DOILIES!
That's what Hick calls them, anyway, although I don't consider some of them to be actual doilies. A few look more like embroidered handkerchiefs. Or table runners.
Anyhoo...Hick has been sorting through his original hoard of the 18 storage units he bought, and found some doilies. They were not in sellable condition, so Hick brought them to the house to put in MY washing machine, using MY Tide, and OUR well water and OUR electricity. I really think I need to write up a pro-rated bill for his business expenses.
Oh, yeah. Hick also used MY dryer. I know. I was shocked, too. When I yelled upstairs to him, "You didn't put those doilies in the dryer, did you?" Hick affirmed that he had already done so. HE says they came out just fine. I would not have recommended it. In my mind, doilies are lacy and fragile and need at least to be hung to dry, if not hand-washed.
I might run a load of plain, detergented water through my washer before putting my clothes in there. We left home at 9:30 that morning, and Hick had put his doilies in the washer to simmer. When we returned at 4:00, he said, "The water's all brown! I'm going to run them through another load!"
Hick has a customer who LOVES doilies. He's going to sell her a box of them for $20. She'll be getting a bargain, and Hick only has $5 in that batch.
We were away on a surprise casino trip while Hick was doily-laundering. Of course we had to stop by Goodwill, where Hick bought a big bag of DOILIES! He said they were in good hygienic shape, and did not need to be washed before he could make money off them. Let the record show that Hick left the car running for me, with the radio on.
He needs to sell them quick, I think doilie buyers are a shrinking category of consumers.
ReplyDeleteHeh, heh. I was talking to an 80-year-old in the Walmart line yesterday. Let the record show that she was spry and sassy. I should have mentioned Hick's doilies to her. Though if I'd had one along with me to sell, she might have used it to strangle the woman ahead of her, who was holding up the line by putting a knot in EVERY bag before she would move on.
DeleteI remember doilies. My mum used to put little round lacy ones under things on polished surfaces, like under a vase of flowers so the vase didn't mark the polish. Sometimes really pretty ones were put onto a plate that then held dainty sandwiches or slices of cake, if people were expected for afternoon tea. That blue one there looks more like it would be tablecloth for a small side table. I also remember rectangular fabric squares edged in lace or crochet work that were placed on the back of armchairs and sofas. Called antimacassars, they protected the furniture from the hair oils used by men back in the day. The name is because they were first used (I think) when Macassar Oil was widely used.
ReplyDeleteI do remember those things on the backs of sofas and chairs, but had no idea of their history.
DeleteAnother thing: I've heard of people buying up old doilies in good condition and sewing them into quilts.
ReplyDeleteThat's a use I haven't heard of. Maybe that's the plan of some of Hick's buyers.
DeleteI still use a few doilies. They may make a comeback, maybe you should store them for future sales.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Hick, he already has a market for them. One is a lady who works as a radiology technician at the local hospital, who's the mother of one of Genius's former bowling team members. And the other one a lady who comes by his Storage Unit Store asking for doilies. I think she's different from the one who asks for elephants. But none with the trunk pointing down, because that's bad luck!
DeleteMy grandmother used to tat. She had doilies everywhere, stiff with starch. Her curtains were bright white and starched and ironed monthly. She also used those little hankies with tatting around the edges. She always had one tucked in her sleeve. I saw some things on Pinterest using doilies and paint.
ReplyDeleteThe times, they have-a changed! My grandma embroidered pillowcases, and the other one knitted. That's as crafty as our family got.
DeleteI don't know anyone now who uses starch. Which might reveal too much about the company I keep...