When he became a widower and had to move to an old people's home, he was bored and lonely. The staff suggested that he should take up needlework. Although he had seen his wife and daughter fill their home with cross stitch craft, he at first thought it was an unmanly past time for himself. However, once he had started he was 'bitten by the cross stitch bug', and produced lots of wall hangings that were sold at the OPH's charity events.
He said that keeping busy with the embroidery was the best way to stop brooding or feeling lonely. I feel as if he is in the room when I display one of his embroideries (I have several) and this one is a must to have on show at Christmas.
It is so charming with its large stitches and simple colours.
I wrote about the hanging Christmas mobile before. You might also remember a bridal crown I bought last summer. More recently I blogged about an angel and some other felt dolls. These ornaments are now hanging from 'washing lines' stretched across the room, as I do not have a decorated tree in the house.
Merry Christmas!
14 comments:
Your uncle made a lovely embroidery! Merry Christmas!
Considering his great age and failing eye sight I think it is fantastic.
What a lovely thing to keep. My father was wounded in WW2 and as part of his recuperation he made latchet hook rugs and then went on to do cross stitch as well. I think my sister has these.
Things made by people we know have special meaning and value. It is nice if they can be kept in the family, alas a lot of these things end up in thrift shops. Anyway that is better than being tossed out. In time, all things will have museum status.
Your uncle certainly made use of his lonely hours, amazed that at his age his eyesight was good enough to do cross stitch,I just hope we are all still stitching at the ripe old age of 95.
Like the way you have hung your bits and pieces, afraid I have not done anything with mine this year.
I believe that needlework has the power of healing, as well as the ability to ward off loneliness. My wish is to be able to sew for the rest of my life...
The cross stitch is really charming.How nice to have that memory to enjoy each year.
You have found a creative way to hang your decorations, I have lots of admiration for your late uncle, you must be so proud to have his embroideries!
I see the stitching bug is in the family, what lovely work your uncle did.
Yes, it is really like seeing this old man each year when I take out his piece of embroidery.
Once I had a live fir tree in a huge pot. It lived on the balcony in summer and was taken in each year at Christmas time to be decorated. When it didn't survive a particularly hot summer and my collection of decorations was too large for a new small tree, I came up with the washing line idea.
Yes, it is nice to feel the 'thread in the blood'!; there are plenty of relatives connected with fabric of some kind.
Lovely to see your great uncle's embroidery. He must have had his wits about him to the very end because that counted cross stitch can be confusing! I don't think anyone in the convalescent home where my husband works could manage such intricate work!
How special to have your great uncle's embroidery!
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