Chicken Scratch

Hubby's grandma taught me to make these lovely tablecloths, oh so many, many years ago. It's a form of embroidery called chicken scratch. I'm not sure where she got this pattern, but I know she made one for each of her 9 children. She used some funky colors too-like kelly green, orange, lemon yellow-plus blue and red-I think. I was trying to remember how many I made b.c. (before child). At least 10 of them. I used a few funky colors of my own-like mauve, navy blue, light blue, yellow. The one below is the one I made myself all those years ago. The one above is one I made myself about 2 years ago. I like this new gingham because it's red and tan, not white-and looks more country/rustic.

So within the last few years, I've probably made about 5 more because I really like the new gingham made with tan instead of white. I was trying to make my mom a new one cause she,
ahem, spilled nail polish on hers. But I gave up, because I kept messing up and I couldn't get the star centered. Maybe someday I will be in the mood to get-r-done, but not right now.

And finally-here's a not so pretty picture of the crap stuff I took off my table, so I could photograph (that sounds so hoity toity-hehe) these lovely tablecloths. And too bad I can't use them as tablecloths-our table is always so messy and gross and dirty-I don't even bother anymore. I do use that red one under my parakeets' cage-but, it's usually covered with feathers and bird seed and other wonderful things. Ahhhhh-I guess that's life.