yardsale, shop till we drop

Two grand daughters of a friend from church are visiting me today.  We started the day out hitting thrift shops and yard sales.  Three of my grand kids joined up with us about half way through my spending money-lol

I think there are going to be several families that are not going to be happy when they see what their kids bring home!

Breely kept the Flinstone collection and the Dora dolls.  Karlee is keeping the Scooby Doo set and Disney.  Lane has the Super man friends.  Not pictured are Amelia's  set of Simpsons family and Tweety birds.  Jasmine has Looney Tunes (I stole the Rooster)  Ben gets Mario and Madagascar animals.  Andrew is getting the Monster inc.

I kept the giraffee for a friend and am negotiating for the zebra-  we will see who wins that one.

Special thanks to Carol for letting me steal her girls today.  I have had a blast spending quarters and dimes!

auction finds cont...

Half of the yard at this auction was lined with boxes of misc. Many went for $5.00 for choice, then many more for $3.00. Half that was left for $1.00 a box. I did NOT get any from that round. The other bidders staked out their 'finds'.

I did however get the rest of the lot for a $2.00 nod of the head.

Thought hubby was going to kill me. I am still surprised he loaded it all up. (Not surprised that he had tie-downs in the back seat)

Bless his heart, I think he even enjoyed the trip home.

Conversation included: How much do you think it will cost to just take this all to the dump? along with: Do you think it is burnable?

Sarah is coming over today to help me unload it all to the basement. We will sort it and just see what $2.00 can purchase. The fun part is going to be re-gifting it. Good news is that if we don't get it done, then I will have a good start on being a Hoarder- maybe I can get a TV show!

Looks like I am going to have to take a day off work just to dust!

Cookie Jar was NOT in the boxes for $2.

I actually picked this one up after the table was picked over at a $3.00 for choice.

Since he sits near my "design" wall, I think I will use him to hold my clothes pins.

Auction--there goes the NO BUY!

Couple of Disclaimers:
1- I suggested we take the car (I never buy anything big enough to need the truck)

2- I really don't like auctions (that is starting to change)

3-I learned you can fill a truck with a $2.00 nod of the head (I'll save that for a future post)
As always there were a couple of things I wanted to bid on. I know that I will not win them so bidding is just to say "I tried".
I scout for items of interest. Speak in code to the hubby (things like, I would like the blue quilt top with state flowers if it can be bought for less than $50. To which he will reply: You don't need it.)

That's our system and it works well. I look, sometimes get a bid or two in, but rarely bring anything home.
I figure if I like it enough to bid on it, everyone else participating will like it more.

For some reason today's event was set up for me to learn a thing or two. There were three quilt tops for sale, I won choice at $20. I took the embroidered state flowers and a double knit bow tie. (I love double knit- I hope to spend a year or two quilting all my yard sale/auction finds some day)
The State/Flowers top may get re-set at a later date. A few of the seams have personality. I think I can quilt them out but just for giggles I might choose to explore a different setting.

Can you figure out which state I live in now? (hint: MO)

I also ended up with a box of sheets, some of which I may use as filler on a couple of my double knit tops.

We had specifically gone to this auction to look at a couple of items of interest to the hubby. I didn't see anything I wanted when reading the add in the paper so I brought a couple of quilt books to read while he watched the sale.

I really think I would have be satisfied with just the two tops but we had time to kill before his 'Want List' came up for bid. Opening bids were all higher then his Intended Purchase Price. (Fine by me, more $$ for me to spend!)

I will do a post later showing off just how much one can get in the back of the pickup. Good thing hubby keeps tie downs on hand.- cw

Last Yardsale for 2010- plant stand!

The weather is starting to turn a bit chilly. I was surprised to see a couple of yard sale signs up over the weekend.

It never hurts to stop and take a look.

I am a long time 'Junkie" and usually have to get my 'fix' at the local thrift shop.

Some how this plant stand saw me coming and followed me home. Can we keep it?

Of course hubby thinks it is the crazy-est thing I have ever bought. My thought is surely I can do worst....give me time and a few bucks.

Both of my girls claim dibs.

It certainly has 'character'. It also has a lot of areas that need dusted!

What is the strangest item you have brought home this year, tell me the what and why.

Scrappy 4-Patches

A while back I picked up a shoe box full of 4-patches from a friend's yard sale. I am sure she had purchased them in a similar fashion years ago.

Fabrics look to be from someones stash over several decades. The 4-patches were hand sewn using 3" sqs. and a bit to wonky to trim up.

What to do?

I started by sewing in sets of four. The new blocks measured between 10 1/2 and 12 ". I pressed them and re-sized to 10 1/2" (I tend to re-size to whatever size sq I have on hand)

I had a rather large gold sheet set back to use as backing on a scrappy project. I just couldn't help myself and cut it up to make the setting triangles and strips to frame the alt. blocks.
Because the 4-patches were not all the 'same' size I bordered them first and then trimmed to 10 1/2".

My hope is that in the future when someone tries to copy this top they will drive themselves nuts cutting strange size pieces of fabric. (Just kidding)

I have a bunch of 4-patches left, I may take them apart to two's and make a chain to border the top. I can't imagine trying to sew this all by hand, it would have been a wiggly mess. My guess is the original maker had the same feeling about the blocks and that is why they were in the yardsale.

I will look at this for a day or two and decided on borders. I can see doing 3" of black and then 6 1/2" of a sky blue print (calico?)

Second choice would be take the other patches apart and do a checkerboard framed with more yellow.

RW&B pt 1

Normally when I post, I add my photos first and then write my 'story' round them.

For some reason tonight I have several ideas I want to get in print and am not sure where I am going to start.

Instead of sitting at the keyboard waiting until my brain figures it out....I decided to just start writing and 'see what happens'

Here goes----

Last week, good friend Pam told me about a shop having a 'yard sale' on items not getting moved to the new location. I did a brag post on the huge amount of scraps (fats, strips & yards) that I brought home.

I am proud to say that it is all sorted, some has been re-gifted and some has been set aside to age.

I saw a top the other day that got me to thinking that I wanted to make a similar piece.

I will do a post on that block after a bit.

My motivation was to use some of my new scraps and create a quilt that has a Red White and Blue feel to it..

I drew out what I wanted and tonight sewed up a practice block.

As usual I now have several ideas of how I want to proceed.

I am thinking about showing the blocks and the thought process and letting cyber friends vote for a layout or design. Kinda like a 'flip a coin' without the flipping.

As a disclosure for me Red can be any red in this case the reds are leaning towards civil war repos

Whites can be any lights (as you can see mine in this box are tans and creams)

And Blues are what is on hand

In case you worry I won't have enough, rest assured, my scrap wall can fill in where I am lacking from this busted NO BUY.

Part II will be showing off the top Jennifer made and my thoughts on how I would do a similar one (If that is what the cyber friends vote for me to do)

Before you start feeling the pressure, know that I am prone to making TO-DO's and Kits so even if you persuade me to commit to something, don't hold your breath.

Be good. cw

Yard Sale-Home Spuns

I am not sure what I want to do with this pile that was gleaned from the $$ bag quilt shop yard sale I busted my self-imposed NO BUY on last weekend.

Should I:

1- measure the fats and scraps and put them on a shelf to age?

2- strip cut them and make a piano key border for a future home spun quilt top?

3- request pattern ideas from my cyber-quilter-friends? (then lose them on a shelf w/a pattern?

4-do a contest and gift them to the winner to do 1,2 or 3 with?

What to DO, What to DO, What's a gal to DO?

YardSale Find- don't look if you are busting stash!

Good friend Pam suggested I run down to one of her favorite shops and check out the 'yard sale' they were having.

Hubby ran down with me. We did a couple of errands, had lunch with my sister and her girls and got to the shop just before they closed!
I love scraps so I spent my time at the $$ per bag table. There were several sizes of bags, I started with a smaller one and quickly realized that it was not going to work.

Since it was so close to closing and the gals knew the bag prices would be 1/2 price the next day, they let me fill a large one for $20.

I weighed it when we got home and .....drum roll...... 26.5 lbs.

It was not even packed full. I started out being selective but then just started putting it in by the handful. I ended up with over 50 of these fat quarters of Christmas labels. (They will be re-gifted as stocking stuffers for the quilters in my group)

I sorted by 'colors'. At first I was looking for lights, so that pile has a lot of cream, yellows, tans etc... it also grew to include browns.

The greens and red were mostly repos and I have enough to do several pieced tops.

My favorite find is all the pre-cut strings and 2 1/2" strips. My head is spinning on what I hope to use them for. Another Benito box top maybe?

Strings are being added my collection and should get worked in to my TO-DO list soon.

Strings are 1 1/2" irregular, most are Width of Fabric~

Strips are mostly 2 1/2" WOF with a small pile of 3"

The flannels have been sorted out and bagged to mail to cyber-friend Erin.

The homespuns were put aside to gift out but after looking at them I may make another scrappy version of the 7-shirts quilt.

I may also do a separate post on them and figure out a give-a-way.

I have no clue how much fabric I am adding to my 'collection'- I am so glad I don't keep track, bet this not only blows my self-imposed NO BUY but it slows down my stash-busting too!

Yard Sale find- hand appliqued

OK, one more from the yard sale stack. (When I find one I usually find several.)

These ladies were hand appliqued. I know I over paid a little but think I can get a nice quilt for my personal collection out of the better blocks.

The quilt was being offered at a sale a friend was doing for her daughter. I think the top was originally picked up at an auction.

The blocks were all hand done and extremely well constructed. I am guessing back in the '40's or '50's. The fabrics are fantastic. There is evidence that this was stored for quite awhile before the top was set together.

The setting seems to have been done more recently (within last 5 yrs or so) The blocks were set in horizontal rows and then sashed with a yellow strip. The back was a newer white sheet and the batting seems to be from a roll sold at local Wal-marts.

If I had to guess, the blocks were made and forgotten. Someone else tried to make the top and possibly a third person got their hands on this to attempt the quilting.

The back will be washed and added to my pile of backs for charity quilts. The batting will be aired out and re-used. The setting strips may get cut down and re-used to set these girls. I am not committed yet as to how I want to proceed. Another possibility is to work these blocks into several projects. I think there were about 30 altogether so I am sure I will find something just right To-DO with them.

Yard sale find for $35.

Another yard sale find- diamonds anyone?

I don't know if this one is so much of a 'find' as a rescue. I didn't get a before picture.
There were not additional fabrics to finish this top in the direction I thought the maker was going.

I remember this shade of blue from a few years back but didn't have enough in my stash to do any good.

Short version is I had to 're-do' a couple of stars. I took one completely out (couldn't be saved) and moved another to square up the sides.

I considered cutting off the points to give me straight edges. Instead I appliqued white borders on to try keep a usable size.

Now that I have it this far, what do you want to bet I FIND a blue sheet that matches. Not even going to try look for one. This future utility quilt is getting a white back and hand tied. (Just a bit to wiggly to machine quilt)

Not bad for $5.00 and a couple of hours of fix up.

cw

Maple Leaf Blocks, yard sale find

Another Yard Sale Find makes it to the top of the TO-DO list.

These Twenty Four ( 12 1/2" )leaf blocks were discovered hiding in a pile of treasures not yet put away.

Normally I would at least iron and re-size before setting the blocks. (I am not into trying to wash them first, I take my chances with poss. running colors)

Because these were hand sewn, I didn't risk re-sizing them.

I sew by sight and these were fairly easy to get matched up. I made sets of four and then spent way to much time considering how I wanted to set them.

This pattern is not a particular favorite so I don't see myself taking the time to do my own. However for $5.00 the pre-sewn blocks looked appealing. Settings can be easy or hard and I ended up choosing easy.

I went with an inner border of 4 1/2" from a white sheet (I think I matched it pretty close) Then a narrow 2 1/2" w/black (again left over sheet) followed w/a wider 6" from white.

I like the simple look to the top. Lane and Karlee came over tonight and they both 'like' it too.

I had considered doing a pieced border using solids and decided against it.

I also considered doing something appliqued and passed.

So for today it is finished as is- a nice size utility quilt. Tomorrow however may be another day and another idea.

I am teaching a class in a couple of months on free style letters. I have been wanting to do something in solids, maybe some sort of ABC 123 or a winter/spring/summer/fall.

It is never done until the binding is on so this one may get one more session at the machine this summer.

Be good - cheryl

Yardsale find, Lone Star needs background

I decided to go with a flat black for the corners and sides. The print went on the back and will brought to the front for binding.- cw

I Picked up this 'star' at a yard sale for $5.

It lays out flatter than this picture suggests.

I had no idea as to what background to try use. My creams look to close to the lights and I really didn't want to go white.

I considered black.

Mary made the suggestion that I look for a print to busy it up a bit.

Lane and Karlee went with me to the big box store and helped pick out the fabric. It has all the colors of the star and a bit of green too.

The kids were rather pleased with their selection. I was too. Enough so that I purchased enough to do the back too.

What a yard sale and sold a house?

MO Broker- my Creative Side
• 2009-Jul-25 - I have another TO-DO!
I was able to sneak in some yard sales yesterday between showing houses. (I didn't really sneak b/c the client was with me) Found a box of scraps that I know I am going to have fun with. At first glance (that's all it takes) I was thinking some of it would go in the barbie doll pile (an on going tote of fabrics that may debut at doll dresses someday). Turns out after digging around that there a chunks of the fabrics that will be perfect for a crazy quilt.

I have another on going tote of men's ties, silks, velvets, etc... set aside for a fast crazy quilt experience (to date the pile has been seasoning about 10 yrs, might be getting ripe enough to officially be a ger-er-done- or a least a pull them out and fondle em agains)

Plan has been to collect till 'know' I am ready and spend up to 10 yrs hand working the blocks. could be a fun 'take along project' especially seeing as how my embroidery thread collection seems to be growing too.

The realist in me considers using machine stitching techniques to speed it along- but really after 10 yrs of collecting, do I look like I am in a hurry? I think it has been several yrs since I cut the muslin backing for the blocks. May be time to start pinning the larger pieces and see what I have.

I 'wrote' about this before I sorted it all and took the picture. Turns out I have several 'new to me' fabric scraps to add to the scrappy-scrappy pile. I don't have time to iron anything right now but have decided to start a TO-BE-IRONED box to take with me on road trips. How fun is it going to be to iron in the motel while hubby is napping!! (I don't want to ruin my "I don't iron at home" reputation! be good cw