The gift of resilience and re-using fabrics

From Old Sweaters to New Mittens



Scroll down just a bit and and you'll find Angela Schupe's article on your left. But then, curiosity and persistence come easy for fiber artists. Nice article about about a mother-daughter team who make one-of-a-kind mittens from old sweaters.

My grandmother showed the same intuitive reusability and resilience in her fiber arts. Heck, it was just sewing to her. Working for New York Life, my grandfather had nice wool suits. My dad, a young employee of a major textile firm, had samples of test fabrics like new cordorouys and printed velvets and velveteens. My grandmother had two daughters with several grandsons. So what did she do?

Cut up the suits and samples to make quilts or bed covers for each of her boys. Nice handmade pieces that would keep them warm and instill the paternal love from both sides of the family. I found them in the cedar chest. Going there was like visiting your favorite museum and finding a new gallery. Packed away for years, the colors are rich and fresh, and the texture of the fabric a comforting delight.

There's one square left undone, with a threaded needle tucked in at the top. Obviously, she put it down to do something, what? I don't want to finish it. Instead, I sat down with a cup of tea and sketched out her pattern with the square beside me.