Vintage?

It seems like everywhere you look lately things that are a few years old are labeled as "vintage."  Vintage? What does that really mean?  One definition is "representing the high quality of a past time" and another is "old fashioned or obsolete."  Whatever the definition, when I came upon these wonderful pillowcases and dresser scarves tucked away in mom's cedar chest, the first thing I thought of was "vintage."  Are they old fashioned? Yes, they are in the sense that you don't see many women embroidering pillowcases or dresser scarves now. Are they obsolete? Almost definitely. Who wants to iron a cotton pillowcase when you can get permanent press ones that come out of the dryer wrinkle free?

A flood of memories surfaced when looking at these. One of my jobs as a young girl was to iron the pillowcases, dresser scarves, and dad's handkerchiefs. How important I felt to have such a task. The first step was to sprinkle them with water from the old soda bottle fitted with a sprinkler top. The items then went back into the plastic bag until time to iron them. It was important to get all the wrinkles out and to do a good job. I felt such pride when mom complimented me on a job well done. It was exciting to look forward to being entrusted with other items to iron.

These are worn and well used items; probably some of the same I ironed over 40 years ago, yet instead of throwing them away when the "new and improved" permanent press items arrived on the market they were tucked away into the cedar chest. I wonder why? Is this part of the depression mentality of "use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without" or were there fond memories in these linens for mom too? Whatever the reason they are now out of the cedar chest and being used and treasured. A link to the past? Maybe.  Memories of mom embroidering flowers and crocheting edgings? Maybe. Or maybe a simple memory of when ironing was something fun to look forward to and not a chore to be dreaded.