Sunday, March 17, 2013

Luck 'O The Irish

 I am half Irish and my love of the treasure hunt and the rescue comes from my Mother.  I always joke that she never taught me how to cook but she did teach me how to build a fence!
 Those Irish eyes must have been smiling on me yesterday because I found a few treasures.  I threw caution to the wind, left my housework undone, and headed out to an estate sale instead.  I got a batch of those sewing treasures I love including another tin of buttons and an advertising needle card to add to my collection.  The braille Reader's Digest is from the VOA.
 Vintage magazines and needlework pattern books and yes, I bought another oil can for my collection.  I just love the old advertisements in the magazines and have been planning to put together some ephemera packs and frameable ads for my Etsy.  That Trailer Travel magazine at the top of the picture is dated 1952.  I will take one of each of the trailers pictured!!
 A nice pile of lace and sewing notions for my inspiration kits.
 Three amazing little quilt squares.  I have no idea what I will do with these but how could I pass them up?  Be sure to click this photo bigger so you can see how they are made.
***UPDATE***
 Maggie tells me this pattern is called Catherdral Window and she has a whole quilt that her mother made in this pattern.  It must be a sight to see!
 I love this huge book of state bird and flower embroidery transfers.  None of them have been cut out or used.  This will be headed for my Etsy.
You can see the size from my hand in this photo.  These would make a gorgeous quilt!
It dumped rain yesterday but I see some blue sky out there today so must make hay while the sun shines!

16 comments:

Lesa said...

Wow, you found some wonderful things! Congratulations! I went to our local thrift shop Friday and the place was jammed. Lots more people than usual and hardly anything on the shelves. I think I've just learned that our tourist season may not be the best time to go there. I only bought books which is rare for me.

Betsy@My Salvaged Treasures said...

I had fun inspecting all your new found goodies, now I want to dump out that tin of buttons and sort through them. Fun stuff!!

Jewels said...

wow what a great haul - I would frame those quilt blocks - I can just see them hanging 3 in a row in "shabby" white frames - and what great ephemera - I am drooling!

Maggie said...

Hi Kathy, you sure have been getting a lot of great stuff lately!

My mom was an avid quilter. One of her earliest was a queen bed size masterpiece, just like the squares you show. She called the pattern "Cathedral Window", and it is such a cool technique, with the various patterned fabrics framed by the curved muslin. I ended up with it when we divvied up her precious things. Lucky me!

Speaking of luck, Happy St. Patrick's Day :-)

maggie

Annette said...

My favorite thing you found is the bird and flower book. Never used! Very cool find.

Annette said...

The quilt blocks are awesome! I learned how to do the cathedral window years ago and always wanted to make a small quilt. You got some great stuff!

Terri said...

What a great choice, to go to the sale instead of cleaning! Yay! You did well, great stuff! I love that you got a braille book. And the redwork patterns are making me drool! I love those patterns!
So glad you had a great time.
Hugs,
Terri

Into Vintage said...

That liquid embroidery pattern book brought back some memories -- I went through a liquid embroidery phase when I was a kid! The travel trailer book is a great score and so are those little quilt blocks. I'm always amazed by whomever came up some of those intricate quilting patterns.

Laurie said...

Oh, those wonderful patterns! That would be so much fun!

vintage grey said...

Such lovely treasures!! Those quilts squares are gorgeous and I have watched someone make them before, but have never tried. Maybe one day I will!! xo Heather

Barbara said...

My mom made a few of those Cathedral Window pieces, and I have the directions but no courage! Yours are so pretty.

Blessed Serendipity said...

Do they call you the button lady in Portland? The bird embroidery patterns brought back a memory for me. In 5th grade in school we were each given a state bird to embroider, but sadly we had to give them up when they were completed. I don't know what happened to them. Probably someone made a quilt with them.

xo Danielle

The Polka Dot Closet said...

Wow, that is my kind of estate sale!! I love lace, buttons, sewing stuff...Why you and I would have been rolling around the house fighting over all of these goodies if i had been there lol!

Carol

CATHY said...

a fun batch indeed - I still don;t know how you are able to part with your finds....you may need them one day!

Maureen said...

Kathy, hope you had a fun St Paddy's Day - I am half Irish too! We celebrated with Irish stew of course - yum. I love all your new treasures; and those quilting squares are awesome! I can't wait to see what you make with them - they deserve to be seen!

Cheryl ~ ZanyMayd said...

Hi Kathy,
You sure have the luck, whether Irish or not.... Love all the treasure you find, the buttons in your next post are fabulous~ I'm so tired of not having a car, I always have to wait for someone to drive me to go treasure hunting, makes the spear of the moment hunt a bit of a problem...
My Grandma always wanted to do a Catherdral Window quilt, but she did keep us all warm in granny square afghans ~ Thanks for sharing,
Cheryl