Sunday 8 September 2013

Tablecloth With A Tale To Tell

I have a confession to make, I've not been in a charity shop for over a month!  This summer has just passed in a flash!  Where did August go?


I had totally forgotten about this pretty embroidered tablecloth which I found in July.  (I will admit that it had been languishing at the bottom of the ironing pile for that time - shocking!!!!!)




It is huge - 50x50 inches and the embroidery is as bright as the day it was sewn.  Intriguingly, there's a single initial in just one corner.  How strange is that?


I've written a wee piece about why that might be.
 
Winnie finished the last stitch of her initial on the tablecloth and decided she had had enough for one evening.  She had nearly completed it anyway - just Bert's initial to add in the opposite corner, she'd do that tomorrow.  She tried not to think of what he would be doing at that moment - on his last home leave he wouldn't say much about the war, just wanted to know how the arrangements for their wedding were coming along.  That was her Bert - always more interested in others than himself.
She was so looking forward to their wedding day in just three months time.  Her bottom drawer was already full to overflowing with all the bits and pieces they would be needing to set up home together.  Before putting the cloth away, she looked again at the three empty corners and blushed to think that perhaps, one day, she and Bert might have a little family whose initials would fill those other corners, perhaps even  the edges too.  Carefully she wrapped the cloth in tissue and placed it in her sewing box.
 
The telegram arrived the next day.


Love, Liz

18 comments:

Ann@A Sentimental Life said...

Beautiful, would love to find a W one myself. We do sometimes wonder, about who, why, when and where of our treasures we find.

Robyn of Oz said...

That is so sweet and your little story is so sad.
It is a beautiful cloth and in such good order. The stitch work is so neat.
I am pleased that someone else ignores their ironing as I do. It gives me great comfort.

Ellie Foster said...

Dear Liz
How lovely that the lone initial inspired that story. Do you think that it could have been made by WV - the V is in a different colour but is part of the monogram? Intriguing!
Best wishes
Ellie

Gwen said...

Beautiful tablecloth and lovely story!!

Shortbread and Ginger said...

Robyn - yup, I absolutely hate ironing - especially the "difficult" stuff! It constantly gets left at the bottom of the pile!
Ellie - hadn't thought of that - well spotted.
Liz

Connie said...

Waaaaa. So sad. I'm with Ellie. I think it's V W. and she met a new guy and she never finished the other monogram because she was so busy going out dancing every night!

Anonymous said...

Oh my god, I was just commenting at Fur Earwig that each blog post is like a super-short story, and there you've really done it! I already feel sorry for Winnie, and I hope she found someone else and was so caught up in a happy full life that she never got around to adding any other initials.

Or else it was embroidered by Mrs. Wagstaff.

Mum said...

So sad. Look after your table cloth for her.
Love from Mum
xx

Linda said...

Oh Liz! Your wee story just brought a tear to my eye, I should lay off the wine at dinner! The table cloth is stunning x

Ruth Kelly said...

Busy hands make beautiful things.

A little bit country said...

Beautiful table cloth. Such bright and cheery colours. I love the story too, albeit a sad one. xo

Anne said...

Oh, how sad. Like Ellie above, I did wonder why the centre of the W was a different colour and could it be another letter. I thought it might be an A?

Thanks for visiting my blog, Liz. I'm off now to read some more of yours. :o)

GardenOfDaisies said...

It's such a beautifully embroidered piece. Your story was sad, though. And probably more true than we know.

Unknown said...

A lovely tablecloth. You are very creative to write that sad pretend story.

two squirrels said...

Oh add your history to it sweet.........pop a wee B in a corner, make the story come to life.
Love V

miz-bag said...

its a beauty x winnifred was my names name x x

Amy Seven-Stitches said...

Nice story. I love to imagine how things came about too.

Unknown said...

Rainy Monday 16th September,just browsing posts and came across your beautiful story,I love embroidered tablecloths.Kind Regards Pam