Thrifting 9.10.11

I went thrifting yesterday. Surprise? I didn't think it would be, lol. I found a few more awesome things.


I found a ton more sheets, mostly yellow-based, a baggie of buttons, a baggie of vintage bindings and trims, a few Japanese mugs with birds on them, and a Singer Tiny Tailor.

Vintage Sheets


Singer Tiny Tailor


Japanese mugs


Sewing notions


The sewing machine was only 5 bucks.

I also found a brand new Ann Taylor Loft skirt with the tag still attached that was originally priced $69.50 for only 40 cents. It is a silky navy and cream crosshatched fabric and has asymmetrical pleating on the top. It was a 50 cent green tag item and I get 20% off my purchases. I was so shocked and excited.

I think I should give thrifting a little break. Ha! Yeah right!

Thrifting 9.9.11

I should stop... I just can't help it though. I wasn't going thrifting after work Friday, but then I told myself I will just stop into my fave place after I had lunch. I think I did well because I didn't buy much, but let me tell you! I hit thrifting gold in my eyes. There are few things that make me more excited than finding vintage sheets and pillowcases, and those things are vintage sewing supplies and notions and vintage sewing books. Ladies, ladies!! I found both a new (vintage) sewing book and the most wonderful thing that I have found in many moons: a box full of presser feet!!!!! Ecstatic!! Let me show you my findings.

My Loot

I managed to come home with more vintage belting. It's in a dark grey/brown color. I also found a vintage housecoat made by Sears; it reminds me of the Vera sheets with the leaves and butterflies but it has bright orange flowers on it instead. I'm probably going to use it for the fabric, not sure yet. I found some navy blue with red silky fabric. It also has woven circles on it, really adds some nice texture to it. I got a vintage pillowcase, a Kenmore sew-by-color (box of machine feet), and the sewing book. I am so happy to have found the last two objects. I mean I love them all, but I am especially infatuated with the box and book.

Kenmore sew-by-color




Oh my! This tiny little box has sooooooo much goodness inside of it that you can't even imagine!! When I first saw the box lying on the shelf, I didn't think it would be too promising being that boxes I see like that are usually empty by the time I get to them. So I picked it up and sort of shook it and heard rattling. I thought that the rattling was probably buttons and a bunch of whatnots. BOY! Was I wrong! I opened it and noticed the jumble of presser feet all over the place and sewing cards galore.I didn't think all of the feet were inside, but then again I didn't really care. If I had gotten only 4 extra feet, I couldn't be upset. It was only $2.97 and actually cheaper than that because I get 20% discount at that particular thrift store. So I bought it, duh!! Lol. As soon as I got inside my car, I opened it up and start situating the pieces. The beautiful thing about that box is that it is fully color coded and has a placement and number setting for every foot that is inside. And on top of that every foot has a card that is color coded and explains how to use the foot. I sorted the feet back into there places and noticed I was missing 2 things. I wasn't upset. But as I was moving the box to put it down, I heard more rattling. Two of the items had gotten stuck underneath the place settings! The only thing I am missing from the box is the number 2 card which is the quilting guide, and I think I can do without that. The box even still has the original price tag on it. It was originally 10 bucks back in 1960. I paid $14.99 just for a generic ruffler foot. Inflation!
Included in this beauty:
- color-coded cards giving a description of each sewing aid
- cutting guide which is put onto scissors to cut even strips of fabric
- quilting guide
- adjustable zipper foot
- gathering foot
- attachment foot which is used to attach some of the other feet
-screw-in seam guide
- 5 hemmer feet (narrow, 1/4", 3/8", 5/8", and 7/8")
- edgestitcher
-binder foot
-ruffler foot

Now I already own a harrow hemmer, 1/4" hemmer (that I couldn't use because I didn't have an attachment foot), quilting guide (that I've lost), an adjustable zipper foot, gathering foot, and a ruffler, along with some other feet that weren't included in this. But it also has some feet that I've been dying do get my paws on. Now I have them...and in a neat little container too.
Now I just need to test them all out!!

Finally on the back-to-school bandwagon

Although my little missy isn't in big kids school yet, I'm about to get her into Pre-K. What better time than now to get her used to the school routine than now? I needed to sew a lot this weekend. I felt that I had to. And I felt so bad that I haven't sewn a lot for my daughter lately. I actually felt REALLY bad about it. So I decided that Saturday it was all about her. I got up extremely early (as in started sewing around 5 a.m.) and started to sew a backpack for her. It was just preliminary, plus I didn't have any fusible interfacing. So she can actually use it as a play bag for the moment.





It's made from some sheet scraps. I'm going to embroider her name on it later. I think it's adorable, and she is so excited about it!!


I also made her a late summer pintucked dress. I say late summer because the sleeves are a tad longer for cooler breezes, although I accidently made it a little short. But it is perfect to wear tights underneath it. I also made it squareneck just to make it a little diverse from her other dresses. I added the tiniest pintucks on the neckline, sort of making it a faux yoke.














And finally I made her a two-layer skirt. She's very much iinto skirts right now. I think she's a girly-girl! It's so cute. I chose some not-so girlish colors for this one. I don't want her to get stuck in the "girls have to wear pink" state of mind. Personally I don't really care for pink, but eh.... Anyway. The skirt is pretty long. It'll be perfect to pair up with some cute little stockings and mary janes.









And I also finally organized my sheets and pillowcases by color! Most of them are here on this shelf. I still have a few running around all loosey-goosey. But I'm happy I got it done!

Now if I can just tackle the tote of scraps I have, everything will be just peachy!!!

Thrifting 9.2.11

I have no idea why all of a sudden I have been having excellent times at the thrift stores lately, but I hope I'm not jinxing myself! I keep running into the very sheets that I have been coveting for the longest of times. Not only that but I usually find either two of the much lusted-for linen or I find a king-size of it. Gosh! I'm just as happy and giddy as can be right now!

My finds

I found 2 twin-sized turquoise and purple striped sheets. I have been wanting these to come my way FOREVER! Now if I can only find the blue stripes..... Anywho, I also found a King skinny pink striped sheet. I think that one is so sweet; it has 2 shades of pink in it. I think it'll be great to use in place of the wider pink stripes that I always seem to accumulate. I also picked up a pillowcase that I think I already have. I know I have a sheet in that blue/purple floral print, but it's nice to have pillowcases for small projects. I also got a few zippers. I didn't really need them, but I wanted to make more hanging laundry bags so I was prowling for 20" zippers and grabbed those. They had a plastic shoebox overfilled with unused vintage zippers and another half of a 13 gallon tote of loose zippers. I should never run out of zippers so long as I shop there! I also picked up some vintage trim/belting. I like them though. Not really sure what they are. I think I may use some and put the rest into the shop. They are wide, so I'm guessing they are belting of some sort because they are finished on both sides. They had so many of these.

Sheets and pillowcases


Trims



This trip was to Harvest Thrift Mission. I am telling you this is my FAVORITE thrift store!!! I found just about all my sewing notions here. They have piles and piles of everything: industrial sewing machine thread, mountains of zippers, stacks of patterns, everything a vintage collector could drool over. And college students get 20% off their purchase. I love love love this place!! Whooo! Sorry for that. I get really excited. Anyway what have you guys thrifted lately that you're totally ecstatic about!

Shop Update

Just letting you all know that I added the pillow shams to the shop. I even added a fifth one to the collection. Enjoy your day!!

Vintage sheet love!!

I have been nonstop with sorting through my vintage linens, trying to use up the scraps and cut into the new ones (and some of the old ones, too). After making my monogrammed pillow sham, I have done nothing but work on more. I've been enjoying cutting and ripping sheets that I've just found and ones that I've forgotten I had and piecing them all together like a puzzle. I'm also enjoying the numerous color combos that can be created. I made four yesterday.





Strawberry Limeade




Fruit Punch




Sparkling Lemonade




Blue Raspberry




I love the patchwork and bright colors; they make me happy!! These will be available in the shop later this week along with some knapsacks I've been working on.
{Have a happy day!!!}

Thrifting 8.27.11

I haven't had thrift scores like the two I've had today and yesterday and an extremely long time. This excites me! And makes me want to make lots and lots of things. Actually it makes me want to take a freshly laundered sheet, lay it out in my yard, and just rest and read on it. It's just the perfect weather for it; gotta love late summer! Anyway, sorry for digressing.
I found 5 more sheets and 2 more pillowcases today. I'm so glad. I won't have to go thrifting for a while (yeah right!!). The blue/green floral one is a sheet that I have acquired many times over the years. I wish I could find the pink/red version of it. The striped pillowcase is another that I have a couple of, but you can never have too many stripes, right?



This is another favorite of the trip. I love the light pinkish-peachy color it has. I also have it in a golden yellow, but I like this pink one better.


Well I'm off to finish laundering these babies.