Hi everyone,
It was interesting hearing the eating habits of some of your hubbies and I had to laugh at a few of the comments. I don’t think there is anything my hubby wouldn’t eat. He used to not like sweet potatoes, but he has since come around and loves them now. So I guess I’m a very blessed wife who can make anything (WELL… almost anything) and he’ll eat it!
Okay, if you are a seamstress or a quilter or even just a nominal sewer… you’ll understand my weakness… if not, just wait for tomorrow’s post and maybe you’ll relate to something else I talk about!
I stopped at a Thrift Store here in town the other day. I don’t stop at it as often as I do other places, but maybe I should now!!!!! (or maybe I shouldn’t!) EEK!
While I was just looking at what they had, the manager (who is a friend of mine from Homeschooling days) came up to me and said, “I have something in the back you might be interested in!” Okay, I’m in… and followed her to the back, where she showed me 2 stuffed white garbage bags filled with something. I peeked in the bag and saw piles of fabrics, and what I saw first were Civil War fabrics. I can spot them a mile away, as I LOVE making Civil War dresses! Susan told me to just look through the bags and see if there was anything I liked. ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? LIKED??? Why, if space wasn’t an issue I’d take the whole bag. But… I was restrained and began looking through them with a careful eye. Well, truth be told, I really did want all of them… the browns, the blues, the tans, the blacks… I loved them all.
Many of the fabrics were cut in 1/2 yards pieces and some were 7″ wide x 45″ and some pieces were several yards long…. name brands too… Thimbleberries, Moda, Marcus, and lots more. I looked through the other bag and it had some brighter pieces in it, but there were 1/2 yard cuts of fabrics that were coordinated and someone obviously was going to make a quilt….probably for a young child.
Anyway, I didn’t want to get my hopes up because Susan’s idea of “a deal” and my idea of “a deal” might be miles apart. So I went conservative and had a stack about 18″ tall, and asked Susan how much this would be… she kind of hem-hawed for a minute with a co-worker and asked, “would $10 be okay for these?” It sure would! But I told her I needed to look again and “make sure I hadn’t missed anything!” HA! I just wanted to look at them again. I did find a few more that I added, but decided I probably should leave some for someone else.
Susan told me things like fabric pieces didn’t sell very well there and they were such a low priced item, ($1.00/yard) it wasn’t worth their time to spend getting them out, so lots of time they just sat them under the table and would work on it later. They did let me go through the bottom tubs of fabric, but it was mostly fleeces and things I didn’t necessarily need. (HA again!)
Some of the smaller pieces of Civil War prints, like the cream prints, could be used as the bodice part and then I’d have to add something else for the skirt and sleeves.
So now that I’ve told you my weakness… (which I think you probably already knew) let me show you my new treasures!
Okay, so this is the whole “Civil War” grouping… If you click on the pictures they will enlarge) Some of the fabrics look a bit washed out from my lights.
These are those lighter colored prints I was talking about…there are 2 of most prints.
I really liked these 2 black pieces on top and think there might be enough for a Civil War dress for each one. The other prints have 2 of each of them too…
Then there were these…
These 2 pieces had some yardage on them… maybe 2-4 yards each… really nice quilt shop fabrics.
Here are a few more of the lighter prints…
These were some that were smaller but I liked them… especially the orange-ish pumpkin print.
In the second bag there were “blues” and some were really pretty…
Out of ALL the fabrics I got, this one was my favorite… It is gorgeous!
Isn’t that stunning?
Oh, I forgot, there were these 2 batik fabrics in the bag and I loved these… even together!
Here are the brightly colored prints that I’m sure whomever brought this bag in was intending to make a quilt from. They are really nice quality and many different prints. (It was probably some child who is cleaning out her mother’s quilting stash!) Yikes! :o(
So in the end, Susan gave me a tote full of the fabrics… for $20! Woohoo! I was thrilled! I know, I know, I know… I already have fabrics and am supposed to be weeding out… but as I said earlier… only the seamstresses or quilters will understand why we do this!
Bottom line… I JUST LOVE FABRICS! I don’t have as much as some, but I do have plenty… and now I have something new to grace my shelves with! That makes me happy!
Well, that’s it for today…
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
Wow, what a treasure trove!! And such a great price, too–how could you pass that up?! And you got to pick and choose….and, at the same time, saved the people at the shop some time in having to sort thru all of them.
That tiny orange pumpkin print will be nice for the smaller dolls. I just love that bright-pastel blue/white print (fourth from the left in the “blues” picture), the bright lime green with stars in the last picture will make a fun modern outfit, and of course I just love the batiks. (You should see how many batiks I have in my stash!!). You, however, may keep all the browns and beiges, as they are not my thing at all! To each her own, right?
It looks like Daniel might be going home from the hospital. By tonight (Wed.), he was off supplemental oxygen, and chomping at the bit to get out of there. I had to rein him in, and remind him he has been Very sick, and not to be in too much of a hurry! And I saw some pictures of Sarah, and her incision (from her bypass surgery) is healing well, and she is feeling good and so very appreciative of everyone’s prayers.
So good to hear all is well with Daniel and Sarah. Continuing prayers for them until they are fully healed.
So pleased to hear about Sarah and Daniel. They have been through a lot!
Hope that Daniel is out of the hospital and glad that Sarah continues to do well. What a relief for you, Charlotte. Now, you’ll have to bring them some treats, with doctor’s approval, to keep up their strength.
Jeanne, I love all those beautiful prints, especially the browns, oranges, and golds with a touch of green, since they are the colors of my favorite season, autumn! You sure do have a lot of pretty fabrics to choose from for a nice, fall Civil War dress! I guess Addy will be very happy to see this stash, and already might be wondering what she gets to wear next!
However, I would like to see what you could cook up for a Civil War dress for a RRFF doll. With a few exceptions, most of them are dressed in modern clothes. You rarely see anything remotely traditional made for those 14 inch dolls other than pretty, modern dresses or maybe costumes.
Charlotte, glad to hear that Daniel is close to going home. I think most men have a harder time of it being in the hospital than women do. We know better that it takes time to heal ! Good news about Sarah too!
I am sort of at a loss for words, Jeanne. WOW okay… HolyMoly!
Here we go then.
I love all of your choices and yes, I am always overwhelmed by beautiful fabrics.
Well you are very lucky.
All of the prints are incredibly pretty. The brands are always so well made and so lovely to the hand. Gosh, I would have been overwhelmed.
A thrift shop does not usually get sewists or quilters, so I am sure she is
in a quandary about how to put these out for sale. She could just bag them up in threes and put in a zip bag. Very difficult. It makes me think about what I should instruct my survivors to do with my huge inventory 😂
She could contact some groups that make quilts and stuff for kids. then again that is what I would go over there with the idea of making a pile of quilts for little kids or others.
you made good choices…. wow. I love all of your “pickings” 😁 …. I kind of feel like driving all the way over and to that shop – right now!
Yesterday I went out to get gas, get some “complimentary pints of paint” for the new house at McCormick paints, and then noticed the thrift shop Blue Ridge Hospice charity shop!!! This is the charity that I am donating things after we move out. I hope we have a nice pile for them, but we shall see. The shop was very enticing, oh my. I did not stay long bc it was pouring rain and I wanted to just go home. I like the idea that they have a drop off area in the back for smaller stuff.
I hope all of you have a happy snappy day.
A sewer’s dream, to fall into a tub of amazing fabrics and all for $20.00. Wow, so many lovely prints there. I found that the brown and rust colors were drawing me in the most. Why, I don’t know, since I’m a blue/green fan, but maybe it’s telling me that fall is coming early this year. And I really agree with Linda, about a Civil War dress for the Ruby Reds. That would be so much fun to see. I also pictured a simple jumper with a blouse underneath too sort of like Polina’s outfit. Something comfortable and fun to wear. But, whatever Jeanne decides to make will be exciting.
Very little was accomplished here outdoors yesterday. I think we needed a break. Hope to get back on it today after a trip to Trader Joe’s.
Fall is coming. 🙂
You made out like a bandit Jeanne!!
I just now pictured all your dolls in civil war style outfits!!! That means little uniforms for the ‘boys’ too!😊❤️
What a haul! I feel guilty and it’s not my stash! I really an a sucker for tiny beige and cream prints. I’m a fan of the Anne of Green Gables look. Polina’s dress is ideal. Have a great day all.
Wow!! That certainly is being in the right place at the right time. So many beautiful pieces to choose from. I’m sure it was difficult to make a final decision. In picture number 9 I love the texture of the green print on the top. There is also a blue version in the next picture of the blues. I hope you make something from one of those. I would love to see it made up.
I received my Maru Mini Luna yesterday. She is a cutie. I am now caught up on previously ordered dolly daughters. I just have the new L’il Dreamer coming next month then I probably had better get my dolly fever under control for a while. I got my two Mini Maru dolls in the door claiming that they were my Christmas and birthday gifts from last year that have been late in coming. Hubby suggested I consider them advances on this year’s Christmas/birthday. I gave him the evil eye but I think it was a gentle hint to put the brakes on since there have been three arrivals within a week. Not my fault. I tried to space them out. But I am blessed by the fact that his hobby is wine and beer making and that doesn’t come cheap either so I do have wiggle room for my hobbies.
I wasn’t aware that your husband was a wine/beer enthusiast. Other person’s grandfather had a wine press in the basement of their house in Denver, many years ago. In fact, all of his friends would get together and buy a train boxcar load of grapes from California, and have them shipped. Then, everyone would make their own wine, Italian style. Other person’s father would deliver wine to his father’s boss on the back of his bicycle. Not like it is done today though. 🙂
Hope e get to see a pic of your new Mini Maru Luna. 🙂
So glad to hear Sarah and Daniel are both doing well, Charlotte.
What a treasure of gorgeous fabrics you found, Jeanne. Now you’ll be able to sew nothing except Civil War dresses for the rest of the year. 🙂
Jeanne, what a great haul! I am sure we all under stand and wish we would have been there! Looking forward to seeing what you make from them.
I got my Ruby Red doll, Savannah, this morning at a breakfast. It was a lot of fun and doll is gorgeous. I can’t wait to share her with you. I have a lot of lovely dolls to show with y’all. Have a great rest of the day.
Oh, looking forward to seeing Savannah, and your others.
So, I know fabric content i.e., cotton, linen, silk, etc., but what exactly makes these Civil War fabrics? (I assume it’s the prints, but what makes one print “Civil War” vs another print?)
I was kind of curious too, so I looked it up. Ai says: Civil War reproduction fabrics aim to replicate the appearance of textiles from the 1861-1865 era, characterized by muted colors, small-scale prints, and historical accuracy. These fabrics often feature earthy tones like browns, grays, blues, and reds, derived from natural dyes, and small, delicate patterns such as florals, vines, stars, and dots
Thanks Joy! I think I kind of had an idea, although, but nothing specific.
Congrats on finding such a bargain of the civil war era fabrics!! I love the tiny prints and have ordered some of mine from Fabric Shack online (https://fabricshack.com/index.html), but even 1/2 yard pieces add up. Your fabrics made me think of the two Civil war era dresses I made for my Ruby Red dolls, along with the undergarments and shoes to go with the period outfits!
I am sending you photos of two of my old-fashioned outfits I made for my Ruby Red dolls, using a Pemberley Threads “Molly” dress pattern, and one of their bonnet patterns. I also made the dolls their undergarments, stockings and shoes to go with these period outfits! I hope the photos go thru to you in case you might want to share them with the other sofa sisters! I used your same email address where I sent the Kimberly doll photos so I hope you will be able to receive them!