know for sure just how old this is. If you click on the photo, it will bring it up closer so you can see the embossed design on the material. Do any of my readers know something about this style of bedspread?


As well as that, I found this mystery item. It is made of calico, hand stitched, and bound with bias binding. It measures 37 inches across by 21 inches down. It appears to be a kind of storage wall hanging with pockets, as there are loops at each end and in the centre, to indicate where a rod would go through to hang it. Ken wondered if it might be a Masonic apron belonging to his father, but I didn't think so. Not that I know anything about those things! Again looking for clues from my blogging friends!!

3 comments:

Jane said...

I love that bedspread. Hope you find the solution to you mystery

Lakshmi said...

What a lovely bedspread!..even after so many years it is in such a good condition..I appreciate that you take so much care to preserve them..

Meow (aka Connie) said...

Gina, the mystery item looks to me like a cutlery roll ... you put your cutlery, or knives, or whatever in the slots, roll it up, tie it up and store it. Although the bits you say look like where you could put through a rod for hanging have me stumped !!