Goodbye Flannel Sheets
May 21, 2009
Embroidered pillow cases
Hand-embroidered pillow cases
Pillow cases embroidered by my Great-Aunt Mary
This week I stripped the flannel sheets from the bed and put them into storage until winter … another one of those seasonal changes marking the move to warmer weather. I replaced them with plain white cotton sheets and these pillow cases that I embroidered in April 2003 and June 2004.
Embroidered pillow cases remind me of my Great Aunt Mary, our Dad’s “spinster” aunt who made the rounds visiting her nieces and nephews, always with her embroidery projects in tow. I have one pair of her embroidered pillow cases. I save them for company.
I love the idea of making ordinary, everyday things more beautiful by adding my own personal mark. Seeing these embroidered pillow cases again, after being hidden away for six months, makes me want to hand-stitch some more. I’ll have to look for plain pillow cases at garage sales this year so that I can move ahead with this project.
Rosemary's Blog 
May 21, 2009 at 1:33 pm
I, too, always look forward to stripping the beds of the winter flannels and dressing them with cool summer sheets. Your embroidered pillowcases are so homey and remind me of those embroidered by my great aunts and grandmothers. My mother was too modern a woman to bother with embroidery, but one of my most treasures keepsakes is a small quilt made by my father when he was about 8 years old (with the help of his grandmother). The little signature, which you have to know where to look to find, is embroidered in pink block letters, “BILLY.”
May 21, 2009 at 1:42 pm
I loved the picture of the embroidery-will have to get out my pillowcases, pretty thin from use, but nostalgic never the less. I’ll keep my open for plain ones to dress up with stitchery
February 28, 2012 at 5:18 pm
These are so beautiful! I pinned a link to this on Pinterest here:
It’s the little things that make a house a home. : )
Amy
May 21, 2018 at 6:05 am
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