This is Gramma Pickles' (Violet Smitmajer) wedding china, the china she received as a gift more than 60 years ago at her wedding. Grappa was so frugal that he never ever allowed her to take it out of the box and actually use it. Gramma gave me the china when she moved out of the old homestead a few years ago. That year we hosted Thanksgiving at our house, and I made sure Gramma got the first plate of food on her own China. She finally got to eat off of it. ;-)
This weekend, I bought a "new" old set of china at a neighborhood rummage sale. The "new" china pattern is more to my liking and personality. I decided I could give up Gramma's China, even though it's a family heirloom.
I decided I could keep a few of the teacups from Gramma's set if I turned them into pin cushions for the sewers in the family, Gramma included. These were so easy to make! I used one of the plates to make the circle. It turns out to be just the right size proportionately! Here's the basic tutorial I used. You can get a lot more complicate with extra buttons and ribbons, but I kept it simple.
1 comment:
Oh that is so sad. She never got to eat off it for all those years?! When we kids finally moved out, my mother bought new "good" china and started using the set she received for her wedding for "everyday". I use mine all the time -- why have it if you're not going to use it?
Love the teacup pincushions.
Post a Comment