The not-so-lost art of hand-made

I grew up in the Midwest, with parents who came from Chicago and Minneapolis. Both were college educated (‘though my dad was the first in his family).

We lived in urban environments when I was growing up.

But my Dad still had relatives ‘on the farm’ back in Minnesota. My (great) Uncle Jake was a dairy farmer.  And there were others whose gherkins we picked, my girl cousins and I, for dill pickles that Grandma Helen Zumberge made every year. 

My grandma Zumberge and her mother, great grandma Sophie made all sorts of things by hand.

I won’t go into the breads, pies, cookies, doughnuts and all the other wonderful things that came out of their kitchens.

I’m talking about quilts and clothes. I have two quilts hanging in our guest room, what we call ‘The Minnesota Room.'

Every summer when Dad’s parents visited (for weeks on end, which made Mom groan), Grandma Helen would sew summer pajamas for us children.  Cozy flannel pjs in the winter.  I can spot some of the fabrics she used in the quilt above.

Anyway, my point is: it was an earlier generation – not my mom’s and not my own – that was gifted with the artisan’s ability to make beautiful or tasty or useful things with their hands.

I think my Mom’s mother, Esther, is a good example of what changed in my family, perhaps in America in general.  Grandmother Esther came from such a poor family that it was a status symbol for her to be able to buy things rather than have to make them.

I felt special when I learned how to needlepoint (mom taught herself, and then she taught me). I thought I was among the elite in making pretty things with my hands.

My cousin Karen makes quilts today. Beautiful quilts, “quilt art” and quilt jackets; although I don’t believe they are made in the same way that Gram and Great Gram made theirs, which were strictly hand-sewn – no sewing machines. Doesn’t mean Karen’s aren’t gorgeous, it’s just the modern way.

Then I got to know some people from Slovakia; over the past seven years, I have discovered the many talents of both my peers and the next generation after us.

My first clue should have been the needlepoint on the wall in our caretaker’s flat in Banská Štiavnica. It is of a famous baroque building in Prague, where he lived when he played in the Bohemia soccer league back in the 60s. Ivan stitched that himself.

Then our neighbor, Viera gave us some exquisitely decorated Christmas cookies and a hand-embroidered Christmas doily one December.

We discovered another Christmas tradition: nativity scenes made out of corn husks. Primitive and beautiful.

Later, we would discover the tradition of elaborate nativities filling entire rooms, with mechanized movements, all hand-carved out of wood.

 

I’m not sure when the penny dropped.

Was it after I discovered the talents of 13-year-old Nina with her handmade felt? Was it the talent of my friend Iveta’s husband (and her own!) with the cross-stitch art that hang on her kitchen walls? Was it the handmade advent wreaths given to us for our December table? Or the oil painting Viera’s husband Janko painted for us? Or the handmade musical instruments or the handmade sausages …?

… or the hand-loomed fabrics you can buy in the folk-art shops, if you’d like to recreate the traditional costume of your region

… or the crocheted doilies and table cloths women make for their doctors, thanking them for helping with their husband’s heart problems

… or the honey wine you can’t buy in the store, only at the local Christmas market because it’s homemade – or the housewife selling fresh, homemade honey at the high school bazaar, just 5 euros a kilo.

… or the home made hooch they distill from apples, juniper berries, pears, raspberries or anything else that takes their fancy

… or the home made Christmas tree ornaments and the Easter ornaments.

Yes, I’ve decided I’m not so special after all.

In fact, I have embraced the concept of learning to do more by hand. You can see me here, learning how to make ornaments from the master:

Making something by hand is not only less expensive than buying it from a folk shop, it has a lasting value you KNOW is there, because you made it yourself.

Comments

[Silvia Herianová]

What a story! Would you like me to teach you how to knit? Nina and I have made a sweater for Neptun for Christmas. It came out quite well...colourful, of course. I also made a nice long-sleeve bolero for Nina. Am I blowing my own horn here? I just felt I would add something to your account of hand-made things. I learnt knitting from my mum. She also taught me how to embroider (cross-stitch and other styles). She could also sew really neat things... But I never learnt that...or rather I do not feel I would have any talent there. Knitting is my favourite.
Thank you for sharing this with me. I feel more motivated to do some more knitting.

[.JoEllen Zumberge]

I would LOVE to learn how to knit again! I tried it when I was young but I was too uncoordinated! Let's do it in Slovak!

[Karen]

Good for you Jo! Making something yourself and then seeing it used by others or having it for your very own is a reward like no other.

[.JoEllen Zumberge]

Karen, you're an inspiration you know. x

[.JoEllen Zumberge]

And fun to see us with your dear Mom in your artwork, too. xoxoxox

[Mara]

Hi Jo, I think I remember your two big quilts, didn't you have them in Pasadena? SO wonderful that you are doing all these things. I wish I had mentors here. Oh also I still have the 2 ornaments that Gordon made me...I think that's the right name I wonder if he is still making them !? I did learn how to do a little crocheting and knitting from my Dad's mother, my Nana, when I was pretty young. I also did some sewing of sequens onto Christmas ornaments. I had started needlepointing about two years ago and love it, but my hands started hurting so I have given myself a little break. But I LOVE all of these wonderful artistic gifts. I actually think my niece inspired me because she knitted scarves one year for her friends. Thanks for the beautiful and inspiring story. xo

[Cathy Z]

What were those cute things made by your Aunt Florence... penny pockets?

[.JoEllen Zumberge]

Mara: I still have the ornament Gordie made me - over 30 years old! If he's still making them, they'd be awfully valuable, considering they're from the architect who designed Niketown and the Cole Haan Nike Air shoes featured on Oprah. Did you see him interviewed by her?

[.JoEllen Zumberge]

Cathy: penny pockets! Yes!! She loved doing those after she got her serger machine. She made me a bunch to keep all the foreign currency I had during my world travels. Still have several of them!

[Jill Farwell]

Hey Jo -- My grandmother Cora also made quilts -- large ones and small ones (baby quilts for me and my brother). I have them all, and every time I look at all the handmade stitches, I feel very close to her. It's so nice -- and comforting -- to have something they poured so much of their love into. Handmade gifts and treasures are the best. I will give all of my family quilts and handmade Christmas decorations to my daughter, and I'm sure she will give them to her's. It's a wonderful legacy.

XOXO

[.JoEllen Zumberge]

Jill: Katie is very lucky to have that legacy. Having no children, I need to make very sure that my inheritance gets passed on to my brothers' offspring.

[Jay]

Great story and great perspective Jo! Looking forward to seeing more of your creations! BTW, carved an "e" out of wood for a friend's newborn (named Elliott). My father had taught me and since he had passed several months before, it seemed like a nostalgic thing to do. I used his tools, which I was never allowed to touch. They were nicer than the starter kit I had -- and it felt a little decadent! I hadn't carved anything in more than 30 years, but just went for it. In the end, with great relief, I had produced a free-formed lowercase "e" that looked like what it was supposed to. It now hangs in the toddler's room. So to your point, it's nice to create something. Good for the mind, soul and hands! xo

[.JoEllen Zumberge]

Jay! what a wonderful story. My dad started carving late in life. Took very good care of his carving tools; ended up decorating the guest cabin up in Wyoming with hand carved, hand-painted Bavarian family crests in the form of small shields. It was such good therapy for him, during those high-stress days at SMU and USC. I am bald-facedly impressed that you have achieved an "e" that now hangs in the room of an "Elliott" You rule, my friend. Perhaps it's time for you to visit here and bring you tools, to teach me. love love

[Cousin Judy and Aunt Shirley]

Oh, fiber arts, culinary arts, all of them are a deep part of my heart and yours too, Jo! Beautiful story! And your Grandmother's quilts in the Minnesota Room, exquisite colors and designs with such precision! Your craft room will be full of projects this next year I'm sure.

I started to knit with kitchen dish-rags out of that thin cotton crochet thread. Just like the oldies we used to buy at the store....and I put in all sorts of stripes to match my kitchen colors. Wide ones, wide and narrow ones....it was fun. Then I graduated to doing Winter scarves using various sorts of brightly colored hand-dyed space-dyed wools and some softer silkier ones with seacell fibers. Oh yes, learn to knit. You'll love it! You will become an expert at it. My first knitting projects were gangly to say the least and then I did just fine.

I won't be sending so much snow your way this week. Finally, Feb. 2, Chicago got its first real snow...3" and more to come. Save a spot for me some Christmas at the ornament making table!!!!! xoxox

[.JoEllen Zumberge]

Cousin! I was wondering when my Master of Textiles would weigh into the conversation. I remember my Aunt Lois (wife of Dad's brother Robert) crocheted a ton of those dish rags while Uncle Bob was in the hospital with cancer that last year of his life. Mom picked up the habit during Dad's illness the next year. They're so good in the kitchen, and you can wash them when they start to get sour instead of throwing them away.
And yes, I have to organize this year's big project - perhaps it will be those Christmas tree ornaments for everyone!

[Cousin Judy and Aunt Shirley]

Mom used to make the wash rags too. So did Auntie Barb. But Mom can't remember who taught her...your Mom or AB. The Christmas ornaments sound like a fantastic project for your craft room. Enjoy creating! xox

[Diane]

This post was better than a spread in Martha Stewart's magazine -- Bravo!
Please elaborate on packet pennies --- what are they exactly?

[.JoEllen Zumberge]

Diane: penny pockets are little change purses - a simple square of fabric - usually a brocade - stitched up on three sides with a belcro closure on the fourth side. My auntie Florence made them with her serger and, I think, sold them at church bazaars, as well as giving me half a dozen for all my foreign currency.

[Karen]

Yes, Mom sold them at church and other functions, with all proceeds going to mission work. I still have 5 penny pockets I carry in my purse. One for cash, one for credit cards, one for business cards, one for hearing aid batteries and one for miscellaneous stuff.
Mom got a lot of her cleverness and thriftiness from her mother, Helen. Mom was also just as much a perfectonist for many years, but then Mom decided that perfectionism wasn't all her mother cracked it up to be. In fact, my Mom would actually let dust bunnies reside in a corner for 2 or 3 days. I think she was waiting to see if Grandma Helen would send a bolt of lightning down to strike them. Mom said "life is much better when you can tolerate dust bunnies and other little annoyances!"
She would be thrilled to know you still have some of your penny pockets.

[.JoEllen Zumberge]

Karen, that is a GREAT story about your mom. I know that Helen was a little tough to please - my mother certainly thought so (!) so I'm glad to hear that Florence got in front of it too. Makes me miss them all even more!