I did not make this.
A couple of years ago I bought this piece of fabric at a yard sale. The woman who sold it to me told me, if I remember correctly, that it had been made by her grandmother. She thought it was beautiful but had no idea what to do with it so she was selling it in hopes that someone else could appreciate it. So for $5, I became the owner of a truly exquisite bit of lace. It's a combination of crochet, embroidery, drawn threadwork and pintuck ruffles. I think it is beautiful, and I'm astonished every time I look at it at the tiny detail and the amount of work that must have gone into it. I do indeed appreciate it.
And I also have no idea what to do with it. I break it out every so often when I teach crochet classes and my students dutifully ooh and aah over it, but it is not something that can easily be displayed. It's about 12" x 35" which would make it hard to frame without folding it, which would detract from the detail, or (God forbid) cutting it. It's in excellent shape but it wouldn't stand up to any kind of wear so it's not something I'd want to use as a table runner or dresser scarf. So mostly it stays in the little plastic bag it came in, tucked away with my yarn.
There's a note that came pinned to the lace. It reads:
"Handmade flounce from mother's high school commencement petticoat for the class of 1892."
Got that? This was made for a petticoat. It wasn't meant to be seen, except maybe as a glimpse of ruffle as the maker walked across stage to receive her diploma. Maybe she showed it to her family or a couple of close friends. Maybe it was something she worked on in her home economics class (if they took those then) and shared with her teacher and classmates. But really, it was never supposed to be on display. It was made just for the sake of making and having something beautiful.
So I will continue to keep it tucked away with my yarn, taking it out only once in a while to show people who will enjoy it, and I won't feel badly that it isn't on display every day. It was made simply to be beautiful, and that is enough.
