Tuesday, May 29, 2012

A vintage handkerchief fashion show

Some little girls play dress-up with their paper dolls. I play dress-up with my teacups and vintage handkerchiefs, especially after I received a humongous stash of gorgous vintage ones over the weekend!

My parents were at a yard sale the other day when they came across this box of vintage handkerchiefs. It was $3. There were 71 gorgeous hankies in this box! (Pausing to do the happy dance. OK. Done. I mean, really, 4¢ a hankie? Wow!)

Do you ever use vintage handkerchiefs as napkins? I do, and I think they are so pretty slipped through the handle of a teacup. Yes, I had to get past the image of what that hankie was doing in its previous life, but nicely laundered and pressed, they make fine, fine napkins. I've been paying $4-$5 for pretty Christmas ones when I see them, so I was thrilled to find a poinsettia hankie in this box!

Hankies are also great as doilies. (Not sure I've ever seen a *black* handkerchief before, but I like this one with its fancy black and gray crocheted trim. Sort of like the "little black dress" of hankies, I guess!)

It's really hard to choose a favorite! One with roses, perhaps?

But then there are all these with the great hand-crocheted trim, and I know how much work these took!

I was ransacking my tea cabinet to see which napkin would go with which teacup, and this green one certainly has a fine mate!

What do you call this sheer, see-through material? Is it organdy? These are whisper thin. So, so lovely!

One of my favorites in the whole box was this round hankie with tulips on it. But then I also liked the one with the crocheted butterfly in the corner as well!

And would you believe there were even a few with my initial "M" on them? That's "M" as in "Meant to be!"



24 comments:

  1. What a find! I absolutely love hankies - have bought some on Ebay and have some from a trip to Italy.
    Aren't they fun to use?

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  2. What a Great find!!

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  3. Wow!Oh My Goodness!I think the only lady who would sale those for $3.00 is someone too young to appreciate them.That's why I don't give much of My Grandmothers vintage goodies to My daughters yet.Lovely photos,so sweet.Denise

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  4. Score! What a treasure box full of history and beauty. Loved the green with the teacup ~ they were meant to be together.

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  5. The black hanky was probably for someone who was in mourning. It's a wonderful find.

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  6. So happy for your new box full of treasured hankies, and kudos to your parents for finding them!

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  7. love them, how blessed are you! I love anything vintage.

    Sylvia @agrandmasblessings

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  8. What a treasure you found!

    The only trouble with reading your blog posts on Google Reader is that I hadn't seen the new look of your website. It's beautiful!

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  9. Wow I can't believe that someone would let a whole box of those beautiful hankies go, much less for $3!!! What a great find. And it looks like they have made their way to a most appreciative home. Enjoy them.

    Jocelyn @
    http://justalittlesouthernhospitality.blogspot.com/

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  10. Oh my Goodness! Did I know you collect vintage hankies? My Aunt Ida carried a hankie every day of her life. I have many of them. I need to organize them in a container like yours are.

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  11. All so lovely! Lots of projects to be born here!

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  12. "M" means meant to be for Marilyn. Laughing! Love the vintage hankies and it was fun to see how you paired them with teacups. What delightful play time. I was in an antique shop on Saturday and I have a weakness for vintage pillowcases with embroidery. I told my friend it was so sad that the ladies that embroidered or collected these vintage goodies didn't use them and that makes me sad. They didn't get the pleasure of enjoying their beauty fully.

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  13. I love your blog, and have Dainty Dining. Very often after a death, a woman had everything black, including her hanky.

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  14. I would absolutely LOVE to have a copy of your book "Dainty Dining". Your blog is amazing. Thank you. Beverly

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  15. What an unbelievable bargain your parents found. Wow, wow, wow. I have seen a single one be more than the price of your SEVENTY ONE! Good for you, Angela.
    I love the way you matched them with your teacups. The green one is sheer perfection.
    Ruthie from http://www.ladybstimefortea.blogspot.com/

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  16. What a steal Angela. I had to laugh when you said how nice it is to use hankies for napkins if you can get over their past use. :-) I use several of mine as doilies.
    Judith

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  17. What a really great find! All the things you can do with them, I'm so happy for you. :o)

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  18. That was a really great find! A dear friend recently gave me a box of vintage hankies and I was thrilled to have them. May have to display some of them with my teacups!

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  19. Wow what a find! I am a wee bit jealous!

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  20. Your new hankie collection is wonderful. Your Mom is the world's best bargain hunter - what a find! :-)

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  21. Great find by your Mom. A few months ago I watched a "Sewing With Nancy" show where they used vintage hankies in different sewing projects. I think you can watch the episodes online, for free, if you are interested.

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  22. I love collecting hankies! I'm green with envy after seeing your great find. I have one round hanky that was given to me by a friend and have been looking for one with purple violets for a very long time. One of these days Lady Luck will smile on me and I'll be able to add it to my collection. Enjoy!

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  23. I used a number of vintage hankies which belonged to my mother and my husband's mother to make a decorative table cloth for the dining room table. I have a drop leaf table, so I made it just big enough to drape over the table. I never use it to eat a meal as I fear the numerous washings would soon damage the cloth...it is just meant to be pretty on the center of my table. No, the corners do not fit exactly, but who says they have to make a perfect corner!!!

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