Friday, August 10, 2012

My Obsession with Vintage Handkerchiefs...

...I can't seem to get enough of them!
I think I may be a hanky hoarder...no really... I just might be!  



I love these little squares of color and femininity.  There was a time when no woman (or man for that matter) would leave home without a hanky in their pocketbook or breast pocket.  A little piece of fabric to catch your tears of joy or sorrow, an economical way to add color to your wardrobe (especially during the depression era when that was all you could afford to liven up your closet), a way to flirt with the opposite sex...I mean who hasn't dropped a hanky for a handsome gentleman to pick up?  Hankies offer such a variety too...sweet feminine florals, atomic mid century, hankies with advice on just about every topic on your mind in the day and advertising for  industry, political parties and retailers.

Sadly...long ago they went by the wayside once Kleenex showed up on the scene!  Hankies where then accused of being evil little germ collectors, and little by little disappeared to make  way for more modern times.

I recommend these books if you want a good start to finding out more about your hankies...


I highly recommend this book, just for the sheer delight of it ! 




Where was I?  Oh yes...hanky hoarding.
I think I've mentioned in earlier hanky post that I store my hankies in plain pizza boxes...I can label them and store them flat.




I then have them organized by styles and color and ready to go...for whatever I may be doing with them at the time.  I list many of them in my Etsy shop where I show my handmade (by me) hanky pillows and hankies.

This of course is the tip of the every growing 
hanky iceberg!

When I see one I like...I gotta have it!
Happily though, I've become more discriminating in my collecting... 
which takes some of the pressure off!

Here are some of the pillows and hankies in (or about to be listed) in my shop.








I've always got my eye open for vintage hankies 
and new ideas for their uses...

More pillows
marthastewart.com

Note cards


Wedding Invites

weddingchicks.com




Wall Art

Jewelry

Window Treatments


Ring Barer Pillows

Baby Burp Clothes 
Tutorial

As you can see...it goes on and on...just Google it!

I'll make it even easier...click on these links and they'll take you to hanky heaven!

Google Hankies
Pinterest Hankies

TeardropHankys.etsy.com

I think I'll take another cruise through them myself...
never sure what lovelies I'll find...
but know they're there waiting for me!

ENJOY


3 comments:

  1. Hi Denise~ ~ ~
    Love the pizza box idea. Gotta get me some. I love my hankies too though I don't have as many as you do. I sometimes use them as napkins for a sweet girly table setting. I have one stipulation when buying them. . .they must be white, pink or red! Usless I get a whole box of them at an auction then I take whenever comes along.
    Heading for the garage to paint 2 pieces of furniture with ASCP. See you soon.
    ~ ~Ahrisha~ ~

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  2. My mother bought and collected hankies when I was a kid in the 50s and 60s. She always included an appropriate hankie in greeting cards that she sent for every occasion to her friends and relatives. She became well known for this kind gesture. I inherited her collection, which I now cherish. Ten years ago, when my daughter got married, I sewed some of the special hankies into the wedding canopy, which is used in Jewish weddings. It really meant a lot. I'd love to share some of the hankies from this collection with you, so I guess I should start photographing them!

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    Replies
    1. It's hard for me not to buy a vintage hanky when I see a really nice one...they are so lovely. Thank you for sharing your Mothers appreciation and gift giving of them too. I try to always buy monogrammed hankies when I find them...great to have on hand when the appropriate birthday or event comes up with a corresponding name. Would love to see photos of your collections.

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