Saturday, June 2, 2012

Teatime Giveaway #22 – Shadow work linen placemats

The winner of "Dainty Dining" from last week is Kathy L. from Colorado. Congrats! And for this week's giveaway, I decided it was time to offer some vintage linens again! These four placemats, which I found at a local antique mall a while back, have one of the prettiest inset embroidery designs I've ever seen. Interestingly, they are reversible, because the embroidery is on both the front and the back, and I believe this type of embroidery is known as shadow work. I still haven't quite figured out how the embroideress accomplished this, but I'm impressed!

And I say "placemats" because that seems to be the size of these, 17 x 11-1/2 inches. (And I'm sorry about the photo -- photographing white against white was probably not a good idea!) I've laundered and pressed them, but when I found them they were folded into thirds sort of like tea towels. I think they're too short for that. You, however, may feel free to use these any old way you like!

The detail, including the pulled thread work, is just so pretty. I'm hoping someone will love these as much as I do! To be entered to win, just leave a comment to this post between now and noon EST on Friday, June 8. Good luck!

23 comments:

  1. These look lovely ! And they would fit my new dining room table so PICK ME.

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  2. These are lovely! :-) I could never master the french knots in embroidery so I really appreciate the work in them.

    florida982002 at yahoo.com

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  3. They are gorgeous. Please add my name to the draw. I love embroidery on linen. Deb

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  4. Stunning. Please, by all means count me in.

    I would use them most definately for my intimate teas for four.

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  5. Angela:
    These are beautiful! Please enter me to win. Thank you for sharing!

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  6. These are so pretty. I've been using my vintage linens on tables as doilies, layered over a table cloth - anywhere they can be seen and appreciated.
    Judith

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  7. Love pulled thread details in vintage linens. You can enter me for this drawing for sure.

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  8. beautiful! please enter my name in the giveaway

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  9. These are really pretty. Reminds me a little of my grandmother's cutwork embroidery.

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  10. Just beautiful work. I remember seeing shadow work embroidery years and years ago done by nuns in Quebec. Made me want to learn how to embroider, which I did but never mastered the shadow work. Enter me please.

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  11. Would love to be included as well. Pretty pieces!
    Thank you! all the best, Ruthie at:http://www.ladybstimefortea.blogspot.com/

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  12. Very pretty!!! Thanks so much!

    tcrowley122 at hotmail dot com

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  13. How lovely! What a beautiful table you could set with these. The possibilities set the mind to racing.

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  14. Hi. Angela,
    I would love to win. Perfect for the next tea party - did you keep a set for you? What a lovely gift.
    Have, a good weekend.
    Margie in CA

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  15. love, love old linens! thanks for entering me in your drawing to win these beautiful ones!
    Sharon B.

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  16. I learn something so often from you!

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  17. Beautiful work!!
    Theresa N
    weceno(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  18. These are gorgeous, and I love placemats!!

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  19. These place mats are just gorgeous! Add shadow work to the list of things I'd like to learn to do now that I have time. And...I finally have a granddaughter who loves to have tea parties! These would make a lovely place setting for the new child-size tea set I bought for our next tea. I'll cross my fingers.

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  20. Beautiful - I am amazed at what some people can do with thread! Please add me to the drawing.

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  21. how pretty!:)
    andri_chama(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  22. the details in in the handwork is amazing. please add me to your drawing.

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Thanks so much for taking time to leave a comment! It makes my day to hear from readers!