Home

[insomniac]

I've never really had a dinnerware collection.

It's been a hodgepodge. I do have some Fiestaware that matches.

[Sooner]

Huge! But remember, I am old! My first "china" was Corelle and I HATED it. It is glass and I didn't like the feel and texture of it.

I have a lot of blue and white, some sets of Lenox, Wedgwood and use white from Williams-Sonoma for every day. Then there is the crystal but we won't go into that.

[Shogirl]

I've collected way too much dinnerware down through the years, and my husband just surprised me with the Williams-Sonoma Christmas dinnerware! I told him I needed more Christmas dinnerware like I need another hole in my head, but he was insistent because he knows how much I love Santa, and there is a Santa and reindeer across each dinner plate. Soooo, the nice thing is, I don't have to unpack my Home for the Holidays Holly dinnerware; however, I'm going to have to find somewhere to store the new stuff once the holiday's over. Did I say my husband's a sweetheart? Well, he is!

[Mominohio]

My name is mominohio, and I'm a dishaholic.

I started by adult life with a set of Corelle (Old Town Blue) with all the matching accessories. I had been receiving pieces as birthday and Christmas gifts since I was about 16 (had a great hope chest when I moved out!). I still use that set (and have added to it over the years to have service for 12) today. Then, when my widowed mother sold her home, I inherited the blue and white Currier and Ives dishes that had been my grandmothers. They acquired them a piece at a time through the grocery store offerings, and growing up, those were our 'china'. Working in thrift stores for years, I added heavily to that collection as well. I also got my mom's hutch and for a couple of decades, that was my happy dish world.

Well, after another move, my mom decided to get rid of the set of Pfaltzgraff she had used as her everyday dishes in our later years at home (Village). I had also enlarged this set to contain not only service for 12, but every imaginable accessory piece. We put it in a garage sale, and no one took it (boxes full with all the expensive serving sets) for $100, so, I kept it, stored in the basement for years.

At some point in the last 15 years or so, the lid has blow off. I see dishes like others see purses or shoes. I see beauty in almost any pattern, style or design. I have Temp-tations, I have not only my original Corelle, but the old patterns from the 70's in green brown, and gold. I have some Corning Centura, some retro atomic stuff from the 1950's, I have snowman dishes from Kohl's several years ago, and on it goes.

I have sets of Staffordshire in a curio that are never used, and a mix and match of several vintage and antique dishes that look Victorian from the time I decorated that way. I can't go to a flea market or a thrift store and not look at the dishes. Oh, and I came across a set of Pfaltzgraff Yorktown, with every imaginable accessory that is just sitting in the basement as well.

I have lots of cupboards and shelving in the basement, and most sets that are stored down there are brought up and used at various seasons or events. They are all organized by pattern, and I enjoy switching things out every couple of months for the holidays or the changing seasons. The three original sets I have all live in the kitchen and dining room, and get used on a regular basis.

Couple this with my affinity for Corning ware, older Revere and Farberware, and Pyrex (so out of control with that one) and I'm sure I need an intervention.

To those who have lost so much in quakes (or any other disaster) I'm so sorry. The sets of dishes that go back in my family are very treasured to me. The other's I could let go of, but those that we have shared meals with through the years who are no longer with us, somehow bind me to those family dishes like nothing else I own.

[JeanLouiseFinch]

mominohio - I might have you beat or at least we can be sisters from another mother. I've been married 36 years. I am a SUCKER for dishes and had several collections over the years. My current stuff is what I've used the longest (around 15 yrs.) and love a lot so I won't be changing anytime soon. My dinnerware collection is so large that it's embarrassing. Several years ago, I became a Longaberger consultant because I yearned for Longaberger dishes and many accessory pieces (casseroles, serving bowls, platters, you name it). I have gobs of it. All of the Classic Blue is in the kitchen as my everyday set. I have so much, it takes up a double cabinets and the top part of a hutch. I have Ivory for my dining room, and there is PLENTY there to divide into probably two very nice, complete sets or 3 modest sets. Honestly, we could have a crowd for dinner (24-30 people) and everyone would be using the same kind of plate. There are dinner plates, luncheon plates, bread/dessert plates, bowls, dessert bowls, custard cups, not to mention the usual casseroles, backing dishes, serving pieces, etc. Then, there's my Christmas set....so many pieces (pretty much a duplicate of what I already names with the ivory set) that I had to buy special cabinets to store it all in. None of this takes into account what I had prior to signing on with Longaberger.

First set - stoneware set from Service Merchandise - probably service for 8 (gave it away when I bought new)
Second set - Correlle Wildflower - service for 8, plus matching casseroles and such (think I sold it at a garage sale when I wanted new)
Third set - Correlle Abundance - service for 12 (don't remember what happened to it, but I wanted Fiestaware)
Fourth set - Fiestaware - used it for awhile, but ended up disappointed with it because it showed marks. Consequently, this is when I started buying my Longaberger pottery. The Fiestaware got packed away and now my son has it at his place.

Also during this time, I had collected a huge set of Pfaltzgraff Tea Rose as my dining room set. I liked it for awhile, when my LR/DR was that country blue & mauve, but when that went out so did the dishes. They're either packed away or I gave them to my niece who likes the pattern.
Chirstmas dishes - I had a big set of Holly Berry China, bought at Venture (remember that store?). They're still packed and stored for whom ever wants it one day.

I'm telling you, when I die my kids will be swearing as they divide up all the dishes.

[morning glory]

I love sets of dinnerware. I have a set I call my good China. They are light blue and cream. I have a set of Butterfly Meadow from Lenox. I have also a set of Franciscan in the apple pattern. I have Spode turkey plates for Thanksgiving. I have a set of Christmas dishes from a dime store my husband bought me when we were first married. Not a great set but they have sentimental value for me.

I have Blue Willow plates I collected from the grocery store years ago and it is still my favorite every day set of dishes. I have my mother's set of dinnerware she only used at holidays. I like it because their are four colors in the rims around the plates and when I was growing up I always wanted the pink ones. They are vintage from the 50's and hold a lot of memories for me. I recently purchased on clearance another set of Lenox dishes with pictures of fruit on the rims. I think QVC sold that set at one time. I have a set of red depression glass and also one in the light blue bubble pattern. I love dishes but I am running out of places to store them.

[NickNack]

I have 8 place settings of Wedgwood Nantucket Basket that I love. It's white dinnerware. I've had this for about fifteen years and will never change it. I use it every day and it's suitable for use as good china, too. My flatware is Reed & Barton 1800, and I still like it a lot, too. I've had it for about the same length of time.

I also have a set of Spode Buttercup that was my grandmother's. She had about 12 place settings plus some serving pieces. I think it's beautiful but don't ever use it. I've been thinking of selling it to Replacements, but it would be so hard to pack it up and ship it.

[occasionalrain]

Too many. I love china and like to change it seasonally. Right now, I'm trying to remember which box has the Christmas service. I should be more organized, maybe some day that will happen but I wouldn't put a wager on it.

[beach-mom]

On 12/11/2014 occasional rain said:

Too many. I love china and like to change it seasonally. Right now, I'm trying to remember which box has the Christmas service. I should be more organized, maybe some day that will happen but I wouldn't put a wager on it.

I also change out seasonally. I inherited Fiesta ware and added to it, so that's my standard everyday set, but I have others I put out in spring, fall, summer, and of course, this time of year!

[Mominohio]

On 12/11/2014 JeanLouiseFinch said:

mominohio - I might have you beat or at least we can be sisters from another mother. I've been married 36 years. I am a SUCKER for dishes and had several collections over the years. My current stuff is what I've used the longest (around 15 yrs.) and love a lot so I won't be changing anytime soon. My dinnerware collection is so large that it's embarrassing. Several years ago, I became a Longaberger consultant because I yearned for Longaberger dishes and many accessory pieces (casseroles, serving bowls, platters, you name it). I have gobs of it. All of the Classic Blue is in the kitchen as my everyday set. I have so much, it takes up a double cabinets and the top part of a hutch. I have Ivory for my dining room, and there is PLENTY there to divide into probably two very nice, complete sets or 3 modest sets. Honestly, we could have a crowd for dinner (24-30 people) and everyone would be using the same kind of plate. There are dinner plates, luncheon plates, bread/dessert plates, bowls, dessert bowls, custard cups, not to mention the usual casseroles, backing dishes, serving pieces, etc. Then, there's my Christmas set....so many pieces (pretty much a duplicate of what I already names with the ivory set) that I had to buy special cabinets to store it all in. None of this takes into account what I had prior to signing on with Longaberger.

First set - stoneware set from Service Merchandise - probably service for 8 (gave it away when I bought new)
Second set - Correlle Wildflower - service for 8, plus matching casseroles and such (think I sold it at a garage sale when I wanted new)
Third set - Correlle Abundance - service for 12 (don't remember what happened to it, but I wanted Fiestaware)
Fourth set - Fiestaware - used it for awhile, but ended up disappointed with it because it showed marks. Consequently, this is when I started buying my Longaberger pottery. The Fiestaware got packed away and now my son has it at his place.

Also during this time, I had collected a huge set of Pfaltzgraff Tea Rose as my dining room set. I liked it for awhile, when my LR/DR was that country blue & mauve, but when that went out so did the dishes. They're either packed away or I gave them to my niece who likes the pattern.
Chirstmas dishes - I had a big set of Holly Berry China, bought at Venture (remember that store?). They're still packed and stored for whom ever wants it one day.

I'm telling you, when I die my kids will be swearing as they divide up all the dishes.

It feels so good to know I'm not alone!!!

I did the whole blue and mauve thing for a long time too! And the Tea Rose was a beautiful pattern I thought. I'm glad to hear you say you left Fiesta behind. People are very loyal lifetime customers, and I love that it is made here, but I just don't care for the 'plainness' of it. I love the many colors to mix and match, but I can't get past the fact that everything is solid, and the shapes are boring to me. I like some curves and some squares as well. And I need a little pattern in my life.

I just got the Longaberger pottery bug. Had their baskets since forever (most I got dirt cheap second hand), but I would never lay down the money for the pottery. Not that I didn't think it was worth it (when made here anyway) just couldn't afford it back then.

Well the Homestead has pretty much turned into an outlet store, so I've been hanging out down there every couple of weeks this summer and fall. I haven't gotten any dinnerware, but boy have I loaded up on big mixing bowls, parfait cups, twisted square bows, casseroles, platters, the pumpkin pie dish, bean crocks, pitchers, quite a few wrought iron pieces, and bunches more. As I'm sure you know, everything was way marked down then half off of that. I went nuts! Best quality pottery I've ever seen, even if it is made in China right now. Hope they get it back here soon, and it's a shame they were set to go with a factory in New York, then it went out as well. From what I understand they are back to the drawing board on this again. Hard to believe they can't find a pottery left here that can do the job. That is just how far gone our once thriving pottery businesses is.

We go to a lot of estate auctions, and I love a good one. Nothing more fun than spending a warm sunny summer afternoon watching people buy up and give new homes to the lifetime collections of someone who has gone on. People are friendly, conversations strike up, and a sense of camaraderie develops as the day moves on, with people excited for you (or you for them) when you win the bidding on something you really wanted. I've told my son and husband that a whole bunch of people are going to have a blast at my estate auction! It will be like a treasure hunt for someone like us!

Is your pottery the cream background with the small blue trim, the original stuff they made? I love that line, and someday I'm going to pick up some of the made in USA dinnerware on ebay. Everything I have is the solid color stuff, but I love the way the older design and the newer solid stuff mixes. I like the way the pottery I got this summer mixes with my Temp-tations patterns and calms them down a bit as well.