Vintage Hankies
I like collecting small vintage items, so when I came across this bundle of old handkerchiefs this summer I decided they would be a great start to a vintage hanky collection! I have enjoyed looking at them and using them for decorating. Some are printed and some are embroidered. I was especially fascinated by the tiny Pluto child’s handkerchief.
I remember my mother always had a pretty hanky in her purse when I was a little girl. I wonder if she still carries one? (Mother, do you?) Update: She does!
“I had to look to be sure, but yes, there is a blue print hankie in my purse right now. Kleenex just aren’t always enough!”
A couple of weeks ago when I posted about the Junior Elf books I told about making hanky babies in church. Someone asked how it was done, so I decided to make a “tutorial” because everyone ought to know how to do this!
First, fold the hanky in half crosswise to make a triangle:
The next step is to roll the two narrow points toward each other:
Then, fold upper layer of the bottom corner up over the rolls, while holding the lower layer down.
The lower layer gets folded up behind the rolls.
The rolls are the twin babies, and when you hold the corners, you can swing the hammock and rock the babies to sleep!
For more vintage goodies pop over to Confessions of an Apron Queen for Vintage Thingy Thursday.
19 Comments
Lalycairn
Awww! I so remember doing that in church when I was a kid!
And yes, Mom and Granny always had the coolest hankies. I still have a few of Grannies tucked way in a drawer. 🙂
Carrie
What a sweet tutorial! I also enjoy my collection of vintage hankies.
pse
I had to look to be sure, but yes, there is a blue print hankie in my purse right now. Kleenex just aren’t always enough!
Coloradolady
Cute! I love the vintage hankies too. I always look for them at estate sales. I think they are so pretty. I never carry them or use them however.
You had a really cute idea to post the instructions on making a baby.
Named Alicia
The hankies are beautiful. In some ways, I wish we still made them and carried them today.
Miri
Great vintage hankies and cute tutorial. I’m with your Mom-I keep a hankie in my purse too-they don’t fall apart after a while like tissues do.
Dori
What a fun blog. I love hankies too. Mother gave some she found at A to Z to the girls one christmas (I think your girls got them too?) and they use them for everything imaginable!
Dori
ps. I love the one on the top left with the little pink flowers if you ever feel the need to plop a hankie in a card and send it south.
Elizabeth
Your hankies are just lovely! I had heard about hanky babies, but never knew what they really were; thanks for the tutorial!
Jewelgirl
The little Pluto hankie is so cute!
TattingChic
What a cute hankie trick! I love blogging. I collect vintage hankies with tatted trims and I’m so glad to see I’m not the only one that collects vintage hankies! LOL!
MuseSwings
I used to have pretty hankies my purse! This is a nice reminder of the hanky days! My grandmother showed me several tricks including that cute little baby one. Now the only one I remember is tying knots on each corner and wearing it on my head 🙂
marianedwardsdreamweaver
I love vintage hankies…thanks for the tute, what fyn 🙂
Patty
The hankie babies are just too cute. Thank for the tutorial. And, I’m so glad you shared your hankies. I have hankies that I liberated from my grandmom’s house years ago, plus ones I have picked up at flea markets over the years, and Karla, I just realized I could carry one of them in my purse. Duh, me.
Edi
Ever since she was a toddler, my dd has had a “sleeping toy”. Thankfully it wasn’t one special toy she had to have each night, b/c then there is the hassle of hunting it down each night. It usually is a doll or a stuffed animal. Well one yr we were on a trip and were already ready for bed in our hotel and she realized she had nothing to sleep with. Don’t know if it was her idea or mine – but we made kind of a handkerchief doll out of the corner of her bedsheet 🙂 Just recently I noticed one of the bedsheets at home tied up like that so I guess she’s still doing it once in awhile.
MuseSwings
Karla, stop by – I have an award for you on yesterday’s post.
Farrah
I’ve never heard of that until reading it on your blog! What a fun thing to do with a hankie! 🙂
Shabby Olde Potting Shed
That is the cutest thing!!
I too LOVE olde hankies!
Hanky boxes too…
I enjoyed my visit so much!
Lea
Shabby Olde Potting Shed
I forgot to tell you to stop by the potting shed later tonight.
Lea