Maybe1day

Oh yes I had a "Hope Chest" started it when I was 15. Most family members knew about my hope chest and would add a gift to my birthday or Christmas gifts for my chest as well. Had items such as bed sheets, dinner set, glass set, mixing bowls, cutlery, tablecloths, tea towels, hand towels, various ornaments, napkin holders.
Gosh I had so much in my hope chest that I can't remember now what was exactly in it. I do however remember that when I got married we didn't have to worry about buying anything at all to set up house (other than furniture) and we really didn't need that initially either as we rented a furnished unit.

Can you tell my sole ambition in life was to marry and have children. :lol:

sunflower2011

I had a hope chest and it was a very old steamer trunk that I found and my Mom helpedme clean it up and we painted it very pretty. I had pillow cases, dish towels and other things I had made.Mom gave me a set of stem ware glasses that she got from Lipton tea, I still have those glasses after50 years.

VernaL

My hope chest started as an old box, but in high school I was able to take a girls' woodshop class. I made a huge solid cedar chest. I still have it and it holds a lot of stuff, but it sure takes up a lot of room. It now holds all of my old family treasurers.
Verna

Dee

I had a cardboard box. And my mom bought me a Betty Crocker cookbook I use to this day. That was my first hopechest item.

eightylady

Oh, no, your chest is filled with memories...with more to come, no matter where the girls are. Memories cannot be taken away, given away (as my mom did with my hope chest) or bought with all the money in the world. They're priceless...so you are wealthy, MadQuilter!

sunflower2011

I also had a Betty Crocker cookbook that I still useand that was 50 years ago. Last year my daughter bought me a new one so I could retire the old one it's pages were pretty worn out

eightylady

ChasingHawk, sound like you "made all the right decisions"! ((hugs))

Chasing Hawk

Thank you ((hugs))

cjaye44

My father made me a cedar chest for my 16th birthday in 1960. He always jokingly called it the "hopeless chest" because I was such a tomboy. I had a lot of handwork in it, some of which I still have today. Do you ladies remember the transfer patterns for pillow cases with the "His and Hers" and the "Mr and Mrs" :lol: :lol: . And of course, the days of the week embroidered on the tea towels.

Today my son has this chest at the foot of his bed with the quilts I've made for him neatly tucked into cotton pillowcases. He wasn't quite 5 when his grandfather passed away and doesn't remember much about him so he is glad he has a little family history around him.

Ragann63

Yes, I did (and still do!) My husband made one for his first daughter and currently working on one for our daughter. When he finished it, I have asked him to make a less formal chest for our son.

Whenever I give high school graduation gifts, it tends to be a small cedar box, a "memory" box. Lane used to sell them, but they stopped about 20 years ago. Bummer.