Monogrammed baby gift

Byline: Lisa Muller

There's no doubt about it. Monograms are hot again - hotter than ever. Visit any clothing store, high end or not, and you'll find monograms everywhere. They are on handbags in big, bold fonts and sizzling colors. Huge script initials can be found on women's sweaters again. This style became popular back in the 1950s; everyone had a sweater or a cardigan with their initial embroidered on the left-chest - and we are not talking about the standard 31/2 inch monogram. We are talking about large, swooshing initials emblazoned on your chest, shoulder... well, you get the picture. OK, so you're not old enough to know about the 1950s. You must have seen the popular 1970s television show "Laverne and Shirley." This show was responsible for the embroidered script initials on women's sweaters, which is becoming popular all over again.

If you are one who follows trends, you're most likely to have your initial hanging around your neck. If not, then you must have a pair of monogrammed jeans. Made popular by some of our favorite musical artists, this style has made it into the mainstream. Just visit the jeans department in your local clothing store and you'll find jeans embroidered with monograms on the back pockets, front pockets and even on the legs. Yes, we are a proud lot, very willing to flaunt the first initial of our first or last name.

Label Of Love

We've even brought this trend home. Monogrammed home furnishings are enjoying a resurgence in popularity as well. Forget about those monogrammed towels with matching washcloths and fingertip towels. No, we've become a lot more sophisticated than that. Tasteful hosts are going all out at their dinner parties. Clean, crisp freshly starched dinner napkins tastefully embroidered with fancy monograms add a finished, elegant look to the dinner table. And when you stroll into the sitting room, you'll find elegantly embroidered throw pillows embellished with - you guessed it - monograms.

Don't think that this trend is only for show. We are also using monograms in places that are not so public. Monogrammed pillows and pillowcases, even sheets, have found their way back into vogue. We are spending more time and money on our homes. It's those little touches that add to a warm feeling and make us feel pampered and special. We are borrowing more and more trends from the past to create this feeling of warmth.

What other trends from the past are enjoying a rebirth? Tracing our family tree has become a new hobby that you can do on your own or together as a family.

Once again, thanks to the Internet, it's easier than ever to access this information.

We are finding out things about our ancestors that we never knew before. Even the younger generation is getting into the act. My 7-year-old niece recently asked her mom to help her create her family tree.

Growing A Family Tree

So where do you begin? The best place to start is with your family. You can start with your parents, who probably have a lot more information than you think. People are funny about their family history. Some people are very willing to discuss it and some people are very private about it. You may have to do some serious prying.

If you are lucky enough to have grandparents that are still with us, call them and ask lots of questions. Ask them to share some stories - this is where you'll find the best information. And take lots of notes, or even tape record your interviews. Learn to read between the lines. Don't always assume that the information you are given is 100 percent accurate. I'm sure you've all heard stories about the brave immigrants who came here through Ellis Island. With accents that were difficult to understand and names that were even more difficult to spell, our ancestors' names became changed forever...until you did your research.

So you have your notes, you've sketched out your family tree, what's next? The next step is to turn on your computer. The number of Web sites that are available to research your family history is amazing. There are absolutely dozens to choose from.

If your family came here through Ellis Island, start at www.ellisisland.org. Between 1892 and 1924, over 22 million people came through Ellis Island and the port of New York. If you are lucky enough to find your ancestors' names here, you can also find other information, such as their age when they arrived, the name of the ship they traveled on and even an image of the ship's manifest. Another Web site to check during your search is www.ancestry.com. Here you can find census, military, birth and death records, and more. They charge a small membership fee, but it is well worth it.

The Family Crest

So you've traced your roots, you've created your family tree. Now you're ready to research your family crest. What is a family crest? It's a symbol that represents your family. The symbols consist of different elements that may or may not have significance like animals, flowers or leaves and so on. There are thousands upon thousands of family crests and you are sure to find your family's with a little research.

Using your favorite search engine, simply type in the words "family crests" and go to any one of the dozens of Web sites that specialize in this subject. You may even see a site totally dedicated to your family's name. Once you've found a site you like, start searching for your name. Be sure to use the exact spelling of the name, and - voila - you have your family's crest. You'll even get a little of the history behind it.

Now that you have your family's crest, how can you use it? Most sites offer .jpegs of the artwork of your crest for a minimal fee. This is great if you are a digitizer. Simply import the artwork and digitize away. If you are not a digitizer, for a slightly higher fee, you can order your family crest pre-digitized.

Once you have the digitized design, now comes the fun part - creating fun gifts for you and your family. How's this for a great holiday gift idea? Take a look at your family's crest. Choose a color from the crest. Purchase some beautiful wool scarves - men's, women's and children's - enough for the entire extended family, and embroider away. Your family will have gifts they can all be proud of.

Are you planning a family reunion and want the perfect gift for the entire clan? Something they can take away with them to remember the family reunion? How about caps embroidered with the family crest? For a recent family reunion, I created embroidered caps for the entire family. I embroidered the family crest on the front with the person's name on the back of the hat. They were a big hit.

And don't think family crests are just for adults. How about this for a great baby gift? How about converting the colors of the family's crest to pastels and creating an embroidered baby blanket unlike any other? Don't stop there. There's lots more you can do with your family crest. Don't dismiss a left- chest design on sports shirts . Embroider one for each member of the family. Do you need a wedding or shower gift? Monogrammed towels are nice, but dare to be different. How about towels for the bride embroidered with her new family's crest? She'll love them.

The fashion world is getting in on the crest action again as well. Crests were big in the 90s. Who didn't own a navy blazer with a crest? And when corporate casual first took off, everyone had a golf shirt or a denim shirt embroidered with a crest. Today, designers are using crests as design elements on dresses and evening wear. Why should your embroidery business be any different? Take advantage of this popular trend and add a line of crest apparel to your line of embroidered products.

Lisa Muller has been in the embroidery business since 1982.