Linen Handkerchiefs

Every so often one must buy new handkerchiefs.  For those of us who use them daily, they do wear out, get holes, get stained.  This summer I need new hankies.  Some of my favorites are some small, women's sized linen hankies that I got from Vermont Country Store years ago.  They weren't cheap, but they are nice, the fabric feels good, and the hemstitch is simple but pretty.

When I started looking for more I didn't find linen ones at Vermont Country Store, so I did an internet search.  I was rather shocked to find that it was nearly impossible to find plain, woman's sized linen hankies, and even the mens hankies were selling for anywhere from $7.75 on up for one, $25.00 on up for 2, mostly up.  I'm too frugal for that (read cheap).  So I did some searches for handkerchief linen fabric.  Now this was better!  I found fabric for $16.24 per yard.  Shipping was a bit steep by my view, but I ended up ordering 2 yards of fabric for $42.48 with shipping.  Washed and dried twice to remove any sizing it was 55.5 inch wide not including the selvedge.  I don't like the selvedge on this fabric, so I'm removing it.

I used pulled threads to square one end of the fabric, measured and snipped then pulled more threads, giving me a straight grain for my hankies.  I cut along the pulled threads.

The first batch was 5 across, so each hankie was about 11 inches square. The next batch I decided to make smaller, to more easily fit in my pants pockets as well as giving me more hankies for the same amount of fabric.  This time I made 6 across, so they are around 9 inches square.  Plenty big enough for my purposes.

I carpool to work, and I often do some sort of handwork while riding, as well as other times as I have a chance.  It has been nice to do this simple hand work on a daily basis.

I've been doing a small rolled hem.  I started off doing a squared corner, but after the first or second one I switched to rounding them off.  It is easier to continue the rolled hem around them, and I like the way it looks.  I've already got 6 new hankies and as the days go on I'll finish more.  I consider this money very well spent.  I get nice new hankies and I get weeks worth of pleasure hemming them, giving me something useful to use as my 'fidget' while riding in the car, in meetings, or out walking.