The granny doily heart

My maternal grandmother was very, very fond of doilies. They adorned every surface of her house -
in all the nice places, where such things as candlesticks and porcelain figurines were on display.
She would simply not place a decorative object anywhere, and not rest it on a doily of appropriate
size. They were also in between every one of the fine plates, the ones that came out for family visits.

My sister and I have inherited most of them, and I have to admit that they are in some box somewhere,
for two reasons: one is, that I have no idea what to do with them, because (and here is reason number
two), I also have such veneration for them - as she made most every one of them herself. With a tiny crochet hook, in the thinnest silky white yarn. And then they were starched with sugar and pressed flat
later on - and already in our childhood, her eyesight was no longer strong enough for these delicacies,
so she took to crocheting towels and napkins and acrylic ponchos in mad colors, for my sister and I.
She lived to be 97, and the last years she so missed her TV and her handywork, since the eyes and
ears couldn't keep up.

When I think of doilies, I think of her, managing a farm household, with pigs, chickens, a husband
and three children and - still - making time to make something like that.
And have special tableware.

When I was younger, I didn't quite have the appreciation for such things, but now I use those little
towels all the time. I'll probably even get around to using the doilies as well, some day.
I wonder what happned to the ponchos?

I made a grandmother heart for you today. Get it here.

2021: I have a new location for my downloads: please go here 

However, I did have a whole lot of paper doilies lying around, and these I don't mind cutting up!
They too make pretty flakes, no?