Thrift Share Monday's - August 29

Got some small finds this weekend, and I mean small by small in size.

I'm sooo happy I finally was able to score some sheets this week after about a two week lull.  Yay!

pillow cases

One of my small finds was this small bowl.  Not too sure if it's for a candle or maybe salt.  Do any of you know?  The cashier at the estate sale said it was silk glass, but isn't that a form of Vaseline glass?  I checked it under my black light and it didn't glow, but then I don't think my black light is that great either.  :-/

At the same estate sale I super scored these sewing machine needles for $3.00.  Awesome!!!

Saturday I went to another estate sale and made an unlike me purchase.  The estate was of an individual who was a coin collector.  I don't know much about coin collecting, but I grabbed a few pieces anyway, and being 50% off I was pretty much just trading my money for equal value.  I actually paid $15 for $13.41 worth of coins, and based on the casings the coins came in, not a bad deal.

Randomly picking 10 of these $1 presidential coins. Is it me or is Lincoln staring right at me? 

This 1909 wheat cent in case; unfortunately it doesn't have a view of the back.

 and a President Reagan Commemorative Coin.

Then this 1977 (my birth year) proof set, in case, which displays the coins front and back.

I like the small sized purchases....they don't take up any room.  ;-)

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PSA - Zipper Feet do NOT have protection.

Do any of you know what I am talking about before I go into detail?

Well.... my sewing machine got me.  Or should I blame it on I should have been sleeping instead of sewing?  Like I tell my kids "if you weren't doing that then that would not have happened!".  This saying usually follows my 3rd, 4th and/or 5th time telling them to stop doing something before one of them gets hurt.

Quilting foot with protection

Zigzag foot with protection

It wasn't too late at night, about 11 p.m. when I ran my finger under my machine needle, but I did tell myself several times prior "I need to go to bed".  So if I had listened to myself then it would not have happen.  We need to listen to our pestering conscience sometimes.  

The zipper foot is not a foot I use too often, and when I do it's for smaller zippers....so it's slow sewing, and very brief.  However, I'm attempting a pencil skirt and was installing a zipper maybe 2-3 times longer than the 4-7" zippers I have.  The length of the zipper meant a longer distance and a somewhat quicker speed then I usually use and without....I guess looking.... or I just simply was paying attention to the zipper and not my finger then that's when it happened.

The tip side of my finger got clipped by the needle right next to my nail.  It was enough to draw blood; where you hold your finger after the incident and debate if you should look because you don't want to see how bad it is.  "Ah! that's not good."    I think I made it worst, by reflex, because I pulled my finger instead of letting the needle come back up.  So instead of a puncture wound it ended up looking like a really deep cardboard paper cut.   Ouch!!

I haven't paid much attention in the past on how I sew.  Maybe my finger usually glides next to the box of the feet I use.  The feet I use normally have the hole in the center of the foot so the foot is "protected" by a  metal border (see above pics), but the zipper foot is the opposite.  The foot looks like a foot and in the center...leaving the needle out loose looking for trouble.

It's all good now, kinda.  Still sore. 

So this is my Public Service Announcement to you all, if this has not happened to you...yet.

Watch out for your zipper foot they do not have protection.

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Thrift Share Monday's - August 22

What a weekend.  With the kids back-to-school today my weekend was sprinkled with back-to-school shopping with a dash of thrifting.  Good thing estate sales started early this weekend.  There were two that started on Thursday that were within my usual driving route, so I got my thrifting on early. 

I was excited to see this estate sale open early, usually they start around 9 or 10, but this one started at 8.  It was a mad dash to do a run through, so I could be to work on time (my usual 8 minutes late).  In my run through I got some great Vaseline glass and a really neat jug.

During lunch I hit up my second estate sale, on Thursday, and got this really cute tea pot ($2).  It will be great to have in the winter when it's hot tea weather.  

I also got this really nice umbrella.  It looks oldish, but the fabric is in fantastic shape and for $3 it was a steal compared to the cheap ($9) umbrellas sold elsewhere.

*Sigh*  Can you tell I'm yearning for some cool weather and rain?  Well at least I can use the umbrella to blot out the sun and create some artificial shade.  It's HOT!  Check out the temps for this week.

Saturday I re-hit the estate sale I went to Thursday morning to see if there was anything I wanted at 50% off.  I only walked away with these super cute fabric napkins, and I was surprised they were still there.  I picked them up on Thursday, but put them down.  Good thing I did because now I got them for half the price. 

My last thrifting stop for the weekend was at my faithful nearby thrift shop (even though it's been holding out on vintage sheets the last two weeks).  I scored a bag of 8 mason jars (I have a project in mind for these) and a bag of 4 soda fountain glasses.

Does anyone else get bothered by this?  Does your thrift shop bag glass items together?  It makes me nervous, especially when it's something I want to buy.

Oh! and the soda fountain glasses still had their original labels, Crate and Barrel, got 4 for $2.99.  Is that a deal or what?

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A new shop love

Now I know many of you have been on this horse already, but the penny pincher in me couldn't get pass the cost of shipping. 

A pet peeve of mine is the cost of shipping on anything that I order, and with fabric purchases it's a big one.

What am I talking about, or more like whom am I talking about?  Well the wonderfully lovely Fat Quarter Shop.

I first ran into their fabric site November of last year (2011), and to my happiness they are not that far from me, BUT they don't have a store front.  *Sigh*.   As I mentioned above I'm a penny pincher (a selective one) and when I put into consideration the cost to ship fabric...well that's the cost of a half-yard of fabric (in some cases)!  And to ship to my house a few miles away, AY I couldn't bring myself to place any orders.  So my stubborn ways had prevented me from shopping here...  until now.

There are always great raves about the Fat Quarter Shop in Blogland.  They are all over the place with giveaways here and there.  Not to mention their huge selection of such wonderful looking fabrics.  The temptation was just too much, and browsing on-line sometimes is the only time I have to look at gorgeous fabrics, so that's how they got me.  On-line in the wee hours of the night I saw a few fabrics I just wanted (for no particular project, but just to have).  So the following afternoon I decided to place an order, and you know what?  I got my order the next day.  Obviously because they are somewhat down the street, but still how nice is that to get an on-line order within almost 24 hours?

Maybe I should think of the shipping cost like a cost for a personal shopper.  I tell them what I want and they pick it up and get it right to me the next day.

So I am now on the Fat Quarter Shop "horse" that many of you have already been on.  Yay!! I just hope I don't hurt myself by being on this horse with too many purchases.

Hi Fat Quarter Shop!  Thank you for shipping out same day if orders are placed by 3 just like your website says.

I love you!  (now I'm blushing)

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My Fav Friday

Hmmm... I've been debating on doing a weekly blog on my favorite things.  I know I have a few absolute staples in my life that I always want; like beverages, maybe a snack, and other weird silly life pleasing things.  So I'll start it today and see if I stick with it.

I'll start off with a daily beverage that I absolutely love love LOVE.

Chocolate Milk.

I've drank chocolate milk almost everyday as long as I can remember.  The days I go without might be when I go out of town, or I've ran out of milk (it's rare that I won't go out to buy milk the same day i run out, but there may have been that rare occasion when I haven't).

Chocolate Milk to me is a meal or a late night snack.  I absolutely WILL NOT drink milk or chocolate milk with a meal, but will drink regular milk with something sweet like cookies or brownies.  Chocolate milk and sweets do not mix.  For example chocolate milk and cookies do not go together, two sweets equal no sweets, the flavors get canceled out.  But that's just me.

When I was little my go to flavoring was Hershey's chocolate syrup, but that oddly changed (16 years ago) when I moved from El Paso to Austin.  Why is this?  I had the hardest time wondering why my chocolate milk no longer tasted the same, but eventually came to a conclusion.  I think it's because the cows changed.  Just like the flavoring of Mexican food from place to place so did the flavoring of the cows.  Well the flavoring of their milk that is.  (All you moms out there who've breast feed know this is true.  What you eat affects your milk.  So I think this happened with the cows.  Cows ate different hay and/or grain so the flavor of the milk changed.)

I'm weird with my milk.  In El Paso my go to brand of milk was Price's Milk, and I was a bit disturbed when we move to Austin.  Mom didn't bring home Price's milk anymore, so I had to go to the store and get it myself, but to my dismay nowhere in the milk section was Price's milk to be found.   This is when I learned some brands are regional only.  UGH!!!

I don't recall how long it took for me to find the taste I now love, but I did, and it's wonderful.

My favorite milk and chocolate flavoring is ......

Bordon (whole milk) and Ovaltine Chocolate Malt, and only chocolate malt.

Usually I'll have anywhere from 1-5 Ovaltine Chocolate Malt canisters ready for back-up.  This is one item I don't want to run out of.

I drink this combination anywhere from 1-3 times a day.  Every morning I make a glass for me and my son (my daughter got off the milk train, but will occasionally drink it).  Sometimes in the evening when I'm not in the mood for dinner I'll drink chocolate milk, and those late nights when dinner has been hours ago I'll have a glass before bed.

MMMMMMMmmmmmmmm it's sooo good.

Do you have a chocolate milk combination that you love in your area?  I'd love to hear it.

(I have not been asked or paid to proclaim my love for Bordon or Ovaltine, but I'd be more than happy to accept gifts from them since I do love them sooo much.)

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Thrift Share Monday's opps Tuesday- August 16

Hmmmm....  I'm not too thrilled with this thrift share.  My finds were small, but on the cheap.  Where were the sheets this past week!!!  I want some lovely Vintage sheets....Oh sheet fairy where are you?  I'm over here.

Friday there was a garage sale down the street from my house so I made a quick stop so that I not later than usual to work.  I grab some sparkle-y  fabric scraps, for who knows what, and some Calligraphy pens (for SNG's).  I only grabbed one box of pens and the lettering set, but as I was paying the garage sale hostess (?) grabbed all the other stuff and just gave it to me. All for $3.20.  (I never would have guessed there was an Idiot guide to Calligraphy.)

What I paid for and

What I left with.

Saturday I had a list of what seemed to be some good garage sales, and I think they were, but not much called out to me.  A large heavy metal desk for $10 did try to seduce me and it have me fighting with myself on whether to buy it or not, but I have no place for it....so it will haunt my thoughts on why I didn't buy it for the unforeseeable future....sigh. 

My itty bitty little purchases was this glass canister with lid; it may be great for a terrarium, and two small juice glasses (I do love the diamond pattern) and a small Fire King milk glass bowl. 

Sunday I revisited an estate sales I went on Saturday to see if there was anything good for half price.  I walked out with a super cute gravy boat (can a gravy boat be cute?), and this vintage enamel flower brooch.

There is a hole at the bottom of the boat to get the bottom/lean part of the gravy. 

 

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Vintage sheet request

Just the other day I received an email from one of my lovely readers (Hi).  She was inquiring about the vintage sheets I had listed on Etsy, and if all that I had were listed.  Ashamed to say, I do not have all my sheets listed on Etsy.  I've fallen behind on my listings, and in June and July quite a few of my listing expired, which I haven't re-listed.

My photography at times (more than less), is always dark and leaves my sheet posting not as appealing as I would like (I do make adjustments with the photo software, it helps, but not 100%).  This especially so for the items I initially listed on Etsy when I first opened my shop.  So I've had intentions on retaking photos and posting better pictures....., but that hasn't happened, yet.

The best picture taking lighting for me is around 6 pm, outdoors,  (You all may have seen how my photos come out when I take pictures indoors, blah.)  but I live in Texas and we have been dealing with high temperatures, 100+, so taking pictures outside is less than ideal.  Therefore, no pictures= no listings. Pictures for my blog is enough heat to withstand.  

Anyways, back to my lovely reader.  When she asked if I had more sheets unlisted I offered to send her pictures of all the sheets I'm currently hoarding stashing, and to my shock it was 51.  (If someone told me 8 months ago that I would posses 51 used sheets today I would have busted out laughing, almost certain they were crazy.)  She viewed the pictures I posted on Flickr and indicated that should would like a fat quarter of each sheet that I was willing to part with. (Well Yeee Haw!! haha I'm so not country)

So the next three days I spent some time unfolding, ripping, and refolding my sheets for this request.  That's a lot of sheets to fold, and I'm soooo not the laundry enjoyer, but this was something that needed to be done anyway since I needed more fabric for my vintage sheet quilt.  Therefore, I was able to kill two birds with one stone. Yay! 

I wanted the Esty listing to look nice for both my reader and others to see so I did take some time (outdoors) to arrange and take pictures of the fat quarters that she requested.  (By now my kids probably think I'm crazy always taking pictures of sheets, but honestly I'm a mom so I'm way past crazy.  Kids do that to you.) 

So whatcha think?  Not a bad stash of sheets for someone who didn't own one used previously loved vintage sheet 8 months ago.

I hope you enjoy them lovely reader.... you know who you are.  :-)

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Vintage sheet quilt update

I'm still working on my vintage sheet quilt, however you wouldn't be able to tell by my pictures that there has been much progress.

Now up to 88 strips of nine 2" squares, which will eventually turn into 9 x 9 blocks.  A total of 81 2" squares per block.  A total of 126 strips will be needed for the pattern I have in mind.  So that's only 38 strips to go, or 342 2" squares to go.  I like saying 38 strips...it sounds like I'm closer to being done.

Strips of nine 2" squares

I am using the chain sewing technique to initially attach two of the 2" squares, but the rest of the strip is individual, non-chain sewing.  I think this is because I have no set pattern to these rows.  Each row of nine is random and does not have a duplicate sheet, and I'm guessing no two rows will be alike.

Chain sewing

I've cut and bundled some of the 5" squares that will turn into 3 x 3 blocks (9 squares).  These will be quick blocks to sew together, especially after working with 81 2" squares.

Some of my 5" squares already bundled aside for a block of 9 squares (3x3).

It's amazing sometimes on how things happen.  This would not be coming together if it were not for my Accuquilt Go! Baby.  If you are a quilter (or not. I wasn't.) and don't have one of these cutters they are being given away all over sewing blogland so enter these giveaways to win one like I did.  Craft Buds has a page of weekly giveaways and Love Affair with my Brother is giving a Go! Baby away right now....seriously...until August 18th.  So go enter to win with them.

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Thrift Share Monday's - August 8

Miss my lack of thrifting last week?  My thrift fairy was nowhere in sight last week, or I may have over looked her since I was completely enthralled with this project, testing out a dress pattern.  I did go out to a few garage sales, but pickings were slim.

This weeks pickings were looking pretty sad too, but some vintage sheet action aways makes up for it.  I scored some great ones, and I just LOVE it when I find sheets that I already have and love, but in a different color.

Take these pillows cases for example.  I had a blue sheet in the same pattern, but all I have left of it now is scraps, since I sold most of it on Etsy, and some of it was used to make a buttercup bag and a market bag, both are currently listed in my shop.

This blue sheet pattern I already have in yellow (pillow cases) and pink (sheet).  So I was excited to add a third color to the mix.  The only sad part about these items is that the pattern isn't all over, only on about the top quarter of the sheet and the rest is just a solid color, but as I was moping over that fact I  just realized I could use the solid colors for the back of the vintage sheet quilt I'm currently working on.  I've been wondering what I was going to do on the back of this quilt, and now I know.  It's crazy on how somethings just come together.

These two are new pattens(to me), and colors to my mix of vintage sheet goodness.   I can't express enough on how happy it makes me to find vintage sheets that are completely saturated in color.  Slowly these are taking over my white with minimal patterned vintage sheets stash (YES!!!).

My non sheet scores was this great nesting doll, of seven.

And look at this super fabulous Hazel Atlas apple snack plate set.  I walked away from it, but came back to it thinking it could be a great teacher gift if I could figure out how to cover up the chip on the stem.  Any ideas on how to jazz it up to hide or cover it?

I've been on a Etsy listing hiatus, and I need to get out of this rut and start listing stuff again. Ay!

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Testing a pattern

Hmmmmm..... So I'm being a bit adventurous and have a wild hair thought.  My sister is getting married in November, and I need a dress to wear.  Ugh!!!

My closet consist of t-shirts and jeans, and an old work wardrobe of items that no longer fit or I don't think I would wear again (but I refuse to get rid of it because what if I one day I need professional (haha) office attire that is out dated?).

Anyway, so with weak attempts of looking for a dress I've become discouraged since I haven't seen anything that I like.   Grown-up gowns (I'm 33 does that make me a grown-up?) are way too big for me, and in the section where I usually get my t-shirts, teens, the dresses are way too short and/or not necessarily appropriate for a wedding.  *sigh*

I'll continue my search for a dress just right for my sisters wedding, but in the mean time I've thought maybe....just maybe.... I could make a dress.  It's been years since I've made some item of clothing for myself (about 14 years).  It was a sun dress and I remember really liking it.  I used a favorite dress as my pattern, and now looking back it could have been considered a pillowcase dress, minus the pillow case, just to give you an idea on how basic it was.

Now I want a "grown-up" dress that fits me (5' 2" 110ish pounds), and fits the vision that is in my head.

OK OK!!! I know it's a tad too short in the front, but I LOVE the wings.  Hi.  Yeah.  That's my taste, but once again I'm a jean and t-shirt gal.  Ho Humm....soooo boring.  

So.  I'm not as creative, manually, as I in-vision.  What's in my head is soooo much nicer then what I create by my hands.  Therefore, I needed to look for a dress and/or pattern to go off of, and searching the web I went.

I want something fitted, sleeves or straps, not too long,  not too low in the front, and pencil skirt-ish.  Then I found this.  

Yay!!!  I think this could be the dress if I could pull it off (sewing wise), and if I actually like the design once it's on me.   Love her black lipstick too (I'm vintage, goth, burlesque by heart, but plain jane in reality).   

I'm going for style B, the one in blue.  How can I feel like a grown-up with bows on my shoulders, duh! However, I'm sure they would look fantastic on someone a little taller than me, like 5' 10".  I always like the cutesy pheasant, ruffly, stuff but since I'm small those styles make me look like I'm my daughters little sister (if she had one).  Not the look I'm going for.  

Initially, I was gonna buy some muslin to test this pattern out, but then remembered I had a ton of this blue fabric with white polka-dots that I scored at a garage sale for 50 cents.  That'll work (or will it?).

Now I never, and I'm mean never, sewn from a packaged pattern like this before.  As you may have seen in my other post I've made purses and aprons.  I've even printed a large full size apron, but that did not have me prepared for the flutter, flowy, does-not-stay-still, tissue paper pattern that these are.  OMG!!!  How is someone suppose to breathe when handling this tissue?!  

Oh, note to others whom haven't purchased a pattern like this before.  Make sure you look on the package for your size (like if it would matter anyways).  It wasn't until after I opened it and unfolded it did it occur to me that I might not have purchased my size.  Did I?  I don't know.  My bust is a size 10, my waist is a size 12, and my hips are a size 16. So no one size would fit me right, and now apparently I have junk in the trunk.  *sigh*  Who makes these measurements?!  In grown-up sizes a 4 is too big, and now I'm possibly a 10-16.  What ever!

The pattern I have is 6-8-10. Is it too small?  Well I didn't let that stop me.  I proceeded to work on the largest size, and just went with it.  I'd pull out my corset, and squeeze myself into the dress if I have to.

The most intimidating part to this whole thing was definitely cutting out the tissue paper.  I feared I might sneeze and dissolve the whole thing, or some small breath would whisk it away to Oz.  But once it was successfully cut out I was relieved.  *Whew*

Back of dress with darts and pinning down zipper. 

Piecing it together was not hard at all.  The whole process was really painless. It's not 100% finished, but enough of it is done to figure out if it will work.

It needs to be more fitted, just slightly (maybe alter the darts), the length shortened, and back to the fabric.  The fabric I used, I think, is 100% cotton, and a bit stiff.  So it seems a bit blocky.  The fabric suggestions for the pattern are lighter, more flow-y, fabrics so the front doesn't fall in the manor I think it should fall, and it's a little too high.

Like the black dress pictured it seems slightly cowl-ish, and that's the look I'm looking for.  But that's the whole purpose of testing the pattern first, right?  Wanting to see if I could get the gist of it down, then see if I like it, and I think I could like it if I could successfully make the alterations work that are in my head (It's very pretty in my head....like the cartoon drawings on the cover).   As for the reality it is now it doesn't look to hot, but this is ALL blamed on the fabric, and maybe some slight blame to the neckline construction (but this could be due to the fabric once again).

Here's the very straight non flowing neck line.

Eeek!!! This looks very frumpy, like a sack of potatoes.  I do have a waist, now lets see if I could find it in this pattern.  I have the side and darts pinned (wondering if those adjustments will help).

I've already bought some clearance lite weight light grey Crepe fabric, and while I was writing this post, I think, I just thought of a solution on how to adjust the flowing of the neck line.  Eeek!  I wonder if it will work.  Only time will tell.  ;-)

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