MaryJanesFarm Farmgirl Connection
Join in ... sign up
 
Home | Profile | Register | Active Topics | Members | Search | FAQ
Username:
Password:
Save Password        REGISTER
Forgot your Password?

 All Forums
 General Chat Forum
 Stitching & Crafting Room
 TRYING TO DECIDE"LINEN NAPKINS"
 New Topic  Reply to Topic
 Printer Friendly
Author Stitching & Crafting Room: Previous Topic TRYING TO DECIDE"LINEN NAPKINS" Next Topic  

Nancy Gartenman
True Blue Farmgirl

9093 Posts

Nancy
West Seneca New York
USA
9093 Posts

Posted - Aug 25 2006 :  10:26:55 AM  Show Profile
I have a huge pile of linen napkins, very nice ones, all white. I was thinking of embroidering on them, good idea or not?
NANCY JO

sunshine
True Blue Farmgirl

4877 Posts

Wendy
Utah
USA
4877 Posts

Posted - Aug 25 2006 :  10:39:37 AM  Show Profile  Send sunshine a Yahoo! Message
good idea but if they are linen and white. I would do a white on white maybe a monogram they sound formal I would stay with in that style .

have a lovely day and may God bless you and keep you safe
my web store www.sunshines.etsy.com my blog http://sunshinescreations.blogspot.com/ my google page http://sunshine.harbaugh.googlepages.com/home
Go to Top of Page

katie-ell
True Blue Farmgirl

1818 Posts

Katie
Illinois
1818 Posts

Posted - Aug 25 2006 :  2:18:01 PM  Show Profile
I've seen lots of vintage linen napkins with colored embroidery on them -- little rosebuds, stems of flowers, etc. So I wouldn't hesitate to embroider away! If you've got lots, you have room to experiment and stretch your creative wings a bit.
Go to Top of Page

Nancy Gartenman
True Blue Farmgirl

9093 Posts

Nancy
West Seneca New York
USA
9093 Posts

Posted - Aug 25 2006 :  2:23:13 PM  Show Profile
THANKS KATIE AND SUNSHINE, I was just feeling guilty about fooling around with old linen napkins, but they are just sitting there not being used. So I will go ahead and work on a couple and see how they come out.
NANCY JO
Go to Top of Page

Mumof3
True Blue Farmgirl

3890 Posts

Karin
Ellenwood GA
USA
3890 Posts

Posted - Aug 25 2006 :  5:15:21 PM  Show Profile
Nancy- Anything you embroider will just be an addition to the history of the item. I say "Stitch away!!"

Karin
Go to Top of Page

mommom
True Blue Farmgirl

854 Posts

Susan
Lancaster Pennsylvania
USA
854 Posts

Posted - Aug 25 2006 :  6:47:38 PM  Show Profile
Go for it, Nancy! They will surely be beautiful no matter what color you embroider them! Have fun! Susan
Go to Top of Page

Linda Houston
True Blue Farmgirl

538 Posts

Linda
Lake Charles Louisiana
USA
538 Posts

Posted - Aug 25 2006 :  8:31:38 PM  Show Profile
Nancy, the napkins will be beautiful--You gave me an idea. Thanks
Go to Top of Page

Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl

11381 Posts

Jenny
middle of Utah
USA
11381 Posts

Posted - Aug 25 2006 :  10:46:03 PM  Show Profile
I think embroidering them would be wonderful too!

Jenny in Utah
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com
Go to Top of Page

Nancy Gartenman
True Blue Farmgirl

9093 Posts

Nancy
West Seneca New York
USA
9093 Posts

Posted - Aug 26 2006 :  12:27:17 AM  Show Profile
Well now I have no choice I will have to get busy and start that embroidery thing going. I guess it would be nice to have them for giving as a little added gift when making up a basket or package.
NANCY JO
Go to Top of Page

therusticcottage
True Blue Farmgirl

4439 Posts

Kay
Vancouver WA
USA
4439 Posts

Posted - Aug 26 2006 :  12:41:49 AM  Show Profile
Nancy -- embroidering them would be wonderful no matter what color. Missy did some where she sewed narrow lace to one end then sewing buttons on the napkins for the flower heads, then stitched the leaves and stems. They were adorable! I love linen!

Handmade purses, home decor, and bath delights at www.rusticcottagecreations.com

Read my ramblings at http://rusticcottage.blogspot.com/

Edited by - therusticcottage on Aug 26 2006 09:50:40 AM
Go to Top of Page

Nancy Gartenman
True Blue Farmgirl

9093 Posts

Nancy
West Seneca New York
USA
9093 Posts

Posted - Aug 26 2006 :  05:41:13 AM  Show Profile
Kay, that sounds really cute, love all the ideas!!
NANCY JO
Go to Top of Page

Nance in France
True Blue Farmgirl

1438 Posts

Nancy
St. Laurent de la Salanque
France
1438 Posts

Posted - Aug 26 2006 :  08:14:08 AM  Show Profile
Nancy Jo, I agree 100%. Anything you do is only going to enhance their beauty. You didn't mention if they were large or small, and my husband has some realllllyyyy old monogrammed ones like sunshine described, from his mother that are easily 18" by 18"! Regardless of the size though, you could take some and make them into beautiful pillows, too, and if you have little ones, stuff them with potpourri or lavender before sewing them up. Little ones could also be made into a cute doodad to hang on doors, hung with lace or velvet, and with you being the Garage Sale Goddess, I bet you already have everything you need! Lucky gal! Nance
Go to Top of Page

Nancy Gartenman
True Blue Farmgirl

9093 Posts

Nancy
West Seneca New York
USA
9093 Posts

Posted - Aug 26 2006 :  10:23:09 AM  Show Profile
Nance
I have large and med. and small. About a year ago at a [WHERE ELSE?] garage sale I got four large linen table clothes and a whole bunch of napkins, they must be pretty old because it was a very old house and they were wraped in very old paper. But they are in perfect condition, I wahed and irioned them all , no stains or holes. So there they sit doing nothing, until I decided maybe the embroidery idea was a good one, and from what the girls are telling me,and the ideas I'am getting from you all I better get busy. Thanks for your post nance, maybe will make the smallest into little bags.
NANCY JO
Go to Top of Page

sunshine
True Blue Farmgirl

4877 Posts

Wendy
Utah
USA
4877 Posts

Posted - Aug 27 2006 :  4:35:02 PM  Show Profile  Send sunshine a Yahoo! Message
wondering if you started this or is it still in the thinking stage.

have a lovely day and may God bless you and keep you safe
my web store www.sunshines.etsy.com my blog http://sunshinescreations.blogspot.com/ my google page http://sunshine.harbaugh.googlepages.com/home
Go to Top of Page

Tina Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl

6948 Posts

Tina
sunshine state FL
USA
6948 Posts

Posted - Aug 27 2006 :  4:44:25 PM  Show Profile
you could even sew the napkins together into pillow forms and then stitch doilies onto the outside of the pillows. or embellish with colored buttons.

~Seize the Day! Live, Love, Laugh~
Go to Top of Page

Nancy Gartenman
True Blue Farmgirl

9093 Posts

Nancy
West Seneca New York
USA
9093 Posts

Posted - Aug 27 2006 :  4:49:03 PM  Show Profile
Good thing I have a lot of linen napkins with all these great ideas. I have two things I want to finish and then I will see what I can do with the napkins. But what great ideas you have all given me!!
NANCY JO
Go to Top of Page

sunshine
True Blue Farmgirl

4877 Posts

Wendy
Utah
USA
4877 Posts

Posted - Aug 27 2006 :  4:51:18 PM  Show Profile  Send sunshine a Yahoo! Message
to nancy
I sent you an email a little while ago in answer to your questions.

have a lovely day and may God bless you and keep you safe
my web store www.sunshines.etsy.com my blog http://sunshinescreations.blogspot.com/ my google page http://sunshine.harbaugh.googlepages.com/home

Edited by - sunshine on Aug 27 2006 4:51:40 PM
Go to Top of Page

Nancy Gartenman
True Blue Farmgirl

9093 Posts

Nancy
West Seneca New York
USA
9093 Posts

Posted - Sep 13 2006 :  07:38:19 AM  Show Profile
Started working on the linen napkins yesterday, so much fun, the material is so nice to work on. have one almost done. Going to order some more transfers because I can see this has endless possibilities. I order them from this place called PATTERN BEE, YOU CAN GOOGLE IT. I love her site, so many ideas, its a home based business, she only sells transfers for embroidery.
NANCY JO
Go to Top of Page

CabinCreek-Kentucky
True Blue Farmgirl

8529 Posts

Frannie
Green County Kentucky
USA
8529 Posts

Posted - Sep 13 2006 :  07:47:29 AM  Show Profile
sounds like adorable 'dolly aprons' to me gurlfren!!!!!! xoxo

True Friends, Frannie

CABIN CREEK FARM
KENTUCKY

Go to Top of Page

bramble
True Blue Farmgirl

2044 Posts



2044 Posts

Posted - Sep 13 2006 :  08:10:54 AM  Show Profile
Nancy- One thing to keep in mind...are your embroidery threads colorfast? It would be a shame to do all that work and have them bleed into the linen. I always soak mine before using in a salt water/ vinegar solution, then rinse just to be sure. You'd be surprised at how much color seems to wash away. I made some redwork pillow shams one time that did not wash well. And it was a very "reputible" floss company! Luckily, the color remover from the dye section helped the affected area to fade, but the stitching became a pinkish red and not the antique "turkey red" I had hoped for. Good luck, sounds like you are having fun!

with a happy heart
Go to Top of Page

katie-ell
True Blue Farmgirl

1818 Posts

Katie
Illinois
1818 Posts

Posted - Sep 13 2006 :  08:52:02 AM  Show Profile
Bramble -- Are you saying that you soak your embroidery threads? Do you do the entire skein at once and then dry? Do you unwind before washing and then rewind after drying? This does seem like a good idea, to be sure the colors don't run later. . . especially red.
Go to Top of Page

Nancy Gartenman
True Blue Farmgirl

9093 Posts

Nancy
West Seneca New York
USA
9093 Posts

Posted - Sep 13 2006 :  09:04:42 AM  Show Profile
Thanks for the advise Bramble, I had heard that but thought it only applied to the cheaper threads. Yes Frannie cute as all get out aprons, I have some small linen napkins that would be perfect for all those cute dolls just waiting to come to life.
NANCY JO
Go to Top of Page

bramble
True Blue Farmgirl

2044 Posts



2044 Posts

Posted - Sep 13 2006 :  1:01:08 PM  Show Profile
Yes, I take the wrappers off and soak, then rinse and air dry. The whole little skein so that it gets an even soak. I just use a paper cup and write the number if I am doing similar shades.
Also:
I use those embroidery boxes with the numbered "cards" so it keeps it easy to retain the color # and stay organized. If you don't have one of those, cut index cards into fours and wrap the thread, write the number.Keeps the floss from getting so tangled also. Dollar stores have inexpensive, locking plastic containers you can store the floss cards in. Or punch a whole in the corner of each card and store on a locking ring (looks like a notebook binder ring) by numerical order or like I do per project so the colors I need are always together. And that's quite enough for now! Happy (run free) stitching!

with a happy heart
Go to Top of Page
  Stitching & Crafting Room: Previous Topic TRYING TO DECIDE"LINEN NAPKINS" Next Topic  
 New Topic  Reply to Topic
 Printer Friendly
Jump To:
Snitz Forums 2000 Go To Top Of Page