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| check out the many vintage patterns at WritersCraftToo |
In this fast paced generic excessive over-consumerism world
it is nice to discover that a simple hand made family heirloom is as treasured
as ever. I do think the resurgence in the trend to handmade, to craft with love,
is part of our social push back on enough is enough and a draw back to what is real.
Plastic, fake, disposable, meaningless are all grating terms that are eroding
away our social history not only as a culture but as individuals and as
families. I know in my own vintage shops that there is increasing demand for the
old traditional crafting, knitting and needlework patterns. Along with every purchase
comes a story of memories of those early baby gifts made with love and of wanting
to recreate that nostalgia through vintage patterns and methods. Many are
making new family heirlooms like those few that survived the past to see the
future but mostly gone now, sad victims to our throw away culture
I recently had the thrill of my welcoming into the world my
first grandbaby. Baby Jakobi, son of my second son Joel, is pictured here
wearing the very pram set his dad wore home from the hospital knit by his late
paternal grandma. Tucked away for over two decades, this little treasure is
more than just yarn it is a link to a paternal history and a meeting that will
never happen. Jakobi's passed great grandma made this in anticipation of his
father's arrival and her excitement to be gradma was knitted into every stitch.
The memory for his family on that side of my long divorced past is still a
treasure to my grandson regardless of what went ary over time.
It is a family
treasure, an heirloom from the past every bit as much as the future heirlooms I
myself knit for Jakobi in the blanket and hat that wrapped him as he took his
journey home from the hospital only a few days old, or the little knit socks
and sweaters that keep him cosy. The same will be true of the next blanket I am
getting ready to lovingly knit for my next grandchild to come later this fall.
That baby will also be blessed with my older son Kyle’s heirloom pram set now
three decades in the waiting for his next generation and all knit by the same
passed paternal grandma.
Knitter extraordinaire, Bonnie Zink, author of the Blog - Stitching in Saskatoon, shares a fond
passion for the love of knitting heirlooms and vintage patterns. “I was gifted my Grandmother's patterns and
have been busy carrying on the tradition of gifting knitted treasures for the
newborns in my world. The whole process of creation takes me back to when I was
a kid and watched her expert hands create knitterly hugs for the sweet babes. I
love vintage!"
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| patterns at WritersCraftToo |
Many creative crafters share Bonnie’s passion regardless of
their art form. Sewers, quilters, crafters, knitters, crocheters, tatting and
more are many of the skills now finding a way back into popularity and the
hearts of the families again honoring heirlooms. It is not only about the end creation
it is about the skill set and the knowledge passed down grandmother and mother to
daughter, aunt to neice and even now mother to son with many mens' quilting and
knitting groups surprisingly popping up. Textile art is not about women anymore
than the construction trades are only about men. It is a whole new world out
there but the good news is that the love of the simple family gifts, the hand
made, the treasures is back in a big way and hopefully here to stay.
Thank you for visiting my many vintage online shops but
especially my crafty vintage supply shop, WritersCraftToo, where one can find a
great selection of vintage patterns, yarns, supplies, vintage knitting needle bracelets and even wooden sock
stretchers from back in the day!
