Tea for Two

Ahh a cup of tea! Tea has been an important part of many cultures throughout history. Maybe it's a bracing cuppa in England, or solemn Japanese tea ceremony, or even a special time with friends in one's home. Regardless of where you are, drinking hot tea can look different depending on where you are in the world, but when drinking hot tea, a teapot of some sort is common amongst all cultures. Keeping that tea warm is important as well which brings us to today's post!

When Teri and I (Kara) were in Birmingham, England, this past summer for the Festival of Quilts, I had not brought anything to stitch. With all the vendors and beautiful quilts, my fingers were getting itchy, so I of course went shopping. At a vintage linens booth, I found a beautiful piece of fabric that was just asking for some embroidery embellishment, so I bought it. Then I needed some threads for said embellishment, and where could I possibly find fun threads in a giant quilt show? Stef Francis of course! 

My cast of thread characters

Stef Francis is a wonderful supplier of hand-dyed fibers and fabrics out of the UK. I was able to find almost everything I would need to embellish my little piece of vintage cotton. I picked up two skeins of hand-dyed ribbon from another vendor, and I was set. The rayon tape (viscose chainette is another name) and chenille thread would be perfect for the rose, and the hand-dyed #5 perle would make lovely variegated leaves.

Straight stitches with the chenille and rayon threads mimicked the rose, and a fishbone stitch for the leaves really showed the variation in the perle cotton. I was able to finish the rose, yellow flowers, and leaves in Birmingham but had to set the piece aside for a while because—life. 

This is what I had finished when it was put away.

So how does an old piece of fabric and tea fit together? It finally came to me one day that I should use my embroidered vintage bouquet on a tea cozy! I found the perfect piece of fabric to match the colors of flowers, leaves, and bow, so that motivated me to finish the project and get my tea cozy started.

My cozy fabric, lining and batting.

I finished the vintage piece by adding a few beads in the yellow flowers and a piece of silk ribbon to mimic the bow.

Beads for the little yellow flowers.

The silk ribbon bow for a 3D look

Trimmed and ready to attach.

Searching the internet, I found this tutorial and used the directions to find the size pattern I would need. Once I had my pattern, I cut out 2 each of my cozy fabric, lining and batting.

Pinned pattern

I am a big fan of 505 spray and used it to put together my batting and cozy fabric. Then I centered my embellished piece on one side of the cozy and pinned it.

I thought maybe I would just appliqué the piece, but then I dug through my stash of vintage trims and found a perfect one to stitch around—and I had just enough!

Now it was time to quilt the two pieces. I used 1" painter's tape as a guide for the quilting and machine quilted a diagonal, cross-hatch pattern in red thread.

I just re-positioned the tape each time I stitched a new line.

One side finished

Quilted and ready to put together

Before I sewed the two pieces together, I pinned a 3-inch piece of folded velvet ribbon inside the two quilted parts for a little handle. To assemble the tea cozy, I sewed the cozy pieces, right sides together. I did the same with the lining pieces, but left a section open for turning. Once that was finished, I tucked the lining inside the cozy, right sides together, matched the edges, and sewed all the way around.

Bottom edges sewn together

Ready to be turned

Already turned

After turning the whole thing, I stitched the opening closed and tucked the lining in–and my cozy was finished!

The finished tea cozy!

I love re-purposing vintage pieces of fabric and trim, and this little project really came together. What was once just a scrap of printed cotton from the past, now has a new life keeping a teapot warm. 

Now to sit down to a nice, cup of tea! 

A Vintage Pinafore, Tea, and Friends

Kara and I (Teri) love to collect vintage linens. I have a drawer filled with tablecloths, doilies, handkerchiefs, pillowcases, and the like. A few weeks ago, I went with some friends to visit Dollies Tea Room and was chatting with the owner, Amy. She does such a lovely job setting the tables for tea, using vintage hankies as napkins. Amy mentioned that at times, they get worn and she has to get rid of them. As I have used them for a few projects—and always looking for inspiration to use more—I told her that I would be happy to take her cast-offs, and in fact might have some that she could use.

Before we left, Amy brought out some embroidered linen napkins that she had bought at a sale but wouldn't serve her purpose, and she gave them to me. As yet, I don't know how I might incorporate them into a project, but I feel certain that between Kara and me, we will be able to put them to good use. When I added them to my drawer, I searched my pile of handkerchiefs for some suitable prospects that Amy might be able to use.

Years ago, when I made my Grandma Quilt, I cut one her handkerchiefs into quarters and used them for the cornerstones of the quilt. One of my memories of Grandma was the pretty hanky she always carried, so it was special to incorporate this piece of her into my quilt honoring her.

To read more about My Grandma Quilt, click here.

This handkerchief belonged to my great-aunt, Annabelle. A few years ago, I took a class at the Academy of Appliqué—before we were teaching there—and chose to use her hanky as part of the dress on this lady. I was able to fussy-cut it to add to her hat as well. It was fun to honor Aunt Annabelle, as she was also a stitcher, who helped to make the reunion quilts which I've written about in the past. (See Reunion Quilts; Reunion Quilts, Revisited; and A Quilty Family Reunion.)

To read more about this lovely lady designed and our class with Cori Blunt, click here.

Well, last week, I took my friend Bonnie to celebrate her birthday at Dollies Tea Room. I took a few of the handkerchiefs in my stash for Amy, and to my surprise, she said her mother had a dress to show me. I couldn't imagine what it would be, but my curiosity was indeed piqued. 

After a while, Amy's mother, Jane, came to our table to show us this charming little dress that her mother had made. She told us that her mother—Dollie, for whom the tea room is named—had drafted her own patterns for their clothes and made them. They were a farm family during the Depression in the village of Big Pool, Maryland, and owned a canal boat in which they would travel to Georgetown. When Dollie made this pinafore, she embroidered the names of all the cousins around the hem.

The clover blossoms stitched around the neckline complement a three-leaf clover on the waistband.

Lena Jane went by her middle name, Jane, as did her cousin of the same age, Frances Jean. Jane told us when she was little, she would hop over the fence to play with her cousin, who lived right next door. Since Jane and Jean sounded so much alike, her cousin ultimately went by her nickname, Pid. She explained that nicknames were common then, though since her name was short, she kept her name, Jane. 

Can't you picture this sweet dress on a little girl, running through a field of clover?

When Jane finished telling us her story, she handed the dress to me and said that if I'd like it, it was mine. She said no one in her family really wanted it, and she was happy to have it go to someone who would enjoy it. In fact, Amy also thanked me for taking it. I was feeling humbled and honored to own such a treasure, and that they were thankful and willing to share its story made it all the more special. And they agreed to let me share the story with you!

Dollie's story, shared on the back of the menu

The tables set for tea, with vintage tea cups and plates, and old handkerchiefs for napkins.

Dollie is pictured on the wall above. Amy told me Dollie would have loved the Tea Room, but she died just after they purchased the property to open Dollies Tea Room. 

As I sit here writing this, I am enjoying the rest of the pot of tea—bought at Dollies, of course—that I just shared with a neighbor. I am thinking of the mission statement on the Dollies Tea Room website: 

"To feed the soul as well as the body. To provide a place for quiet thought, gentle communication, sweet respite from the hectic everyday world; a place filled with a sense of hospitality and graciousness. A haven for the gathering of one's strength, the refreshing of one's body and spirit."

Indeed, I have found such a place at Dollies. In fact, my friend Bonnie and I have made a monthly date to visit and enjoy such nourishment for our souls.

Bonnie sent me a link to this website that evening—a truly delightful discovery! I have not formally "met" Grandma Rae yet, but I hope I may at some point. Her page is so inviting: quilts and tea on one site! You may wish to pay her a visit at www.grandmarae.com. Grandma Rae welcomes visitors to her site with these words:

"Having tea with friends fills a spot in my heart. Tea Time for me is not a lovely table or perfectly made sandwiches and desserts. Tea Time is the fragrance of friendship—it's the aroma of lives shared and the sweetness of sisterhood—bonds that cannot be broken by time, economic circumstances, health situations or lifestyle changes." 

Both statements touch a spot in my heart. I am not sure I ever appreciated tea, or even thought much about it, in this way before. The gift of a sweet little embroidered pinafore has brought new appreciation to that precious cup of tea—and the friends with whom I share it!