Aunt Mayme's Attic

Vintage Linens in Modern and Functional Items

About

The title, Aunt Mayme’s Attic, came as a result of my childhood and the few times I was allowed to play in my Aunt Mayme’s Attic, digging through an old trunk, only to find vintage linens. Linens that were tucked away, never used because they were too “good”. What’s the purpose of making/embellishing them if they are going to be set aside? Or worse yet, tossed in a landfill? We no longer have the time or patience to recreate these items, and maybe that’s why they mean so much to me.

Life is difficult, let’s face it. But we all remember some time in our past when it wasn’t so. Or at least that’s what we think because perhaps we were a young child, naive in our thinking, and it was our parents who had the stress. But some of us can remember landlines, rotary phones, black and white TVs, and giant computer discs 10″ or more.  I know—you may be asking “What’s a computer disc”?

Small Gifts
Hanky Soap Sachets
Makeup Bags
Beautiful Makeup Bags for Everyday
vintage shoulder bag
Unique Shoulder and Tote Bags

What better way to relive the past than by seeking out memories? Memories balance us. The touch of an old blanket, old leather shoes, and other objects. My hobby (at least one of them) is sewing, being taught by my eighth grade teacher, Mrs. “R”.  A wonderful woman with an open mind, who made her classroom a haven for girls who needed emotional support. And there was a time when I needed it badly.

Sewing is my passion and my depravity. And the fortunate thing is I admire vintage linens that others don’t want; soon to be tossed into a landfill. I rescue them and turn them into everyday items to help those who recall their past relive a small memory of it.

Perhaps you have memories of your own. What do the words “Fire King” mean to you? “Gunne Sax”? “Tom Jones”? “45 RPM”? “Engelbert Humperdink”? “Art Linkletter”? “Picture Tube”? And why is it you want vintage of your own?

Send an email and share with me your stories!  I’d be interested in reliving them with you.

8 responses to “About”

  1. Minuscule Moments

    Ooh I love vintage, anything I can recycle and my husband brings old pieces of furniture back to life. I believe second hand goods have a place in this plasticated world and we live in an old farmhouse, where most of our stuff is recycled……has more character I think.

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    1. auntmayme

      Old farmhouses bring out the best of our natural side, don’t they? I live in one too, with lots of recycled stuff, including myself…

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  2. Karen Lee

    Lovely blog. I would like to recycle/repurpose leather jackets into purses. Do I need a special sewing machine or needles? Please advise. Share, by the way, your desire to recycle. It’s soooo important to the future of our planet. Thanks in advance.

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    1. auntmayme

      Well, thank you! As to a special sewing machine needle, yes, you’d need a leather needle and a roller foot for your machine. The leather needles are very durable, don’t leave strong marks, and can go through just about anything. The roller foot keeps the leather sliding underneath, rather than have it sticking to the bottom of your machine.

      I so love your prompt about my desire to recycle. I’m going to post that as a page, but I’ll share with you here.

      Back in the day, I had a relationship with a Native American who taught me, in an intuitive way, how to look at things differently–to question what was before me. And from that experience, I learned to look at the devastation being done to our planet. I learned how to garden organically, how to watch the moon phases for planting, how to have patience, and how to become spiritual without trying. Maybe my lack of funds at the time also instilled in me a different way to think–to repurpose what already was; to “make do”.

      Also, those times spent in my aunt’s attic made me dream of the people who embroidered the pieces (mostly my aunt and her sisters and family)–What were they like? Did they care about the future? Sort of like having a conversation with them through the items I’d be looking at. I knew some of them were farmers, and I had the naievete to think I’d be safe and protected in the future. But I’m older now and see a little differently.

      So my desire to recycle came twofold: “What could I do with things that were already in place?” and “What could I do with reducing waste?” Then too, there’s my desire to share with someone, through my Etsy shop, those very things I found special and are recycled. I use the shop mostly as an outlet for my creativity; it’s certainly not a money making project! But I recycle as much as I can. I’m one who will wash plastic ziplock bags over and over, until they get so many holes, they are no longer usable. I’ll visit thrift shops and repurpose many things–forks for stakes in my garden, clothing for me, sheets for my sewing projects or for row covers; anything there has a different purpose from the original intent. And when I do repurpose, I can feel the earth smiling, and that’s really big to me.

      I so much support anyone who is “doing battle with the Big Guns” about saving the planet. “Big Guns” being Corporate America and its waste. I often think of the saying by a great Native American leader that goes something like this: “We do not inherit the Earth; we borrow Her from our children”. I’m not of the camp that says the earth can heal itself, so we don’t need to worry. Any organism will die off, if it’s not treated well, and the earth is no exception.

      Well, that’s enough for now. My chicken soup is finished processing and I need to remove the jars. I take chicken parts left over from my organically fed chickens, (you know, the “icky” parts–neck, back, etc.) cook them down, and use them for soup; canning it all in my pressure canner.

      Thank you so much for giving me the prompt and recognizing my purpose.

      Namaste’

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  3. Liz M

    Hi! I saw you over on an embroidery thread and followed over to your blog. Wondering if you still use the PE150 and the monthly embroidery website service. Do you feel the brother PE150 is a machine that will do enough and what website service do you use? All I have found are ones you pay for the actual download itself. Thank You!

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    1. auntmayme

      Gosh! I’m so incredibly sorry that this is so late. I didn’t see it at all in my Inbox and was just surfing around and stumbled across it. Yes, I still use the PE150, even though it’s a dinosaur. It suits my needs just fine. I’ve done some custom work with it and the people who had it done were happy. I also use it in my Etsy shop with is the same name as this blog. The website service I use is embroiderydk.com and you pay a monthly fee, with as many downloads as you want. Every week there are new designs, as well as a “freebie” to entice people to sign up. The website supports all sizes: 4×4, 5×7, etc., but I can use only the 4×4. Feel free to ask me any other questions.

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  4. Liz Merkel

    hi there! I saw on another site that you use your Brother PE150, which is what I use. I recently broke my hoop and when ordering, it made more sense to get a package of multiple sizes. Anyway, now, of course, I want to embroider bigger designs (mostly names) than my machine can handle. I saw that you use the bigger hoop and just move the design/hoop. I’d love any tips you have! It seems I have to eyeball it and I’m off on spacing. help! if you can! Thanks in advance!

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    1. auntmayme

      Hi Liz! Thanks so much for talking with me. I know just which other site you’re talking about. You were smart to get multiple sizes and especially the bigger hoop. I do have a few tricks. First, if you notice that on each hoop there are arrows and other marks. These arrows and marks must match both pieces in the same place. In other words, where you see an arrow on the upper piece of the hoop assembly, you need to match it to the arrow on the lower piece as well.

      Also, I took a fine point sharpie and drew lines across both pieces of the hoop assembly and use these lines to match the two pieces.

      Now about that large hoop. Keep in mind that the center post on the hoop assembly will be the end of one of your long patterns. For example, if you want to do an extra long vine design, you can double it in length, using the long hoop. I’m sure you know this already. But center your first pattern on the very first post, and have it end on the middle post. This sets you up for the next pattern with just moving the post, and not having to rehoop. Keep in mind you can’t make the names or pattern any wider than normal; it’s just moving the hoop down or up a post that gives it length.

      I’d be happy to send you photos (can’t do video), if you’d send an email to aunt_mayme at yahoo dot com. (note there is an underscore)

      Thanks for your interest! This is a sweet little machine; I used mine today to embroider four sets of pillowcases for my Etsy shop.

      Beth

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