I don’t know about your mother, but my mother had items that she “saved for best.” Often, these were textiles, and mainly they were tablecloths. For special occasions, she would place an Irish linen tablecloth on the table, and cover it with a lace overlay. The color of the tablecloth usually coordinated with whatever set of china she’d decided to use that day. If it was her Haviland bone china, with a delicate blue floral design, then the tablecloth would be blue.

She had certain other serving dishes, special knives, and decorative containers that we only saw at Christmas or Easter. She would rotate her salt and peppers shakers. She accrued a large number of fine china teacups to which she and her friends were always adding. Many of them were probably never used. She had her favorites, and even saved the pieces of a white teacup with shamrocks, when it somehow was broken.

The item I am going to show you today was made by an unknown person. In fact, I purchased it at an antiques shop. I believe the crocheted potholder with its beautiful rose design must have fallen into the category of “too good to use.”

There is a saying that comes to mind. “If you don’t use it, your husband’s next wife will.” You could change the words to “daughter-in-law” or other possible recipient of your material goods, when you are no longer here to enjoy them.

So saying, there are items, like this potholder, that will never see “hard use” on my watch. It is too beautiful to be stained, and too impractical to afford much safety when used to handle hot pots. Some things may look utilitarian, but they are really aesthetic little pieces of art. I hope you enjoy seeing this “find.” It reminds me of all of the “Rose of Sharon” quilt blocks that I have come across in the last 20 years.

Patricia Cummings

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