Sunday, August 24, 2008

Blue Willow

How sweet is this?! I can't stress enough how important older craft books/magazines are to me. I found this pattern in a book published in 1975, I'd looked thru the book at least three times, but this morning it opened up to the above page! I hadn't noticed it before.

How lucky am I? I know I could use the old pattern, it's the main theme in my kitchen and dining room. The above photo shows how exquisite blue on blue needlework can be.



Whether it's for painting, needle pointing or creative machine stitchery, this pattern is a true art.



This is my choice for our dishes, it's Blue Willow.




Blue Willow is a antiqued pattern originally from China but adapted to dinnerware by the market in England. Today, there are many versions of this pattern and one must look close to see what they are purchasing. My type in showing up in flea markets lately, they are made in England but are not a 70 or 100 year old set.






Enjoyed just the same. C&G Design.
(I seem to have got the hang of my pictures, they should all enlarge!)



11 comments:

tina said...

I am learning so much about all these patterns from you. I had heard of blue willow but am not really familiar with it. Do you know anything about Fire King Peach lustre? That is what I have. I bet mom would like to see Friendly village. If you come across some info on them-don't go to any trouble-let me know. Blue and white are a great combo.

Dawn said...

Yes, we had lustre ware in the auction all the time. Friendly village is at a local flea mkt, pieces of it. Expensive, I've never come across a pattern thou. I got sooo lucky with mine.

Jean Merriman said...

You have been buy and collecting blue willow for a long time and it is so pretty. All the stenciling you did is really a great job and just adds to it all.

Yup I do love my friendly village and you do see it at flea markets but like you say it is expensive and if you do not know it the flea markets have a lot of the newer stuff. It is not quite a pretty and should not cost as much so you can take a soaking. I know the difference but if someone is buy it for a gift and does not really know it. get the umbrella out. Since I grew up with it and got my first started set for a wedding gift, I should know it. They changed it back in the 70's or 80's

Jean Merriman said...

Forgot to say but Replacements, Ltd has a lotta friendly village and they may have the blue willow and the fire king also. I will check it out sometime.

Jean Merriman said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
DP Nguyen said...

Those are beautiful dishes and the patterns are just so pretty. I love old timey pattern books as well. Makes me reminisce

christinelynn said...

There must something wrong today with the posting, this is my second try, we'll see if it works out this time. So as I was saying I really love the willows. Very interesting that you can find the pattern, exact same pattern with the willow behind the tree and the zigzag fence in things from dish ware to stitch work. The blue on white is very nice too, it is popular in the Netherlands now, but I didn't realize that it was original to Asian work.

Dawn said...

Well, Hello Christinelyn,
I did not know it is to China either. I thought England. If you think about the pattern...it makes sense.

christinelynn said...

Dawn- The pattern makes sense from China, but I meant the blue on white. Is that original to China?

Skeeter said...

Blue Willow is very pretty. My parents have a blue and white theme in their kitchen and I bet they have a piece of this... I will have to keep my eyes open next time I am home to see if they have any Blue willow....

More music to listen to... "Dust in the wind"...

Dawn said...

Christinelyn, I think this being blue for the willow is from England.