inherited piece

Gosh i do not know what to do. I have been doing fine needlework since first
studying at the Royal in 1971. I am pretty good at it by this time as that is
a lot of years practicing. Last time visiting, my MIL gave me a needlepoint
piece that is gawdawful. She went on and on about it being done by her
ancestors and what a fine needlewoman she was and how she was gonna let me have
it. No one in the family would have wanted it and she was doling out things
from the house to clear it out. I feel just terrible but it is horrid and a
mess and now I own it. the frame is gone already which someone likely reused.
It is dirty and wool and really a terribly poorly abled piece. What would you
do with it?

You keep it until she dies. Then you burn it.

(BDS2pds) wrote:

Gosh i do not know what to do. I have been doing fine needlework since first
studying at the Royal in 1971. I am pretty good at it by this time as that is
a lot of years practicing. Last time visiting, my MIL gave me a needlepoint
piece that is gawdawful. She went on and on about it being done by her
ancestors and what a fine needlewoman she was and how she was gonna let me have
it. No one in the family would have wanted it and she was doling out things
from the house to clear it out. I feel just terrible but it is horrid and a
mess and now I own it. the frame is gone already which someone likely reused.
It is dirty and wool and really a terribly poorly abled piece. What would you
do with it?

Clean it to the best of my ability and desire, wrap it in clean
cotton, and put it at the back of the storage cabinet. Write up a
label for it (who made it, when, how I got it). Ignore it until I
clean to the back of the cabinet. By then, MIL will have passed on,
and I can offer it to a local historical society or needlework group
(as a bad example, if nothing else).

jenn
--
Jenn Ridley

WIP: Art Stitch Rose Trio, Emperor's Coat, Stretch, Halloween Circle
Most recently Finished: Santa Christmas Stocking, Will Work for Freezer Space, Turnberry Ridge

Maybe , you could send it to dry cleaning , and see if you can repair
it , or at least keep it in a drawer , so that it won`t harm other
stuff , with any dirt, or what ever it collected over the years.
mirjam
On 13 Jan 2004 23:11:42 GMT, (BDS2pds) wrote:

Gosh i do not know what to do. I have been doing fine needlework since first
studying at the Royal in 1971. I am pretty good at it by this time as that is
a lot of years practicing. Last time visiting, my MIL gave me a needlepoint
piece that is gawdawful. She went on and on about it being done by her
ancestors and what a fine needlewoman she was and how she was gonna let me have
it. No one in the family would have wanted it and she was doling out things
from the house to clear it out. I feel just terrible but it is horrid and a
mess and now I own it. the frame is gone already which someone likely reused.
It is dirty and wool and really a terribly poorly abled piece. What would you
do with it?

Last time visiting, my MIL gave me a needlepoint
piece that is gawdawful. She went on and on about it being done by her
ancestors and what a fine needlewoman she was and how she was gonna let me
have
it.

Here is another perspective....._you_ may think the stitching on the piece is
awful but it may represent a history of family to your MIL. Perhaps she gave
it to you because you stitch and she thought you would better appreciate it
when no one else in the family would.

When my Mom passed away I found that she had been working on one of my designs
as a gift for my son. It was in terrible condition and the stitching was a
mess but I cleaned it up and finished it...had it framed and gave it to my son.
Since them I've finished several other pieces that belonged to my Mom's
friends that either passed away or found they just couldn't stitch anymore. No
matter the subject or condition of the piece I try to consider what it means
(or meant) to the original owner.

Consider cleaning it up and finishing the piece (if needed)...watch your MIL's
eyes light up and take pride in the fact that you conrtibuted to something
multi-generational.
*************************************
A HREF="http://www.whisperedbythewind.com"
Whispered by the Wind, LLC/A
P.O. Box 1596
Petersburg, VA 23805
www.whisperedbythewind.com
**************************************

WispWindxs said

Here is another perspective....._you_ may think the stitching on the piece is
awful but it may represent a history of family to your MIL. Perhaps she gave
it to you because you stitch and she thought you would better appreciate it
when no one else in the family would.

When my Mom passed away I found that she had been working on one of my designs
as a gift for my son. It was in terrible condition and the stitching was a
mess but I cleaned it up and finished it...had it framed and gave it to my son.
Since them I've finished several other pieces that belonged to my Mom's
friends that either passed away or found they just couldn't stitch anymore. No
matter the subject or condition of the piece I try to consider what it means
(or meant) to the original owner.

Consider cleaning it up and finishing the piece (if needed)...watch your MIL's
eyes light up and take pride in the fact that you conrtibuted to something
multi-generational.

I like your response... none of what I'm doing is heirloom quality in the
strictest sense but I hope that the people I've given it to as gifts will
remember me with fondness whenever they glance at it now or later when ...

Thanks for your replies gals. It sounds awful but I am quite sure that with
her past history, MIL was handing out family heirlooms since she is getting
quite old and now has been ill, and since I have been in the family since 1976,
she felt the need to hand me something as well. She has never given us any of
the "good stuff" which goes to the daughter cuz there have been divorces in the
family (3 of the 5 kids ) and I think afraid of family things being lost.
Understandable but we have been married 27 years without any chance of divorce
( the only one in the family besides the daughter who they will fight until
death!) so do not understand it in our case. She finally gave hubby an old
wooden desk box this time and we have it on display. I am afraid that the box
of things we were given were cast offs, things she knew her other girls would
not want and since she was moving wanted to get rid of them. She has not taken
care of the needlework piece- in fact it was stuck in a box practically folded
over with old books. The work is horrendous and not as old as she said. I had
the local EGA check it this week and it was a kit from the 1970's. The yarn is
terrible and the work even worse. I am honestly afraid to keep it with my
workshop since my kids might think it was mine!!!!

I inherited a few pieces of "family" needlework years ago. One was a piece
my grandmother had stitched about 70 years or so ago. Awful colours...
chunky needlepoint... not my style, topic, taste, etc. at all ! (the
angique samplers that were part of the package of needlework I adored !) It
was framed in a "baseboard" style framing - very icky, plain. I figured I'd
put it in my closet and forget about it, but give my love and attention to
the other pieces.

Well, something nattered at me, and one day I pulled it out, took off the
frame, did some cleaning.... and just for fun took it to my framer with some
other pieces. Not to have it framed mind you. Just to see what another frame
would do for it. My oh my. That piece is now hanging in the livingroom
above the piano. A new frame brought out new colours, gave it a completely
new look. Sure if I look at it closely and obsess (lol) those awful
colours pop out and I shudder. But the overall look is stunning.

Who knows, maybe even this gawdawful piece of yours could have new life to
it with a different frame to bring out something different about it.
Alternatively, roll it up in archival manner, label it clearly... and be
prepared to hand it down to some other relative over time LOL

Shannon L.


"BDS2pds" wrote in message
...
Gosh i do not know what to do. I have been doing fine needlework since
first
studying at the Royal in 1971. I am pretty good at it by this time as
that is
a lot of years practicing. Last time visiting, my MIL gave me a
needlepoint
piece that is gawdawful. She went on and on about it being done by her
ancestors and what a fine needlewoman she was and how she was gonna let me
have
it. No one in the family would have wanted it and she was doling out
things
from the house to clear it out. I feel just terrible but it is horrid and
a
mess and now I own it. the frame is gone already which someone likely
reused.
It is dirty and wool and really a terribly poorly abled piece. What would
you
do with it?

Good thinking but in this case, there is no frame and it is truly a throw out.
No one even knows who did it. I agree on changing a frame can make a
difference. This one is distorted as the work was likely not done on a frame
and like I said from the 1970's -- we are all thinking it is a Sunset
piece.....

She finally gave hubby an old
wooden desk box this time and we have it on display.

Mabe you could clean it and store it in this box?

Rhonda