Old is New

When I was in high school, my mom started cleaning out her closet of things she'd kept from decades before.  Since I was nearly of a size with her younger self, I claimed several of her old things before they hit the donation pile.  The blue t-shirt with the bamboo and bluebird was one of my absolute favorites.  I wore it until I grew out of it, and held onto it for years trying to find some way to enjoy it again. 

Old linen handkerchiefs and napkins remain among my favorite things to embroider on.  The fabric is so smooth and even, it is a joy to place each stitch.  They are also very beautiful when embellished with a new monogram.

I like to wonder about the makers and owners of the original pieces I reuse; what did they have in mind for it?  Would they like what I've done to it?  My mom, at least, was happy with the fate of her old t-shirt.