Floyda's Needlework, Bequeathed with a Story

My husband's maternal grandmother, Floyda Mabel Steiner McClure (1878-1948), was an expert with a needle. She loved to embroider, sew, crochet, and more. Even as a young girl, she stitched alongside her older sisters and shared their love of needlework. 

As an adult, she created or embellished lots of household items and clothing accessories. She also passed her love of needlework to her only granddaughter, teaching her to sew doll clothes. That anecdote was handwritten by the granddaughter and tucked into the box of needlework she inherited from Floyda.

Above, a small sample of Floyda's needlework: A tea towel with a delicate crocheted border, a pair of off-white leather gloves with crochet backing, and a cross-stitched bedspread. 

Several years ago, Floyda's needlework came to hubby and me for safe-keeping while a relative was downsizing and moving. Now much of this pretty cache of needlework has gone home with Floyda's great-granddaughter, who enjoys knitting and sewing. Floyda's legacy will live on, with the handwritten background story tucked inside the box.

Crafting, Heirlooms, and the Pandemic

Crewel embroidery on velvet
by Daisy Schwartz Burk, 1950s

The coronavirus pandemic has people crafting like crazy, me included.

This reminded me to continue documenting handcrafted items in my possession that will be heirlooms for the next generation.

At top, a pretty crewel embroidery picture stitched on velvet by my Mom, Daisy Schwartz Burk (1919-1981). She loved needlework like embroidery, petit point, and crochet.

Her mother, my grandma Hermina Farkas Schwartz (1886-1964), was a really expert seamstress and careful embroiderer. I have an embroidered bureau topper made by her that will be passed to the next generation. Grandma was such a perfectionist that the front and back of the topper look nearly identical. (Grandma wouldn't have approved of the messy wrong side of my embroideries!)

 Afghan made for me by my oldest niece. 2000s

The tradition of needlework has continued throughout my family. My sisters and I learned to crochet at an early age and we taught that skill to the kids when they were in kindergarten.

Here's a much-used, very colorful afghan made for me during the early 2000s by my oldest niece.

Afghan I'm stitching for my oldest niece, 2020

With the pandemic keeping me at home, I'm beginning to crochet an afghan for this same wonderful niece.

She picked out the pattern, my Sis bought the tweedy yarn, and I'm stitching while listening to genealogy podcasts during the Covid-19 pandemic.

There are more heirlooms to be documented and I see more crafting in my future as we play it safe and remain home, for now. 

PS: I wanted to include this lacy knit baby afghan, now in the hands of the little girl who slept under it decades ago and has grown up to love needlework herself!