*boggles at pics* Wow, all of those are just so beautiful. I especially love the doilies (so detailed! So perfect!) and the table runner--I'm just starting to embroider, so something on that scale is just amazing. Also the history behind when it was made and by who; you must be so glad to have a family heirloom of that kind!

As for me, not much heirloom needlework to report; I know my ancestors did it (like every Properly Educated Young Woman of their day), but I don't know that much has survived. Mainly just stories that my mother has mentioned offhand about my great-great-aunt who was a prolific knitter (I knew it had to come from somewhere!). I think I'm the one making heirlooms for future generations. ;)

I have a hoard of tatting and small-gauge crochet lace from my - get this - step-grandmother. When she died, her husband went on to marry my grandmother. When THEY died, I made off with the contents of the lace drawer in the sideboard. I feel about half sorry that her blood relations didn't get the lace, but they weren't the types to appreciate it or know how to care for it; odds are good it would have wound up in the trash. So it's happier with me, anyway.

I also made off with all the fiber-craft supplies that had belonged to her, including my major score, an ivory-handled crochet hook. I really regret never meeting her. I bet we'd have gotten along fine.

I have a footstool color my grandmother needlepointed, but that's it for heirloom quality items... unless you count the lovely Christmas stockings my mom knit. Mine is now about 30+ years old. Husband's is about 15 years old, and the kids are as old as they are. I have a few tree ornaments that my mom and I knit and cross-stitched over the years.

Ah yes, and my favorite - a sweater my grandmother knit, but did not finish. We found it in a bag in her closet. I seamed it and it's now mine!

WOW! It's all so impressive! Looks like you come from very good crafting stock!

Wow, what a package. I love the crocheted doily... my grandmother needlepointed a blanket for my son after he was born, its too precious to use but really sacred to me. She's unable to knit anymore but was able to do this-- it floored me when she gave it to us.

You ask a good question. I know my grandmother was quite the sewer, but I don't think I've ever been told of (or have seen) anything of hers that was decorative. I know she made her kids' clothes, and I don't know if any of those have survived. Much like her, my craftish aunt does mostly purposeful items like drapes and clothes, but she did make me a giant (seriously, 4') Sylvester the Cat and Tweety Bird when I was young. My mom is sort of the one who's bringing dexy. . .er, decorative, back, with the quilting and bag-making and such. I'll look into it, though.

My husband and I were very fortunate when we were married to receive THREE handmade quilts from relatives. My aunt made us a half-log cabin quilt; his one grandmother made us an embroidered quilt, and his other grandmother made us a patchwork quilt made of three different solid colors (cream, burgundy and mauve) with floral shaped hand quilting. They are all amazing! And they are all completely different color families. We rotate them and the rest of our bedroom is very dull colored so that the quilts will always coordinate and be the star of the show.

What awesome heirlooms! That doily is georgous. Sometimes I feel like I should have relatives who did needlework because when I first started knitting it felt natural in a way (though I did have many beginner stumbles). But no, no family heirlooms here.

Gorgeous heirlooms! I have a couple of heirlooms from my Grandma and my husband's Grandma. I will post them today on my blog for you to see.

Gorgeous! I would love to have something like that to put in my home. Such craftsmanship and history!

My mom used to paint, and my grandmother on my dad's side used to paint china (I never got any). That's all I know of in my family... unfortunately, they do not seem to have been big crafters.

WOW, those are amazing! What lovely things to have in your posession!
I don't have any from my side of the family, though my Grandmothers both knit. I am eventually going to get all of their needles and accessories, but haven't yet.
My husbands grandmother was a prolific crocheter, so we have afghands galore as well as some embroidered pieces she did in the 40's and 50's. I'll have to dig them up and take photos. :)

I think it says "ME2", or something close to that. He likely used a very similar color so that the initials would be there, but discreet so as not to mar the finished picture from a distance. I've done the same thing (although perhaps not SO matching) for the same reason.

I have an heirloom doily just like that pineapple one. I believe it is an "antimacasser" (sp?), that would go on the back of an upholstered chair to protect the fabric from hair oil. The two smaller ones go on the arms of the chair to protect it from soil from hands. I only have one of the two small ones remaining. I use the larger one draped over the edge of my computer hutch and the remaining smaller one on one of the shelves.

All very beautiful things, especially the doilies. I have quite a few crocheted items from my grandmothers - including doilies, runners, and even a small tablecloth. I also have a few embroidered hankies. I use a couple of the less delicate hankies, carried my favorite on my wedding day, and gave my other favorite to my best friend/maid of honor.

I am planning to have my favorite doilies mounted and framed to hang in the bedroom.

How does she get 1985 out of that? Definitely ME something. Maybe 2. I'll see if I can mess with the colours in photoshop and get them to differentiate more.

It does look like ME2 (?) You really scored some nice treasures!I only have a few crewel items I made in the 80s, a small doily that I don't know who made. I did score a classic granny square afghan made by hubby's aunt in 1980 for my in-laws. A very "Kitschy" item displayed on my ottoman ;)

Those look like initials to me. M E (?)

I have many heirloom things. Embroidered and crochet-edged pillowcases, a good number of quilts, cutwork dresser sets and a bedspread made together by my mom and dad. But one of the best things are all of my grandmother's pattern books...some have a price of 10 cents on them. Those were the days!

Yeah Kristy you're right!!!! :):):) It's the cyclical thing I think!:) I just LOVE the native american needlepoint thing! How big is it??

My gramma also "gave me" a cross stitched scene of some deer. She hated it because it was one of the first things she every cross stitched so she's not happy with the quality, but it has SUCH sentimental value for me! And it's cool!

I'd like to see yours "full size" to get a feeling of the size of them too:) The pineapple doily is GORGEOUS!

What wonderful pieces! I especially love the doilies and the embroidered sackcloth! You are so lucky to have these things lovingly crafted by your grandparents and great grandparents.
I have paintings that my grandfather did, and a wonderful old woodcut that his uncle did in the early 20th century. My mother is a quilter and I have many of her quilts. I will eventually pass them all on to my children. Hopefully I'll be able to add some of my own work to the family heirlooms.

Wow, what wonderful family history. My g'ma was a fantastic knitter. Her works were stylish and fit like a dream. I have one sweater that she made for my mom and my mom still has one. We would have more but my g'ma was from an era where she often re-used the wool and so many of her pieces are now in something else.

I see ME___
maybe B??
I was thinking maybe his initials??
Lovely work - always wonderful to have heirloms!

Next to her love, those are the greatest treasures your grandmother could give you. Wow.

I love that doily! Pineapple angel wings. I am crocheting some pineapples myself right now, but on a monstrous scale.

Beautiful stuff. :)

No needlework from my family except for whatever I cross-stitched as a kid. I do have 3 crocheted ripple afghans that my Lola Gertrude made and I hope to get the crocheted granny square one my other Lola made too. Oh, and an incredible pineapple doily from our "Best Man's" mother as a housewarming gift!
=:8

I have a large number of crocheted pieces (lace, and lace-trimmed tablecloths) from my grandmother, great-grandmother and great-aunt. Also several things knit by my grandma. My mother, and her side of the family, didn't really do craftswork -- more's the pity -- but I seem to have my (paternal) grandma's genes.