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What Was I Thinking
Dec. 11th, 2018 05:14 pmMy quilt guild had a What Was I Thinking sale today. All the stuff there was quilting supplies donated by members clearing out stuff they're not going to use, and the proceeds go to the guild. I came prepared with cash, thinking I could probably pick up some fabric.
There were several tables piled with all kinds of fabric, two sewing machines and two sergers for sale, a pool table of miscellaneous quilting gear, a box of pattern packets, and an entire counter of quilting books. Though of course I wanted to just jump on the table and roll around, the average age of the guild members is about sixty, so it was a quiet and respectful sale. I tossed a couple bundles of fabric across the table to a friend of mine who said she wasn't buying anything. Last I saw of her, she had an entire armful.
The books were three for two dollars. I don't have the shelf space for this... but you know how weak I am against cheap books. I picked up a few paper piecing books (aka American paper piecing or foundation piecing) - I feel like people give up on paper piecing way too easily because it looks scary. It honestly is just sewing by numbers! Anyway, my gain! I also picked up some scrappy quilt books, including the magazine by Joan Ford - I started quilting with her first ScrapTherapy book. (Still haven't finished the quilt I was making for myself, actually.) I found a copy of The Quiltmaker's Gift - I love those lush illustrations. Then there were a few art gallery books - one of dainty little art quilts of houses with lace accents, one of prizewinning quilts from the eighties, and one of gorgeous Japanese quilts. There was a fat book of teddy bear patterns, because why not, I've done a few teddies, and a few watercolor quilts and stained glass quilts and strip piecing quilts in case I feel frisky.
The notions table provided a surprising find - a ruler carrier! Instead of a big wobbly tote bag, all you need is a little wood chomper with a marble and spring inside, and a fabric strap. Of course, I broke it before I left the building, which was half my fault for testing it on things that were thicker than cutting mats, and half its fault for being too thin, made of pine, and cut on the crossgrain. My dad fixed it for me with a new bit of hardwood when I got home. I'm thrilled with it. It was a dollar, and it has opened up whole new worlds for me.
And then, of course, there's the fabric. I got a reasonable amount of it. Snail is going to love the Northcott Stonehenge panel, and if they don't, they're going to love squares cut from that fabric. It's their kind of color, as is the greeny blue half yard of deep ocean waves. Molly will enjoy the shirtless men in the Alexander Henry Christmas fabric. I got a couple of panels of cloth printed with patterns for stuffed toys, including a three dimensional Christmas tree (I intend to stuff it for my niece, and then unstuff it when she leaves so it doesn't eat storage space all year) and a rather dapper frog. I also got some oddballs like a glittery glacier scene and a deer and hunting dogs kit at the end of the sale because the fabric was free at that point.
There were a couple oddballs like a wallet pattern and some texture magic too (it crumples when you iron it, and I've already made a purse with it), and they were extremely cheap.
And then there was the serger. I always said if I got a second machine it would have to give me something that my Heavy Duty Singer doesn't, like embroidery or serging, and, well, it was fifteen dollars. In good shape, because the owner just bought it, took a class, and realized she hated garment sewing. So I have a serger now! I have a lot of clothing patterns that I haven't been touching for fear of bungling them with a zigzag instead of the serging they need.
Overall, I think I wasn't too impulsive - I am definitely going to have a hard time finding homes for the books on my cramped shelves, but they were cheap and intriguing, and I already have some plans. Should have bought more magazine holders at Ikea. I didn't get too much fabric - it probably comes out to about four yards. Not even a shoebox full. The serger was a surprise, but it was dirt cheap and I figure it's worth a shot! If nothing else, I have some tshirts that I can mend now.
I escaped twenty nine dollars lighter, an a massive armful heavier.
There were several tables piled with all kinds of fabric, two sewing machines and two sergers for sale, a pool table of miscellaneous quilting gear, a box of pattern packets, and an entire counter of quilting books. Though of course I wanted to just jump on the table and roll around, the average age of the guild members is about sixty, so it was a quiet and respectful sale. I tossed a couple bundles of fabric across the table to a friend of mine who said she wasn't buying anything. Last I saw of her, she had an entire armful.
The books were three for two dollars. I don't have the shelf space for this... but you know how weak I am against cheap books. I picked up a few paper piecing books (aka American paper piecing or foundation piecing) - I feel like people give up on paper piecing way too easily because it looks scary. It honestly is just sewing by numbers! Anyway, my gain! I also picked up some scrappy quilt books, including the magazine by Joan Ford - I started quilting with her first ScrapTherapy book. (Still haven't finished the quilt I was making for myself, actually.) I found a copy of The Quiltmaker's Gift - I love those lush illustrations. Then there were a few art gallery books - one of dainty little art quilts of houses with lace accents, one of prizewinning quilts from the eighties, and one of gorgeous Japanese quilts. There was a fat book of teddy bear patterns, because why not, I've done a few teddies, and a few watercolor quilts and stained glass quilts and strip piecing quilts in case I feel frisky.
The notions table provided a surprising find - a ruler carrier! Instead of a big wobbly tote bag, all you need is a little wood chomper with a marble and spring inside, and a fabric strap. Of course, I broke it before I left the building, which was half my fault for testing it on things that were thicker than cutting mats, and half its fault for being too thin, made of pine, and cut on the crossgrain. My dad fixed it for me with a new bit of hardwood when I got home. I'm thrilled with it. It was a dollar, and it has opened up whole new worlds for me.
And then, of course, there's the fabric. I got a reasonable amount of it. Snail is going to love the Northcott Stonehenge panel, and if they don't, they're going to love squares cut from that fabric. It's their kind of color, as is the greeny blue half yard of deep ocean waves. Molly will enjoy the shirtless men in the Alexander Henry Christmas fabric. I got a couple of panels of cloth printed with patterns for stuffed toys, including a three dimensional Christmas tree (I intend to stuff it for my niece, and then unstuff it when she leaves so it doesn't eat storage space all year) and a rather dapper frog. I also got some oddballs like a glittery glacier scene and a deer and hunting dogs kit at the end of the sale because the fabric was free at that point.
There were a couple oddballs like a wallet pattern and some texture magic too (it crumples when you iron it, and I've already made a purse with it), and they were extremely cheap.
And then there was the serger. I always said if I got a second machine it would have to give me something that my Heavy Duty Singer doesn't, like embroidery or serging, and, well, it was fifteen dollars. In good shape, because the owner just bought it, took a class, and realized she hated garment sewing. So I have a serger now! I have a lot of clothing patterns that I haven't been touching for fear of bungling them with a zigzag instead of the serging they need.
Overall, I think I wasn't too impulsive - I am definitely going to have a hard time finding homes for the books on my cramped shelves, but they were cheap and intriguing, and I already have some plans. Should have bought more magazine holders at Ikea. I didn't get too much fabric - it probably comes out to about four yards. Not even a shoebox full. The serger was a surprise, but it was dirt cheap and I figure it's worth a shot! If nothing else, I have some tshirts that I can mend now.
I escaped twenty nine dollars lighter, an a massive armful heavier.
