One of my favorite things for the Mister and I to do is drive around to small towns and use the back roads to get there. We chat and laugh and find new antique shops, try out new restaurants, see beautiful landscape, think about where we want to live when we retire and talk about the sort of house we will have. Goodness that’s a lot! We’ve driven as far as 3 hours in all directions. We’ve exhausted just about all the new places around DFW so now we are starting to travel the smaller towns when we go down to Navasota.
On our last trip we stayed close and just made a giant circle around the DFW metroplex and hit an antique mall in Azle, TX where I found these vintage handkerchiefs. They were so bright and cheerful. I knew exactly what I was going to do with them when I snatched them up.
Side thought: My dad always used white handkerchiefs and I found that disgusting. Glad I wasn’t doing his laundry and sooooo glad we have readily available disposable tissues now! Gross. Anyway, here’s what I did with them.
Decorating with vintage handkerchiefs
Currently I’m using them on the porch in Navasota. I purchased a couple of tension rods and simply hung them over the rod on the outside of the windows. Like curtains or a valance for the front porch.
I added double sided tape to the bottom to hold them together and to keep them from blowing away. It didn’t really work. They still blew away. So I added more and it’s all good. I didn’t want to sew them in case I decide to use them somewhere else in the house. They are so cute! They give the porch a happy summery look for sure.
One of the vintage handkerchiefs looks great with the lavender I have hanging on the antique post too. I was sad to see the wind had blown the post over one night and broke the hook. I’ll have to swing over to Hobby Lobby and get another when they are 50% off. 😉
Of course we could make a quilt with them, or a shower curtain or even pillows and an apron. What would you do with handkerchiefs? Here are a couple of other ideas I’ve seen on Pinterest. Just click on the image to go straight to the link.
So many choices and so many wonderful vintage handkerchiefs out there just waiting to find new purpose.
Hope you have a great week!
You and I are two peas in a pod! I cannot help but rescue vintage hankies and always looking for new ways to use them. The countrytime valance is tres chic!
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Oooh, Tres chic?! Love it. Thanks Laura!
I have many vintage handkerchiefs and placed them in a picture frame. They look beautiful!
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I love that look! I think I’ll start collecting them so I can one day have enough to put everywhere! Thank you Darlene for visiting today!
I have many vintage handkerchiefs, that I was given from a friends mother in law after she passed. I placed them in a frame and they look beautiful!
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I bet they do. Sweet memories and thoughts when you see them too!
So cute! Love the colors yours have! I have a few but now I’ll be on the hunt for more! Love it! Thanks for coming and linking up! -des
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Thank you Desiree! I was thinking I need to hunt for more too! 😀
I have lot but didn’t know what to do with them. I couldn’t bear to through them away as they come from my past. Now I can put them to use. Thank you!
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Yay Nancy! So glad you were inspired! 😀
So cute in the windows! I have mine folded inside a clear glass “candy jar” – the kind with the lid on one side. I can see all the colors through the glass. I pull out the seasonal ones to keep on top of the stack when that season arrives. I saw the glass jar idea on a blog a long time ago.
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Such a cute idea Mary! And moving them around for the seasons is perfect! Thanks for the great idea. ❤️
FYI, disposable tissues were available to your dad. He was raised to believe a gentleman always carries a handkerchief. They just neglected to tell them they were not to blow your nose on! In his defense, he was always prepared at funerals and weddings (I cry at both) with a fresh clean handkerchief. Love the post today.
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Well thank heavens dad didn’t try and give them his USED handkerchief! LOL.
Like you I just love vintage hankies! Thank you for sharing this wonderful way to use them!
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Thanks Jan for visiting today! Glad you enjoyed it.
This post is pure sweetness, creativity and beauty! Love these ideas!
Jemma
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Awe thanks Jemma! Sounds like you’re describing me and not the ideas! LOL
My sisters and I sell a LOT of vintage hankies, and ALWAYS pick them up at estate sales, auctions, anywhere shopping. A lot of people use them for weddings, and we’ve seen aprons made from hankies (very pretty!). My sister used to teach [porcelain] doll-making classes and would use hankies for skirts on half dolls. We use them for flaps on lavender sachet pillows made to look like small letters. 🙂
Btw, my husband still uses white hankies, lol! No worse than dirty underwear, if you think about it, I suppose. I actually love ironing clean hankies of any kind, such an easy and satisfying task to get lost in….
(Cindy, I saw your photo among the TX pals having lunch on Carol’s post, joining Stacey, Carole, Karianne, and other…..looked to be a fun time!)
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Oh lawdy, lunch day with KariAnne was a bad hair day because of the humidity and heat! That’s life in Texas. Love all your ideas for hankies! I want to make an apron but not sure I’d actually use it. I’d be afraid of ruining it. I seriously plan to find more and use them as napkins and fold in the silverware. So cute! Do you have a booth or a store somewhere? How did I not know this?!
Cindy the handkerchiefs make me happy just looking at them! What great finds. I also loved how you used them. Wouldn’t a bridal luncheon be a perfect place to use them as napkins…. love them.
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Tammy, I was think that same thing! I’ve been collecting vintage china for such an occasion too. I have a couple of years yet to collect more. 😀. Thanks for the sweet compliment. ❤️
Your vintage handkerchiefs are the perfect addition to your country porch. Love, love your house so much.
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Awe, thank you Jill! You made my day. Hope you have a marvelous weekend. 🙂
So so gorgeous! I have been wanting to do something like this for a while with ivory and lace vintage napkins. Thanks so much for sharing at TFT! Pinning!
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My pleasure Amber. I love TFT. Tons of beautiful inspiration. Thanks for Pinning!