Inheritances

My grandma recently moved into "assisted living", and in clearing out her flat sent a lot of stuff, via her son, my dad, to me.

Alongside the flowery towels and ace 50s clothes dryer, I was given a couple of unassuming plastic bags full of the leftovers of my grandmother's creative life. Knitting needles, zips, bundles of raffia and broderie anglais, ribbons, pins, half-used wooden spools of cotton and odd balls of yarn. Among these treasures I also found a tiny leather needle case, soft from handling, with embossed daffodils and the legend "A stitch in time saves nine".

There's something about this little collection that brings tears to my eyes. It's so humble, and yet so thrifty and resourceful and full of craft and care. Who knows what she made from those ends of yarn and thread? I find it so touching to think of generations of women, not just mine, handing down skills and tools to make things, for yourself to use or to give to other people.

I hope I can make something beautiful with them - or something useful. I think either would please her.