a stitch back in time

Though I talk about it often, a long time has passed since I posted about rise n*1, so for new blog readers, it is the first of now several rise soufflé restaurants. This Lovers Lane location is the only one still numbered, I believe because as they expanded, numbering each, the closing of a Houston location brought the numerical idea to an end. Thus, the locations other than Dallas are now simply rise soufflé.

My late husband was not affected by rise's reputation as a ladies-who-lunch spot. It was his Dallas favorite, second only to the original MoMo Italian Specialties. He liked it so much he suggested since we could no longer travel to Italy because of his back issues, that we travel to each city when they opened a new rise restaurant, and I could collect more petite plates from each to add to my collection. He passed away unexpectedly before we made it to another.

These plates are just one item of what they sell, which is basically everything in the restaurant except personal gifts on display. I lost a little enthusiasm when the plates were no longer numbered, but I do lust after the many torchons.

The bathroom is what has brought me to this post. It is worth a visit just for the fun of stepping smack into a wonderfully scented, old world, country French space. Covid removed the individual cloth hand towels for drying, and also the pièces de résistance, an eye catching progressive towel. This showpiece for drying hands was a stitched together loop which hung on a removeable wooden rod. Customers were to pull down a dry area for themselves to use, the next customer to do the same. The idea is that the cloth if thin, will dry quickly, and being a revolving total of about 72 inches, will take a while to come full circle.

It may have been meant as display only, for in a busy restaurant it's not the best of ideas. But how perfect for this home cook in her little bistro I thought, and so it has been on my wish list for years. Enter the cloth genie I just told you about... From that scrap linen, she made me this and I just adore it! Might even bake a souffle soon.

a cut above

linen: a cloth made from flax

linens: household articles made of linen or similar fabric

I do believe it was Sunday dinners at my paternal grandparent's home when I fell in love with linens. It would soon extend to the reason I enjoyed the Eucharist services at our Episcopal church. The priests' robes and the altar dressings were always spectacular to my linen loving little girl eyes. Creamy whites, thick embroideries, and vibrant colors made my heart go thumpa. To this day, there is a certain shade I call Episcopal purple.

My grandparent's dining table was oval and for these dinners (very often Papa's Brunswick stew) it was usually draped in white damask, napkins perfectly pressed but creaseless and loosely folded. And oh so soft to the touch! These many years later, I set them the same way.

Recently, I retrieved a bed sheet from my linen closet, tucked away long ago because much of the linen had thinned and raveled to shreds. I have forever had the wish to make something from it, but although I can sew on a rudimentary level, when I think to myself that this is the day, I choose to do everything but.

As fate had a hand, I now have a lady who sews and alters all kinds of things for me. I think of her as my cloth genie. She's a creative, meticulous perfectionist. Such time and frustration she has saved me from, and such joy she has given me by bringing my visions to this bistro life.

Pictured are a few linens she made for me from the large scrap. Two are basic napkins, soft as Nez's damask. The pair are likely to become W and my slow Sundays linens when bubbly is opened early as brunch is anticipated. The other two pieces are larger; one with exquisite mitered corners, one with doubled layering. I've yet to figure out how she works that magic.

From the cloth, she was also able to create a large item I've lusted to make for several years, inspired by a local souffle restaurant. That project deserves its own special story. Coming soon...