Friday, March 27, 2009

Vintage Photo (Object) Friday—The Notebook

I wasn't able to locate the box of photos I wanted to scan for today, so I'm posting a photo of a vintage object, rather than a vintage photo.

In October, my grandmother passed away. In January, my mom and aunt went up to my grandmother's house to go through all her possessions to decide what to sell at an estate sale, what to hang on to and what to distribute to the grandkids.

I was lucky enough to receive several items, such as my grandmother's collection of hats and gloves, one of my great-grandmother's fancy dresses, and one of my grandmother's framed needlepoint pictures.

As the only knitter in my family (both of my sisters crochet, but neither of them knit), I was given my grandmother's knitting basket. And inside the basket, along with some vintage knitting magazines and an unfinished pair of socks, was this notebook.

It's filled with knitting patterns and notes, all in my grandmother's handwriting.

I don't remember my grandmother knitting when I was a child. When I was young, she was more focused on needlepoint, with some sewing thrown in. But I do have one fisherman's style sweater that she knitted.

This notebook feels so personal to me. I alone, out of all my family can decipher the symbols and shorthand of knitting (well, Jenny could probably understand it, but she doesn't do it). It just feels like this notebook is a special talisman from my grandma meant just for me.

In a practical sense, this little notepad isn't worth anything. But emotionally, it's priceless to me.

More of Vintage Photo Friday at Paper Dolls for Boys.

5 comments:

Shannon said...

Oh my goodness. What an amazing thing to have. Do you think you want to try some of the projects?

Ellen Bloom said...

Wow! That is sooooo cool! A notebook like that gives you a real connection to your grandmother. Cherish it!

Unknown said...

That's so awesome! I have some of my grandmother's crochet hooks, I used one just yesterday, and feel the same way. It's such a wonderful link to the past. I say you should dust off one of those patterns and give it a whirl!

Natalie said...

What a treasure that little notebook is. It really is something special.

Paper Dolls For Boys said...

I love this week's vintage entry!

Your grandmother would be so tickled (and slightly baffled) that you treasure it! I often feel that way about my Granny's ledger book. She would think I was bat crazy to care about it. But I do. :)