Let’s take some personal time to show some love to ourselves! After 2 years of Covid changing our lives as well as holiday stress, we deserve a little Tender Loving Care. I try to get a little more rest on those snowy mornings and on a good day I run away for a pedicure or just take a ride through the Biltmore Estate, decked out in stark winter beauty. Nature is taking a rest and so should we.
We had quite a snowstorm the middle of January; 10” of snow is a lot, even for our Western North Carolina mountains. Thanks to Duke Power the electricity stayed on and I enjoyed working on my restorations with my feet propped up on the couch.
A customer in California had sent me 2 vintage garments she located in a thrift shop and with a few hours of my magic touch, the missing row and unraveled border were restored on a gold jacket and a large, torn floral medallion was replaced on a black gypsy vest. Those 2 high fashion items are now back in use in sunny California.
Another customer in Seattle sent a box of over 100 popcorn medallions (six sided) and a partially assembled group of those medallions, which was the beginning of a bedspread. Unfortunately, her grandmother passed away about half-way through the project. There were 4 rows of 18 medallions, about 90” long, which told me she intended this to be a queen size spread. There were also just over 100 completed medallions. The customer wanted me to turn the strip and the rest of the medallions into a usable throw.
I spent quite a bit of time moving things around, measuring and doing the math to accommodate as many of the medallions as possible in a pleasing shape. Finally I suggested removing 5 rows from the long strip, reconstructing the attached pieces and then finishing it into a 13 x 13 medallion square, which is now 65” x 65”. It turned into quite a beautiful throw to be used on a bed or couch and the few leftover medallions can be used as coasters. The customer was so pleased to be able to finally use the piece her grandmother started for her a long time ago. She assumed this was a lost cause until she read one of my restoration articles and got in touch with me. This was the first time I did a special assembly job and it was fun!
Another customer inquired about removing a piece of round Plauen lace depicting the Empire State Building, from old cardboard backing and cleaning it, so it could be properly framed behind glass. I had not heard Plauen lace mentioned in several decades but was happy to hear that the small lace makers in Plauen, Germany are still in business; although now many pieces are machine made in the old patterns and this depiction of the Empire State Building really did look like a machine-made piece. I don’t clean lace pieces but gave him some input on how to proceed. How much fun a project like that would be, picking out a background, mat and frame for that particular treasure! I can’t wait to see the finished piece.
