Happiness is Spring Cleaning ?

Here in New England trees are leafing and we are finally opening windows. The heady smell of lilacs is strong. Interspersed with glorious sunshine, we also have some drizzly days: my favorite kind of day to bury myself in my linen closet. If there are days that you, too, are swept indoors, consider them a chance to dabble in your linen cupboard!

Take time to refold, reshuffle or just touch your linens. One of the nicest things you can do is to attach a note onto your most cherished heirlooms. Include your name and the year you are writing the note, how you acquired it and any lore that you know. This will be so helpful in the future!

My favorite notes have read something like this: Pillowcase embroidered by Jane Smith, age 12 in 1910. She was my great grandmother. Signed Jane J. Smith, 2007. Massachusetts.

or

Coverlet given to me from Mother. It is 100 years old in 1960. (signed: Jane J Cobb, Trenton, NJ)

or (I am paraphrasing from memory)

This shawl was made by Jane Smith from wool she sheared from her own sheep, then spun and wove by hand.  She lived in XXX around 1828-1865. It came to me from Great Aunt Nell for my birthday in 1914.

you get the idea! even if you have no idea of the year it was made, try to record everything you do know, or have been told, about it. You will be especially glad later on that you took the time to do this.

If possible, use 100% cotton fiber paper and attach with a very skinny pin taking care not to pierce the middle. Attach at a seam or loop a pice of cotton string through a buttonhole or other opening. Do not attach a safety pin through lace; it invariably will tear the lace.

Most of all… enjoy!

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