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Nowadays, most of us don't use delicate linens and other textiles on a daily basis; however, while styles and tastes have changed over the years, many of us have collections of these lovely items--often family pieces--that we can't bear to toss out or give away. Usually these cherished textiles stay tucked away and are viewed only on rare occasions. What a shame!

Recently I had the opportunity to take a "Linen Ladies" workshop with Cindy Needham (featured in Episode 202). Cindy is a quilter known for taking beautiful useable pieces of beautiful antique textiles, and giving them new life in a quilt.The vintage pieces are the "stars," but with Cindy’s beautiful handiwork, the new creation takes on a whole different dimension. According to Cindy, the idea is not to overpower the original maker's beautiful work, but to showcase and incorporate the old with the new and give life to the piece in a way that can be passed on to future generations.

Class participants were asked to bring old linens to be audition as potential "new" works. As the students began revealing the treasured pieces that they had brought from home, there were many "oohs" and "aahs" heard around the classroom. It was fun to walk around the room and hear each person share the story behind the pieces she had brought. Many were family pieces that had been saved, as expected, in a drawer for many years. 

As the class got underway, Cindy began sharing the unique challenges and pleasures of working with antique textiles. She covered a variety of topics, including how to deal with stains and holes, and the selection of marking tools, threads, peek-a-boo fabrics (that is, the foundation fabrics for the vintage pieces), batting, and beads. While covering these topics, Cindy frequently used completed pieces as examples. It was during the discussion of peek-a-boo fabrics that Cindy unveiled a piece that caught my eye immediately. It was a small piece, about 15" square. The center motif featured a doily centered on a small napkin, with a beautiful lace edging along the outer border.  For more...

Watch Cindy's show for Free September 20-25, 2011.