Pillow Case Edgings

I find the amount of handmade edgings on everyday vintage linens amazing. The above booklet has crochet and knit edging directions for pillow cases, handkerchiefs, dishtowels, and miscellaneous household items. Women took the time to intricately embellish all these things.

The above is a pillow case edging that is so nice someone cut it off the worn-out pillowcase. It was never reused but still kept because obviously it was too pretty to discard. I love the French knot flowers!


This next one was reused. My mother took the crochet from two old pillow cases and put them into better ones to give to me when I married. I use them all the time.


There was an enormous amount of embellished bed linens in my great aunt's house years ago. Apparently my great grandmother crocheted everyday and made them for family use and wedding gifts.
I will give you a warning about using vintage pillow cases: you will become spoiled. No modern pillow case I've used matches the crisp, cool cotton of the old ones. Even high thread count doesn't make it the same. If you have some don't save them--consider yourself lucky as you lay your head on such luxury.