My grandmother must have been one snotty person.
She died when I was fairly young, but one of my biggest memories of her is that she always had a hankie or two stuck in her ample bosom. At first sniff, she’d whip one out from her bra to wipe her nose or my nose and then stuff it back where it came from. All moist and gooey.
I didn’t inherit her ample bosom, but I did inherit her hankies. And I’m always scouring the internet looking for ways to repurpose them. These are some of my favorite crafts you can make out of your very own vintage hankie stash.
Crafts Ideas Using Vintage Hankies
Sarah at Sadie Seasongoods has made some adorable bracelets out of vintage hankies! You can wear a bit of your grandma around on your wrist!
Maybe a momento of your grandma is a better way to say that.
Bev at Flamingo Toes has an awesome tutorial on making Handkerchief Valances .
A Vintage Hankie Pillow Cover Tutorial from Anna at Noodlehead is a winner.
Polkadot Chair’s Vintage Hankie Burp Cloths are totes adorbs (totally adorable to all of us people over the age of 25).
Cindy at Skip To My Lou’s Handkerchief Scarf has my heart skipping a beat. Very creative and yet so simple.
Beach Vintage’s Tissue Holder!!! I mean, a tissue holder . . . made out of a hankie? The irony is not lost on me!
How To Make A Handkerchief Rag Quilt from ZeedleBeez is an easy to follow tutorial for making a family heirloom. Sort of like wrapping yourself up in grandma’s love.
Even if she’s been dead for 30 years.
Apartment Therapy shows how framed handkerchiefs can become instant wall art. And who doesn’t like a quick and easy weekend craft project.
Bumblebee Linens has a tutorial for making a VERY SIMPLE Hankie Pincushion.
If you don’t want to make your own hanky craft, you can always buy a hanky dress from The Hanky Dress Lady on etsy or check out her blog.
And if you don’t have a zillion and one vintage hankies in your stash, you can always find them for sale on etsy.
Have you made any crafts with vintage hankies lately?
More posts you may enjoy:
kirby carespodi
I love my vintage hankies! They will become something for my craft room, when I get around to fixing it up.
Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces
It’s wonderful that you have all of these beautiful hankies…I especially love when they are used as quilt squares…
Erica
Ive been picking up vintage hankies more and more lately. I think I may try to make a curtain or valance for my kitchen. Yep, TRY is the key word here.
Have an awesome weekend!
Erica
Pam Spencer
The valance is adorable. Have also seen multiple hankies sewn together to make a curtain panel.
Have seen them displayed pulled thru vintage spoon racks, just pull a corner thru the top and let the
rest of the hankie hang down. Very cute. I see those racks at thrifts all the time. Pam
Pam
That’s a super cute idea, Pam (great name BTW)! I always wonder what happened to all the little spoons when I see those racks!
Becky @vintagebeckym
Grandma didn’t pull a hanky from her bra, but from her Bible. Her and all the aunties. I love vintage hankies. Thank you for sharing this fabulous post and a love from hankies with us. Have a Fabulous Day!!
heather
LOVE these!!
Pam
Sleeve sounds better than her bra 🙂
[email protected]
My mom has tons of vintage hankies. I know she is going to love some of the ideas that you gathered for displaying them in unique ways.
Kim Gaynor
I love all of these ideas! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Nancy Drew
I love your suggestions, thanks for the links. Here is a way I used a vintage hankie. It was in a class on free motion quilting taught by Barb of Quilted Vintage Tablecloths by Barb.
Here is my ‘quilt’.
http://2knitwits.blogspot.com/2013/08/my-vintage-hankie-quilt.html
Pam
That is amazing! I love that!
Ann
I would love some directions to make a scarf from vintage hankies. Ann
Janice Bettencourtt
would like to find some hankies
Pam
You could probably find some on ebay or etsy, they seem to have them all the time. Other than that I find them a lot at garage sales and estate sales. Good luck!
Florence
Pam, your way of expressing yourself has me chuckling! Enjoyed all your hankie ideas! I love old hankies too.
Florence
I remember one time years ago, I sold a bunch of pretty hankies to someone on Ebay, and the person was a problem buyer, but I can’t remember the details now. Anyway all the fuss, and you know what she told me she was using them for? Dust rags! Please! Pay shipping for a bunch of dust rags? And those beautiful hankies for such a fate. I was sorry I sold them to her.
Pam
I would die! Why not use old t-shirts or something? What a nut!
Pam
Awww, thank you!
Valerie
I just bought several hankies in Lubbock Texas at a place called a Beautiful Mess. You’re the first Pinterest I looked at regarding crafts for them. I don’t know yet what I’ll do with them but you sure made me laugh. I will look back at your ideas and pick something to do with them.
Mari Herrell
My mother died at 95 years in 2014. She lived in the pre-tissue era of the hankie. She was also the member of a couple social and civic organizations that had traditions of throwing a “Hankie Shower” for incoming presidents. She served in that capacity on several occasions and left a collection of approximately 200 hankies that have been sitting in my closet waiting to be re-purposed in one way or another. I carry one with me at all times and often have let one behind (intentionally)on various occasions when her whole family is together (weddings, holidays, etc.)
These ideas have been most helpful and I am ready to start making some family gifts from Nana! Thanks for the tips.
Pam Kessler
I’m so glad you found it helpful! I love that idea of a hankie shower!
Lynn Harrison
Do you have instructions or a tutorial on how to make the dress?
Elizabeth Kromm
THANK YOU! YOU ARE THE ANSWER TO MY PRAYERS! I bought packages of hankies wanting to make a quilt out of them, just did’t know how to do it! Thank you again!