As my regular readers know by now, Bomi, my maternal grandmother was a seamstress. When she learned the trade there was more to being a seamstress than making clothes.
Nearly all household items made of material could be made or enhanced by a frugal seamstress. When linen sheets became worn out they would be patched them with pieces of old sheets. Bomi learned to embroider, crochet and make lacy edges for handkerchiefs, collars, dishtowels, pillowcases, and sheets.
Cotton sheets would be cut up to the size of a lady’s handkerchief and the edges crocheted. They lasted for years and years.
When we cleaned out her house Bomi’s Nuesnappecher or Sakdicher (handkerchiefs) were the first things to go home with me. Although they may look delicate they aren’t hand-wash but they are line dried and ironed. When “the pile” gets too high the first things I iron are Bomi’s handkerchiefs. And even though I’m not fond of ironing, I love the smell of freshly ironed.
Hopefully all paperless genealogists will agree with me. In today’s world we waste so much. My using Bomi’s hankies saves paper and my nerves – because don’t you just hate having to pick all those little tissue pieces off clothes coming out of the washer when someone forgets to empty their pockets!
© 2015 Cathy Meder-Dempsey
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Opening Doors in Brick Walls 
My Mom would attempt to darn my Dad’s socks but apparently he wore them out equally and it wasn’t worth the effort. Ruby Pernicia Lillie would reverse the collars on our shirts when we were kids, used a razor to remove the worn and frazzled collar, flip it over and sew it back on. Makes me wonder where she learned her shorthand and sewing skills. She shared as much as she could, I can sew on a button and attempt to sew up tears, but I’m more inclined to just buy another garment.
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I love that my posts have people sharing their memories. Thank you Joe!
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I don’t remember any hand made hankies in my family, but I do remember my grandmother’s knitting project, including a mohair sweater given to me as a Christmas gift, probably when I was about 7. I can still see the pretty round pearlized buttons on it, but I also remember how very itchy mohair is!
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Amazing what memories we have of taste, smell, and touch. Thank you Linda.
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I really enjoyed this piece and the craftsmanship! Very beautiful! It made me think of Moms Hankies I had put a twist on hers and gave away to our Womenfolk. She had so many in different drawers. I keep my personal one in my Bible. Thanks for sharing this with me and it Inspired me to do another Heirloom Piece for the end of the Year. xoox’s, True-
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Glad to hear you’ll be adding a new Heirloom Piece. Thanks for stopping by!
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These look too pretty to wipe my nose with! I never was a handkerchief person—been wasting tissues all my life. But when I met my husband, he always carried one. I used to tease him about being an old man since the only people I knew who carried them were old men! So he stopped using them. Now I feel a bit wistful about it!
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Maybe you should give him a stack for Christmas. 🙂 Thank you for dropping by.
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I agree with you, the smell of freshly ironed cotton or linen is nice. My grandma’s favorite pass time was making lacy edges for handkerchiefs and so we received, as long as she lived, for every birthday and every Christmas wonderful “Nuesnappecher” with delicate lace edges.
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I can crochet and have made afghans and doilies but have never tried to do the edges of a Saakduch as my Bomi called them. Merry Christmas Claudine and best wishes to Mr. Merlanne and the kids.
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