We are collecting handkerchief stories, and we would love to hear yours.

Have you ever opened a drawer and found a handkerchief that immediately reminded you of someone?

Perhaps it belonged to your grandmother, was given to you as a child or was carried on a special occasion.

A handkerchief might be a simple piece of fabric, but sometimes it holds a lifetime of memories.

Where It All Began

My love of fabrics and handkerchiefs began in childhood, surrounded by my mother's haberdashery shop and the beautiful pieces of fabric collected from my mother and nana.

Handkerchiefs have always been part of our family. My nana gave them to my mother and her sisters, my mother gave them to me, and I still treasure those childhood gifts.

In 2018, Boutique Heidi held our Hankies & Their Stories exhibition in Ballarat.

We invited people to share their special handkerchiefs and the stories behind them.

What followed was an extraordinary collection of memories.

More Than a Piece of Fabric

One contributor shared the story of a beautiful red silk handkerchief made from leftover fabric during a visit to Shanghai with her husband.

Another told us about her grandmother's wedding dress, whose lace was eventually transformed into eight special handkerchiefs for eight granddaughters.

We heard about childhood hankies that travelled through life's milestones, handkerchiefs sent home during wartime and treasured keepsakes that connected families across generations.

There were stories of love, loss, friendship, travel and everyday life.

Some were funny. Others were deeply moving.

Every story reminded us that a handkerchief can be so much more than something practical.

Read the Original Stories

Our original 2018 exhibition booklet contains a wonderful collection of handkerchiefs, photographs and personal memories.

Access the booklet at no charge 2018 Exhibition Booklet HERE

Stories from the Pocket – The Next Chapter

We are now continuing to collect stories, with the hope of bringing them together in a future book titled Stories from the Pocket.

We want to preserve not just the handkerchiefs themselves, but the people, traditions and memories connected with them.

And we would love you to contribute.

Do You Have a Hankie Story?

Perhaps you remember receiving a fresh hankie every Christmas, your grandfather always carrying one in his pocket, or your mother carefully ironing and folding them.

Maybe you have an embroidered wedding hankie, a souvenir from a special journey or a treasured keepsake passed down through your family.

Your story does not need to be long or beautifully written. We simply want to hear it in your own words.

We welcome stories from anywhere in the world.

Download the Hankie Story Submission Guide HERE

Help us preserve these wonderful little pieces of history, one hankie and one story at a time.

Heidi
Boutique Heidi