Saturday, March 03, 2012

HeartWarmers

legwarmers

This past week amongst 7,253 things that I did, I asked my mom if she wouldn't mind going through our old family photo albums and pull any pictures that had anything that she made shown in the picture. As expected she relished in the task and a few days later I got this big manila envelope (in fact it blew right in with the tornadic weather yesterday) filled with some of my favorite photos, as well as some I couldn't remember ever having seen. What a joy to see. I'm working on a meaningful way to try and save some of them long term and also include in my upcoming book. It got me thinking about the documentation of handworks, especially as my mom remarked on the phone this morning that the process unearthed several memories of things she had made but couldn't find photos of. It made me thankful for this space, obviously, where I document small and large works.

what.a.feeling

Today, after being begged since my waking hour, I sat down with the kids to watch an episode of Phineas and Ferb (Season 3, Episode 16- absofruitly hysterical, really). I looked over at Isabela snuggled up to me and she was wearing these knit by my mom leg-warmers that first warmed Juliana's legs. I instantly wondered if we had a photograph. Two instants later we had exactly these photographs.

So there you go Mama, one more for the books.
Don't you think it would be wonderful if you had a bound book simply with images of what you've made (or your mama, or grandma) whether knits, patchworks, cakes, paintings, drawings, gardens or the like? So many resources make this possible.
Anyway, just thinking about it today.
xoxo, Anna

56 comments:

  1. Love those leg warmers, just gorgeous :)

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  2. Those are just beautiful, AM!

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  3. What a wonderful story. I love how your posts are always so heartfelt and thoughtful.

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  4. http://mldquiltsandknits.blogspot.com/6:08 PM

    So did she know that she had one on right side up and the other upside down?

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  5. Anonymous6:12 PM

    What a great reminder to keep these precious memories.

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  6. Mom- I told her she was wearing one upside down as I was taking the photo, which I immediately regretted because she started wiggling to have a look. Anyway, now of course she likes it that way :)

    xoxA

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  7. we also have a phineas and ferb obsession at our house. glad we're not the only ones... ;)

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  8. The leg warmers are beautiful! I will give you that! But what I really got out of this post is that you and your kids watch Phineas and Ferb together. Now, I know you are truly cool! Doobiedoobiedoowa...

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  9. I wish I had a book full of what my grandmother made - it would be so much to try to remake all the things she made, just with more modern day or reproduction fabrics. Luckily I still have my baby quilt she made, tattered and torn -and still loved by my children.
    Also the stocking she made me for Christmas and a reversible doll. I would love to try to make the doll. One minute she is awake with a nice brown calico fabric dress on, then fill her skirt up and turn her around she is a close eyed in her pj's.

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  10. Oh, how I would love to see pictures of everything my grandma made. I got her sewing gene. Now I am missing her. She was so resourceful. Great post! Cute leg warmers...

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  11. Maybe Mother's Day should be in March.

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  12. I started a book last year for just this purpose! I put 2-3 things in it and that was it! I don't even know where the book is! You're right...a blog is just the answer!

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  13. love those legwarmers!

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  14. You're speaking of a bound book - my co-worker and a fellow blogger just got her blog bound in hardcover. She takes beautiful pictures and I can see why she felt it was important.

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  15. I would love to have a journal with all the things my grandmother and mother made. I have photographs of homemade outfits, the giraffe dress in kindergarten, an apron in my hope chest- bright yellow with black polka dots- she hand stitched my name across the top, black piping and of course every artist needs pockets! I use ravelry on the internet to keep track of my knitting. Sweet post.

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  16. Everybody needs to unearth the crafting/sewing treasures of prior generations. Thanks for the reminder! They worked so hard and didn't have nearly the resources we have for our modern day treasures. I just posted this week about how my grandmother's doilies became the focal point of my master bedroom redo. Funny how for months I searched for just the right artwork and all the time it was under my nose!

    Grandma Saves the Day

    Ellen

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  17. Oh my, those leg warmers are incredible!! I seriously need to learn how to knit...

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  18. I'm glad you and your family are SAFE...I was just reading about the devastation in the South, my mind went to the quilts for the flooding project and I thought HOLY SMOKES...how is Anna Maria??? Good to see you posting.

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  19. Love those! The sewing class we have at church is trying to do just that.. compile pictures of everyone's projects to display. One day I will remember to send in my photos....

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  20. Those leg warmers are gorgeous....and such a fabulous color. It is amazing how much time people spend cutting out and saving images of what they want to make someday, but then don't take the time to document what they have actually made. I encourage everyone to start today, and not to take the attitude of it is too late to start now. We can do it, and future generations will be so appreciative and we will be better for it.

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  21. Overheard someone at the quilt shop reference "the tri-state area" and seriously thought she was talking about phineas and ferb- she wasn't.

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  22. Your book sounds like a fantastic idea! You will cherish it. Kinda makes me think I should take pictures of my works for my daughter...

    And Phineas and Ferb. OMG. LOVE. I don't know what it is about that show, but it makes me laugh.

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  23. Vicki1:20 AM

    HI Anna Maria, I think it is very important to document what we make. I try to take photos of everything but sometimes don't remember until after I've given it away. I am slowly but surely including them in my family scrapbook. You have made me think that I should go back through my old photos (long before I started scrapbooking) and document the clothes that I made for my children. I have often wished that I had some sort of record of the things that my grandmother made. These things are very precious for future generations. Vicki

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  24. That would be a wonderful book, when I visit my mum and dad I see things she made when I was little and it brings back a whole host of memories.

    We love Phineas and Ferb in our house, it's the only kids tv I don't mind watching!

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  25. Those leg warmers are gorgeous! How cool that Juliana wore them too. Reading about your mom's work and the handmade treasures you can pass around your own house makes me wish we had done more of that as kids and saved it. At least my mom taught us how to create and my sister and I still keep it up diligently.

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  26. Anonymous9:09 AM

    Bon idee!

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  27. Oh I love this idea! I've documented a few of my mom/grandmas' handmades that have made their way to our house, but not all. I should be better about it! Those legwarmers are amazing, too!

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  28. hello anna and mom, these legwarmers are brilliant and they are still in great shape. to me they look like new. would you mind sharing the pattern?

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  29. Reading the title of the post I thought of something to warm the heart. Thinking of the things my grandmother sewed for me warms my heart.

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  30. The legwarmers are gorgeous! Did your mother use a pattern? or is she, by any chance, one of those gifted knitters who come up with masterpieces as they knit? Either way, such a treat to receive something so beautiful.

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  31. A fantastic idea and once I started thinking about it I was astounded by how many things I have made! Those have to be the most gorgeous leg warmers I have ever seen!

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  32. Hey Mama, can you respond to the comments and let them know what book or pattern these leg warmers are from? I can't remember! And thanks for the surprise visit today :)

    xoxoAM

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  33. Annie C7:47 PM

    Love Heritagemakers.com for wonderful books made from digital photos!

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  34. Great idea about documenting the work.

    I love the leg warmers, but I never know what to wear with them.

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  35. The next movie I'm about to watch is "Tempest" by Julie Taymor. She is the best possible adapter of Shakespeare I've ever seen and I have an MA in English language and Literature.

    As for the work, the next project would be to make some breakfast for my visiting brother who is still asleep :) It's nice to be the big sister.

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  36. Charlotte3:44 AM

    I love how one of them is on upside down!

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  37. So lovely! The pattern looks a bit like old Swedish folk-lore-pattern...

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  38. a hardbound book is such a lovely idea. It would be such an heirloom to pass on. All the more special if it carried a mix of the generations.

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  39. What beautiful warm-fuzzies... literally and figuratively! Imagining what your mother made you got me thinking about all the things my mom made me, and in turn, I made my kids (all grown now). This is a great medium for saving those memories and images. Digital photography has to be one of the top pluses in the past 20 years!

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  40. Mom here,
    The legging pattern is from the 2008 spring issue of Inrerweave Knits. I'm afraid I'm not talented enough to "pattern as I go".

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  41. I have been taking pictures of anything that we have made by hand, be it furniture, quilts, or jewelry. Each has it's own book with notes and drawings. Clothes made by grandmothers are safely stored for the next generation, many memories carefully wrapped in tissue paper.

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  42. Thank you for suggesting such a wonderful idea! I come from a long line of handmade junkies and the idea to encapsulate generations of creations into one book is pure genius! I am starting on this project immediately.

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  43. Thanks for sharing this beautiful leg warmer pattern! For those who are interested. It is free download from IW Knits - Traveling Stitch Legwarmers. Happy knitting.

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  44. Love the legwarmers. Also ridiculously fond of Phineas & Ferb, glad I'm not the only adult who does!

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  45. ABSOLUTELY! What a great idea for a book. My grandmother handmade everything, but in particular she made these oat cookies topped with a glace cherry. There was always a tin of them for grandkids and visitors. They were delish...but do you think there's a recipe anywhere! She probably had it in her head and none of us ever thought to write it down, let alone take a photo. I can still smell them cooking and taste them. (She died in '91) Bless x

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  46. oh, loooove these :) i would love a pair of those! and goodness it is amazing how well those leg warmers "fit" your girls in personality and actual fit. so sweet! i completely agree about the blog space. i am making my first doll and a few days ago i went and looked back and got to go over the entire process in photographs thanks to my blog :) very special!

    http://phishybee.blogspot.com/

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  47. In the past years, I have taken pictures of things I have made, especially the things that I have given away. Unforunately, our house was robbed and my was computer stolen. All of my pictures are gone. Be warned, back up your pictures - but then again, I may be the only person in the world that has not done that! I will be now. I just love to see pictures of items that have been passed down. Love your blog!

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  48. What a great idea to have a book of all the things mom and grandma made! I hope you don't mind if I steal the idea... it would be a great keepsake for me and my girls.
    I love those leg warmers too!

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  49. Anonymous1:36 PM

    I think your on to something! What a great idea! Love your blog!

    Kahra

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  50. the design on these are incredible.

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  51. one of the reasons I started my blog was to keep a record of everything I make. When I look back on it (only 2 years) I am AMAZED.

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  52. Amazing!!! I love being nostalgic, especially when it comes to handmade family things. In fact, I have a new project myself that you might get a kick out of where I am photographing 366 objects this year, and many of them have been made by my family members or myself. I would love it if you took a look:

    366objects.com

    Hope you're having an amazing day, and good luck with the new book!!

    -Jamie

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  53. Hilariously cool. I have been looking for sites like this for a long time. Thank you my friend.

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