Monday, June 30, 2008

A Thrifty, Gifty, Bonanza

One trip to the mailbox and one garage sale trip and I'm a trip happy girl. Last week during the deadly headache I received a package from Stacy of My Two Cold Feet. I won a giveaway on her blog which was for some fabric and yarn, but look what arrived. This whole bunch of goodies. Stacy, you'll notice the prickly pear cactus jam is missing. Well, it's gone, eaten, enjoyed and it was scrumptious. We loved it! She even sent some pieces of her great grandmother's fabric. Those dots are flocked. Is that not the coolest! I'll be sure and use those in something very special! Thanks so much Stacy for your generous gift. I love it all!





















I went garage sale shopping with my hubby on Saturday and did a few thrift stores too. Usually I'm looking at the Thrifted Tuesday group pictures on flickr with serious thrift envy. Where do folks find all those great things? Well, I finally scored a few things.
1. Flower power curtains for 50 cents a panel. There were 8 panels. I only bought four. This lady must have had her whole house done in these curtains. They are huge. So much fabric for only $2.00 total and I think it's so 70's flower power!
2. Three sets of knitting needles. Each set 99 cents. I knew I was getting yarn from Stacy...but I don't know how to knit. So all you knitting wizards...what did I buy? Green ones are 4.5mm US 7, gold are 4.25mm 6, and the blue are USA 8. HELP?! What does it mean and can I make a scarf using them and the yarn from Stacy?
3. Two huge pieces of polka dotted flannel $1.00 each.
4. Vintage tablecloth with strawberries cut into 36 6" squares $2.00. Can you see those as a picnic quilt!
5. Pyrex bowls $2.00.
6. Fire King casserole, and bowls for $2.00 each. Is that a bonanza or what!

One of the sales we stumbled onto was an estate sale. The lady of the house had to be a quilter. The basement was filled to the brim with boxes of fabric. I spent all the time I had going through the boxes picking out the fabric I might use. The hubby grew impatient and dragged me out of the basement. I could have spent the whole day. There were so many boxes I didn't get to touch. I got a bunch of fabric for a couple of dollars. It was weird, though. I felt a bit like I was digging through someone else's stash without permission. I got over it and walked away with some fabric I will definitely put to use. Pictures to come soon. (fabric is in the washer!) Oh, and there was one piece I was so in love with it's already cut and half made into a baby quilt. It's wonderful how great fabric can inspire creativity!





27 comments:

Cathi said...

What an absolutely fantastic day you had! Can't wait to see pictures of the fabric you found!

Anonymous said...

Wow, fantastic goodies. Looks like you had a great mail day.

MichelleB said...

So much great stuff! I'm dying to see the estate sale fabric.

Unknown said...

Now I'm envious! So much great stuff that will be put to good use and Stacy is a good blogger to giveaway so many nice pieces.

erica e said...

good job! sounds like a wonderful day. i'm sensing that thrifting is addicting! the more i hear about it the more i want to do it. and the more i do it the more i want to do it.

Kathleen said...

Wonderful lot of stuff Jacquie. The needles will work on wool that is around 8ply...think that is sports weight in USA ...you can mix yarns together if they are not 8ply. I am about to knit up some Kaffe Fassett inspired cushions myself as it is a tad nippy here.

Nanette Merrill said...

Lucky you. I love pyrex, love vintage table cloths, and love Stacy. She's a doll. And you, my friend, deserve those goodies.

Rebekah said...

very cool finds! Those curtains are great. As for the knitting stuff, I'd start out with the blue size 8 needles. You should be able to use those with the yarn that you have. Usually yarn labels will recommend what size needles to use. I would check out knittinghelp.com to see some tutorials on how to knit. Start out with the long tail cast on video and then move to the knitting tutorial. I'd start out with the Continental style if you're a crocheter, or the English style if you've never tried knitting or crochet. Have fun and enjoy!

Oiyi said...

Oh you got some great stuff!! You are going to love knitting.

Stephanie D said...

That is some wild fabric in those curtains! Can't wait to see how you use them. I love the polkadot flannel and the bowls!

Wish I could have gone digging through those boxes of fabric with you. DH is not allowed to go to sales with me, though he's usually a pretty patient guy. I just don't want to feel guilty leaving him out there for so long.

As for the knitting--can't help you there!

Tine said...

Such great things! I love the fabrics and the pyrex!!!

Pat at Bell Creek Quilts said...

What great finds! I always marvel at the wonderful bloggers are able to find...you must have an eagle eye for hidden treasures!

QuiltedSimple said...

What awesome finds - I never find fabric at garage sales - guess I'd better keep looking!!

Darcie said...

I am SOOOOO jealous! Not only do you have that super duper place called Revival...you've got the best estates to scavenge!!! Way cool!!!

That flowered fabric! I cannot wait to see what you come up with. I'll be waiting for something oh-so-Jacquie! ;-)

Hope said...

I'm having thrift envy! Must go soon :) Great finds!

Anonymous said...

Greens eyes of jealousy here! Oh to have been at that estate sale, my hubby would have drug me out too, lol.

Amelia said...

You found some real "treasurers". Spending a $20.00 bill this way is much more exciting that trying to find something for that same amount of money at another store. Certainly can't get that "high" for spending $20.00 at Dillards, or at least I don't.

Have a safe 4th.

Alice Grace said...

Congratulations on some great finds!

Leanne said...

Lovely blogging goodness and some great bargains.

The Calico Quilter said...

Love the wild floral fabric! I had kitchen curtains sort of like that in 1973 (mine had more orange)! And what great deals on the bowls and such. I never find good stuff like that here.

As for knitting, better talk to Paula at The Quilter. I can't even wind the yarn into balls without messing it up!

Amanda Jean said...

what great bargains. I wish I would have been there to dig through teh fabric with you...how fun!

Kieny The Dutchlady said...

Wow great shopping! The label that's on the yarn will tell you what size knitting needles is best to use. It depends on what you want to knit. If you've never knitted before start with something simple and not too big.

Allison said...

I like those flower power curtains! It's always exciting to score like that at estate sales or thrift stores, etc. I like those Pyrex bowls too.

Thanks for leaving the comment on my blog. I'm in KCK too. We were on a field trip with friends at the Olathe Fire station.

I have my blocks cut out and need to sew them hopefully tonight.

Sarah said...

great stuff! i have a couple of those bowls, but i am having yellow bowl envy!

Anonymous said...

I love the vintage tablecloth squares! It always feels so good when you find cool stuff like that, doesn't it?

Ruth's Place said...

Fabulous finds! I'm green with envy in fact :)

As for the knitting, you generally use a thick needle for a thick yarn. From what I can see of your yarns and needles, they should go very well together. You can try and knit a sample on each set of needles to see what sort of fabric it creates with your yarn and which one you like best.

There are some great learn to knit videos on line - have fun, but be warned it's a slippery slope to a yarn stash!

susan said...

woohoo! great thrifty day!!!
i am so envious of your strawberry squares!!! they will make an awesome table cloth for a picnic table