Precious Scraps

Well, just one scrap actually.

A couple of years ago I saw a very pretty vintage silk hanky for sale on ebay.  I tried to ignore it, but its colour and design had sort of bored into my brain and I kept going back to look at its prettiness, though I really didn't need it. 

In the end 'want' triumphed over 'need' and I bid on it.  Maybe because it had a fault, 

no-one else did, so it wasn't very costly.  Here it is in all its glory...

Yesterday I finally got round to turning it into something that allows me to preserve the fabric and have it on show.

First I cut a piece of medium-weight iron-on interfacing the same size as the hanky and ironed it on carefully.  This secured the ragged threads round the one large hole and has hopefully prevented a couple of other thin patches from turning into fully-fledged holes.

I then folded the hanky on the diagonals to establish the centre.

I folded under the badly damaged tip and then about one-third of the remaining bottom tip.

Next I folded in the sides to meet in the centre.

I decided this covered up one of the best parts of the design so tucked the sides under rather than having them on top, though I was in two minds because I like the stripe at the edge as well!

I slip-stitched from the bottom left of the envelope up the side and then across the diagonal, then repeated on the other side.

Envelope back...

And front...

A stylish button was chosen, one that seems to be from a similar era and that I couldn't bear to part with!

 I decided to sew it on at an angle, to echo the diagonals of the envelope flap. There's a snap fastener underneath as I felt the fabric would not hold up well to having a buttonhole in it.

 A lovely place to keep some of those sweet notes your children write (the man in the red suit and the tooth fairy very kindly let us keep these gems!).  Or maybe a love letter or two?

Here's what it says in the smallest of these notes - made me laugh:

'For You, Tooth Fairy

This will be one of my last teeth so I have written this for you.  And if you ever has (sic) any ironing just bring it to me.  But leave a note the night before and I shall be delighted to do it.  See the business card.  I will hope on my last tooth to fall out you can bring all my other teeth back.

I believe in the Tooth Fairy.'

Have a good weekend!