Linda, I don't have any stories about them but I do know my grandmother was one for setting a great table back in the day. When I was young back in the 70's and would stay over my grandparents house for the weekend she would teach us how to set the table and would call herself "Kerstetter's Refinishing School". I think she collected them for the names inscribed on them and she would use them all of the time. She tried to buy names of the family, she was Dorothy and my grandfather was Dick and I was nicknamed Homer. I don't think they are family pieces but one I see is inscribed with a presentation date from the later 1800's and one of from the world's fair columbian exposition. I'll look more when I get home from work. Thanks.

I buy some of the tablecloths(one for the table and an extra for napkins) at the dollar store that are a loose weave. I cut a piece the size that I want for napkins plus an inch in all directions. I run a line of fine stitches an inch in from the edge and then pull the threads to make a fringed edge all the way around. It is a mindless task that can be done while talking on phone or playing with GK's....in fact, the oldest GD likes to help!!! If I am making napkins out of a nice linen, I cut them an inch and 1/4 larger than I want the finished product. Fold in the 1 1/4inch to make about a one inch hem with a mitered corner. I then stitch the hem with a line of straight stitches...after it is pressed, I often go back and stitch over the line with a fancy stitch, a satin stitch or couch in a colored embroidery floss to add a touch of color.

Karen, Mary, Nana, and Punk, My DM still lives in the house where I grew up. So once I got my own home, many of my childhood toys were "returned" to me, LOL. Some of the toys are still there as my DD's played with them when they went to Grandma's house and now the great grandkids have been able to enjoy them as well. Jeanne, you are a "stitch" yourself, using all those sewing terms in your post!! Quite the wordsmith! I actually was going to do a different table using a music box that looks like an old sewing machine that is covered with little mice, but I couldn't decide on the rest of the table. When I decided to use the little red machine, the table practically set itself! Thanks again ladies. You all brighten my day! Candy

ITA with those who recommend a good soak before washing them. The easiest way to do that would be to soak them right in the washing machine (assuming your washer has a Soak cycle) overnight, run that water out, then add any items which do not need to soak the next day before washing the entire load. I do this with various items which need to soak, all the time. I put them in the washer, use some (not a lot of) detergent (baking soda, too, on white cottons and towels), get the washer going on the Soak cycle, let them agitate for about 30 minutes, then press Pause to let them soak all night. The next day, after the Soak cycle has finished and drained, I add any other items which did not need to soak, put in enough detergent to wash the entire load, and wash them. This works wonderfully, with very little time and effort.