Grandma’s Finest Handcrafted Table Linens – at affordable prices

I spent a lot of time this week pulling out and organizing my cache of lovely vintage and handcrafted tablelinens. Below is a lovely luncheon or tea cloth and 4 sweet matching napkins. Made sometime in the late 30’s to early 40’s this set features still bright and unflawed hand embroidery with a tiny delicate edging crocheted into the edge of each napkin and the cloth. Done on fine and very soft linen, this set will enhance any china you set on it and will lend an aura of grace and serenity to your home. I am asking only $35 for this set – it won’t last long!

I think my prices are fair, and in many cases are far better than you will find in specialty bed and tablelinen shops or even in the less upmarket big mall stores.My smaller tableclothes start at $10 and most are in the $25 to $35 range. One striking banquet sized cloth, with embroidery and lace inserts includes 6 napkins and is priced at $75 – it was imported from China before WWII and was acquired in New Tork City. 

Above is a picture of a heavily hand embroidered cloth found in France. It is a trellis design with lovely large cabbage roses – in immaculate condition, again this cloth is priced low at $25. You win with the price, I win with my continuing effort to downsize, and the environment wins because you shop locally and shop vintage so there is less of a carbon footprint! Give it a try! It beats the hustle and stress of the mall anytime!

Where am I located? For those familiar with the Annapolis Valley, get off the 101 highway at New Minas or Kentville and follow old highway #1 as far as the Cornwallis Inn , turn right and go straightnow, through Aldershot, Steam Mill, Centreville and on up the mountain on highway #359 to Hall’s Harbour; go around past the Lobster Pound and continue past the small church on the paved road – I will be flying my red white and blue OPEN banner and there is room to park in the driveway – you’re always welcome here!  By the way – the picture above shows an elegant set of cases to store linens in – my mother had similar ones in her big deep linens drawer in her antique oak sideboard – this set is only $25 and is one of a kind.

Above is a set of vintage madeira linen napkins and I have many similar sets – individual pricing per set runs from $8 to $20 depending on size and whether or not there are hand worked details.

 Above: an unusual art deco tablecloth, hand embroidered in a striking and colourful design – this cloth is selling for $30.

 And above and below, two more peeks at my endless supply of goodies. Any of the cloths I’ve shown today can easily be sent out by mail and the cost will not break the bank either! Contact me with your requests and I can supply more pictures and description plus estimated postage costs, if needed.

janet@novascotiaquilts.com

Remember, I also have kniting yarn, fine quilting fabrics, patterns, needlework and quilting kits, large old store display containers, folk and fine art, and fine vintage dishware to name just a few items. This is a lifetime’s collecting and quilting, and I’m now de-stashimg and downsizing, so come in and see what I have. Open every weekend from 10AM until dusk, same hours after the New Year too, road and weather conditions permitting. 

See you soon!  Janet

Christmas Shopping: green and local

This has been a week filled with poking around in various storage containers. I’ve been surprised by old friends I had almost forgotten that I had and today, as I do my post I hardly know where to start! Maybe I’ll just let some pictures do the talking for me first:

Above is a sweet display figurine used some 60 years ago on many cosmetic counters in department stores where Yardley of London products were available. Modelled upon their trademark of a reproduction of “The Cries of London: the Lavender Seller”, these vintage figurines  are much sought after today. I am asking $45 for this scarce and pristine item. A lovely one of a kind gift!In the period from about 1920 until 1940, oriental themes became very popular – this 14×43 table runner, worked in colourful cross stitch is from this period snd is worked on very fine linen. $25. 

Above and below – I have a very large inventory of vintage sheets and pillowcases in 100% cotton, some still in original packaging. A custom in the past was to keep several items unused in your linen closet in order to have impromptu gifts or an emergency supply of pristine items to call on in the event of guests or family illnesses. I recall similar items in our family linen closetas a  child. These items are variously priced depending on rarity – for example the sheets below are from the 1920’s, double size, and are priced at $35 each.

Below, a honey pot in the shape of an old-fashioned beeskep – comes complete with a brand new wooden honey server and is priced at $25. Made in England.

More lovely vintage pottery – this time a lustreware 8 piece breakfast set made pre-world war II in JapanThis gorgeous set would be equally at home on your tea table when you are expecting guests. $50 takes it home!Shown above is part of my collection of vintage Devon souvenir pottery – this is a lovely three piece set to enjoy a solitary tea break, or you could augment with several other Devonware cups and saucers – they are all compatible and I have a variety from which to choose – this trio are yours for $35 – what a nice gift for yourself!

 Just this morning I was poking through a bag looking for a particular shade of yarn for my current knitting project and I came across a huge cache of vintage cloth napkins – I have lots from which to choose and they are priced so that you will realize a considerable saving over paper napkins if you use them regularly – so elegant. And so green too!

Be sure to contact me – janet@novascotiaquilts.com – if you would like an item mailed out to you, if you’d like to arrange to come view my pop-up shop at other times than weekends, or if you’d like me to pull out of storgae an array of the type of item you are looking for.

I hope to see you on the weekend – open both Saturday and Sunday this coming weekend and a warm cosy welcome will greet you.

Until then, best wishes from Janet