Skip to content
the gingerbread house blog
Menu
  • Home
  • About
    • About Me
    • Brand Ambassador
      • Adobe Photoshop Elements 2018
      • ASK Italian
      • Aquabeaders
      • Bahlsen Book Club
      • Bandai STEM Ambassador
      • Baker Ross Blogger Network
      • Blogger Board Game Club
      • Bostik Family Craft Bloggers Network
      • Build Your Own Brand Ambassador
      • Britax Mumbassador
      • Dunelm Mill Blogger
      • Friends of Sylvanian Families
      • Happy By Nature
      • Hasbro Toy Tribe
      • KDUK Mumbassadors
      • Lindam Munchkin blogger panel
      • Maped Helix Blogger Ambassador
      • Miffy Mums
      • Morphy Richards Innovator
      • Netflix Stream Team
      • Peppa Pig Holiday Blogger
      • Pinty Plus Ambassador
      • Playmobil Playologist
      • Quinny Caster
      • Sizzix
      • Staedtler Try It Tribe
      • Stamptastic Ambassador
      • Toys R Us Toyologist
      • Twinkl Blogger
      • UKMums.TV Preferred Blogger
    • 50 before 50 bucket list
    • Mailing list
    • Privacy Policy
  • Crafts
    • Crafts for Kids
      • Advent crafts
      • After school crafts
      • Apple Day crafts
      • April Fools’ Day
      • Back to school crafts
      • Bonfire Night crafts
      • Children In Need
      • Chinese New Year crafts
      • Christmas
      • Crochet
      • Dr Seuss Day craft
      • Duck Tape crafts
      • Earth Day crafts
      • Easter
      • Elf on the Shelf
      • Elmer Day
      • Fairy garden crafts
      • Fathers Day
      • Food crafts
      • Fourth of July crafts
      • Free printables
      • Garden crafts
      • Gingerbread
      • Gingerbread houses
      • Grinchmas crafts
      • Halloween
      • Handmade gifts
      • International Women’s Day
      • Kids crafts
      • London crafts
      • Lego crafts
      • May Day crafts
      • Minecraft crafts
      • Mother’s Day crafts
      • Nature crafts
      • New Year crafts
      • Painted rocks
      • Pancake Day crafts
      • Pokemon Day crafts
      • Recycled crafts
      • Roald Dahl crafts
      • Royal crafts
      • Sports crafts
      • Star Wars crafts
      • STEM activity
      • St George’s Day crafts
      • St Patrick’s Day crafts
      • Thanksgiving crafts
      • Toilet roll crafts
      • Tutorials
      • United Kingdom crafts
      • Upcycled crafts
      • Valentines Day crafts
      • Wizarding World crafts
      • World Bee Day
      • World Book Day ideas
      • World Otter Day
    • Crafts for Adults
      • Baking
      • Bento inspiration
      • Craft book reviews
      • Cricut Maker
      • Die cutting crafts
      • List of National Days and Awareness Days in the UK
      • Mollie Makes crafts
      • Paper cut art
      • Patchwork & Quilting
      • Pinty Plus projects
      • Sewing projects
      • Subscription box reviews
  • Family life
    • Charity shopping finds
    • Days out with the kids
      • Sculpture trails
    • Gift guides
    • Parenting tales
      • Siblings
    • What I’m reading
  • Travel
    • days out
    • Bedfordshire
    • Berkshire
    • Buckinghamshire
    • Cornwall
    • Devon
    • Dorset
    • East Sussex
    • Essex
    • France
    • Hampshire
    • Hertfordshire
    • Isle of Wight
    • Kent
    • London
      • Camden
      • City of London
      • City of Westminster
      • Harrow
      • Hillingdon
        • Ruislip
      • London Borough of Bexley
      • Haringey
      • London Borough of Kensington & Chelsea
      • London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
      • London Borough of Southwark
      • London Borough of Wandsworth
      • London Borough of Westminster
      • Southwark
      • Tower Hamlets
      • Wandsworth
    • Norfolk
    • Suffolk
    • Surrey
    • the Netherlands
    • Warwickshire
    • West Sussex
    • Wiltshire
    • National Trust
    • Sculpture trails
    • Local Review
Menu

Vintage embroidery

Posted on May 8, 2011February 19, 2019 by jenny

I’m a bit of a hoarder, probably not surprising that I decided to become a curator. It started off with rubbers, then My Little Pony stickers, vintage postcards,  and since I’ve been a grown up, fabric. My hoarding instincts got so bad I had to limit the number of fabric shops I went to, only going in if I needed something specific.

However there is one exception to the current moratorium on fabric buying and that is vintage embroidered napkins and tablecloths. I can’t bear to see something that has been stitched by hand being sold for 50p so I snap them up. My stash isn’t too out of control and this weekend I picked up some more and started to think if I could re-purpose them.

vintage tablecloth

embroidered flowers

detail of embroidered tablecloth

embroidered flowers

embroidered bouquet

Most pieces are in great condition and I think it would be lovely to re-use the embroidery to make gifts. It’s never to early to start on Christmas presents and this little lot will be made into cushion covers, phone covers and some scented lavender sachets.

 

 

Linking up with Flea Market Finds, Magpie Monday and Thrift Share Monday

Related Posts:

  • Dandelion embroidery
    Dandelion embroidery
  • {giveaway} Embroidery: Learn in a Weekend
    Embroidery: Learn in a Weekend
  • Why I failed to complete a 365 embroidery wheel
    Why I failed to complete a 365 embroidery wheel
Category: Gingerbread house finds, handmade, sewing, vintage

12 thoughts on “Vintage embroidery”

  1. Jac says:
    May 8, 2011 at 11:24 pm

    They’re so cute! And you can never have too much fabric, I say!

    http://bygoneboutique.blogspot.com/

    Reply
  2. Michelel says:
    May 9, 2011 at 2:39 am

    These embroidered tablecloths and fabrics are just beautiful. Thanks for sharing them!

    Reply
  3. Protector of Vintage says:
    May 9, 2011 at 8:36 am

    You found some beautiful items. I, too, can’t bear to see such lovely handiwork get tossed or sold for next to nothing, so I bring the pieces home with me.

    Reply
  4. Lana says:
    May 9, 2011 at 1:04 pm

    So pretty. I love old-fashioned embroidered linens. Lana http://www.lifeatwildberrycottage.com

    Reply
  5. Karen Jones says:
    May 9, 2011 at 2:01 pm

    Love, love, love them. I have lots of pieces that I hoard in a cupboard upstairs, no idea what to use them for but could never part. I love the idea of the work and the family history behind them. xx

    Reply
  6. Liz Burton says:
    May 9, 2011 at 2:19 pm

    Oh what a lovely idea. I bet they’ll look fab. Did you see my tutorial on making bowls from fabric doilies? http://missielizzie-meandmyshadow.blogspot.com/2011/04/lace-doilies-just-got-cool.html

    Reply
  7. Grace says:
    May 9, 2011 at 3:22 pm

    That first tablecloth is absolutely stunning. I love it.

    Reply
  8. camille says:
    May 9, 2011 at 4:00 pm

    they are beautiful, I love embroidered tablecloths, so stylish 🙂

    Reply
  9. Dolly says:
    May 9, 2011 at 8:20 pm

    I know what you mean, funnily enough vintage embroidery is my pick this week too. Can’t get enough of the stuff. Husband is less keen so I shall be hiding it.

    Reply
  10. Carole says:
    May 9, 2011 at 11:04 pm

    Beautiful! Clever you being able to make gifts from vintage fabric, I’m impressed 🙂 x

    Reply
  11. cheryl says:
    May 10, 2011 at 12:17 am

    Thats so cute you put limits on your collecting lol My stash is huge. I bought new bedroom furniture recently. Um, every single drawer is FULL of embroidered/crocheted pieces and odds and ends of fabric….. crazy.

    Reply
  12. Kate Davis-Holmes says:
    May 11, 2011 at 9:48 am

    Lovely and brings back memories of my late Mum embroidering tablecloths for family celebratory events.
    Did my Magpie Monday late this week but there now

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Welcome to the gingerbread house blog. I’m Jenny, London mum of two teens. Craft and family lifestyle blogger, occasional baker of gingerbread. Find out more about us, our latest crafts, and be inspired by our days out. Contact me jenny@the-gingerbread-house.co.uk

Search

Latest posts

  • The Weekly Edit {Week 25/2026} June 22, 2026
  • Creating the Ultimate Summer Play Space June 18, 2026
  • The Weekly Edit {Week 24/2026} June 15, 2026
  • Tobio’s vs. Emily Lex: The Definitive Watercolor Guide June 14, 2026

2005-2026

Subscribe to our mailing list

* indicates required

Popular posts

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

All content strictly copyright Jenny 2005-2026

2026 Reading Challenge

2026 Reading Challenge
Jenny has read 0 books toward her goal of 24 books.
hide
0 of 24 (0%)
view books

We hope that you enjoy using our free printables. Please note these printables are for personal use only. Not for redistribution. All images are copyrighted.

© 2026 the-gingerbread-house.co.uk | Powered by Minimalist Blog WordPress Theme