Attic Treasures

When my husband lost his grandmother earlier this year, we went to Colmar to help clean out her attic.  She lived in an apartment, but had attic space for storage, and the attic space was quite large.  You could easily make a nice studio up there.  There are already nice windows on two sides; you'd just need running water and a little help with the rafters.  Needless to say, the attic was full to the brim with furniture, clothes, documents, pictures, and knick-knacks from several generations.  I was lucky enough to be able to pick out a few items to keep.  I should say 'we were lucky,' but T. just let me choose.

I didn't take any family memorabilia.  The photo albums and documents stayed in Alsace.  But I did take several vintage hats, her box of blue fabric scraps, two pairs of hand-knit socks, an old tin, and some feathers that could go with the hats.  Plus, a gorgeous hand-embroidered banner.  And, oh yes, a few books.

Here are some photos of the hats:

The ribbon on this brown one is not in very good shape, but otherwise it's held up well.

I'm not sure what to which decade these hats belong.  I could believe anywhere from the 20's through the 50's.  Perhaps someone has a better idea of the appropriate dates?

The fabric scraps: she has indicated that there are two boxes of blue scraps, but I only found one.

Here's a few patterns that caught my eye.  I imagine incorporating these scraps into a quilt some day.  Once I start quilting!

And here are the wonderfully elaborate socks, with the initials M.S.H at the top.  Unfortunately I don't know what M.S.H. stands for.  A relative, but I don't know who.  I am assuming that T.'s grandmother knit these, but I'm not sure.  I know she was a knitter and a crocheter because she left yarn at the house, along with a finished crochet coverlet.  I also claimed some yarn that I found in her attic, but I forgot to photograph that.  I'll save it for a future post.

The detail on these socks is amazing.  They seem to be sized for a small adult.

The tin and feathers:

The amazing banner, which I photographed on a snowy bush outside of our apartment.  The German roughly translates to: Sleep sweetly without worries.  Rejoice of the morning.  T. translated it; and he says he doesn't speak German.

And last, but not least: a few books.  The Max Gallo novels are decades younger than the previous items:

Plus a Milan Kundera:

We received quite a lot of snow here in the Loiret during the last 24 hours or so.  Some villages have lost power.  Luckily, we still have electricity here.  I did cancel class tonight though, as the car is stuck and the tram is not running.  I expect to post a few pictures of the snow tomorrow.