Thrift-larking

I've coined a new word. Thrift-larking! Let me explain.

While I was "hibernating" in January I discovered a wonderful hobby practiced in England, mostly around London and the Thames river, called Mudlarking. Originally it was a practice of scavenging for items that could be resold thereby supporting an individual or family. These were the poorest of the poor people. Today it is a hobby for history, and other, enthusiasts, and I found several fascinating YouTube channels.

They are delightful people and I've learned lots of interesting tidbits from their adventures.

Well, I can't go mudlarking at the Thames, but after a fun trip to a couple of thrift stores I decided that I can call it thriftlarking and have my own little adventures. You never know what will turn up at a thrift store. I also think of them as museums where you can touch the items!

So what did I find on my latest adventure? Well first a little story.

Last November TopDad and I attended Stake Conference (a regional, semi-annual church meeting), where I was the choir director. The church building the conference was held in is about two hours from us and TopDad's truck's heater wasn't working very well (it's old and tired) so we stopped at a store to get me a cheap blanket for my legs. All I could find was a 100% polyester blanket that, while pretty, shed all over my black wool skirt. Yuck! And it was about $16 or $17. I've wanted to replace it with one that doesn't shed.

The offending blanket

Well, imaging my joy at finding this gorgeous, 100% cotton blanket for just $6! New, still tied with a lovely grosgrain ribbon. Yes!

I collect alphabet books, and being the beginning of Black History Month I liked this charming book for $.50

A few bits and bobs: two plant hangers for my front porch, an over the door hanger, and a small wire basket.

The photo does not capture the brilliant emerald green of this towel. It's one of the clearest, prettiest greens I've ever seen. Since I'm rather tired of all the dull colors of towels in my drawer I picked this one up for a lovely change.

Next up some pieces of fabric for specific projects:

Woven cotton for napkins

Cotton knit for pajama bottoms

A lovely cobalt blue linen piece with white embroidery. I think it will look stunning as the centerpiece over a white tablecloth. I do love a well dressed table.

A sweet floral dish towel. Since I do all my dishes by hand I use lots of these!

A few pieces of glassware: the ribbed bottle fits a regular mason jar lid, a wide mouthed Ball canning jar (for just $.50), and a little tulip shaped toothpick holder (for Noble, when she moves out this summer). I think the ribbed jar is exquisite, never seen one like it before.

I found this funny "Motto" on Pinterest and have adopted it as my own:

Sometimes I just can't resist the pretty colors and prints. Here are a few new pieces for my collection (all for $4, less than half the price of one yard of quilting fabric):

If we're going by Marie Kondo's criteria, fabric sparks JOY for me. I love the colors, patterns, and textures. There's a huge fabric store two hours north of me that I love to visit just to see, touch and even smell the gorgeous variety of fabrics. And it's amazing how much I have used up over the years as I make clothing for me and Noble, things for my home, as gifts, or when one of the boys asks, "Mom, can you make me a _______?"

So that's it. My February 1st Thrift-larking adventure. (I found a few more treasures, but as they are gifts I won't reveal them until after the occasion.)

What kind of "larking" to you like to do?

Look What I Made

Pretty new tote bag

Inside - two pockets and a magnet clasp

I took a class at a local quilt shop and thoroughly enjoyed myself. The rose print and the calico inside are over thirty years old from my stash; the dark green batik was purchased at the shop for the class. We made them in one day 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM (actually finished my about 3:15). Lots of fun!!

Friday's Frugal Roundup

First, my Thrifty Thimble and Thread as promised last week:

Neckline

Hem

Pocket

My new nighty!

This sweet nighty was made from a $5 sheet purchased at a thrift store and a small square of purple paisley quilt cotton from my stash. The sheet is pure cotton with that lovely lavender trim. Just right for summer romance. No one can convince me that making my own clothes is more expensive. Look at these pretties, and their prices!

Other items of frugality include using up leftovers for lunches and second meals to avoid waste. I've had to work harder at this as there are no longer any hollow legs (aka sons) living with us.

I combined errands and used lists to complete all my shopping in one afternoon.

I took my lunch and water with me on above trip.

I turned off the heater this week as the temps have warmed enough to not need it. Of course, then we had two overcast days in a row so I turned it back on for one evening to take the chill off the house, and then it was back off. Today has been sunny!

What have you done to be frugal, thrifty or provident this week?

Thursday's Thrifty Thimble and Thread

(Is that enough alliteration?)

What is the number one reason given for not sewing ones own clothes?

It's too expensive.

Well, it can be if you buy everything new. Just like other areas of our lives, sewing can be affordable if you know how to get the best deals.

Do you go to thrift stores for other things? Expand your search among the shelves and bins and you can find some dandy treasures.

Here's one story from last fall:

Lt. Lehi asked me to make his wife, our daughter-in-law, Miss Pasta, a warm skirt for Christmas, so I looked in my vast collection for something suitable. I found this pattern:

Which I had purchased for this much:

Then I looked in my stash of wool fabrics for something to make it with and found these pieces:

That I had paid this much for:

Wool

Lining

With a zipper pulled from my stash that I paid probably a quarter for, the total for all materials was $8.75, plus thread which I already had.

So for less than $10 I made a fully lined, 100% wool skirt for a Christmas present. (I'm still waiting for her to send me a photo of her in it!)

Someone either died, or was downsizing, because I purchased several large pieces of 100% wool fabric on that visit to the thrift store for way less than one yard of the same fabric costs at a place like JoAnn's.

The trick is to look for fabric every time you shop at the thrift store and buy it when you see it, as it probably won't be there the next time. Besides looking at the cut pieces of fabric, I look at the linens, such as sheets, tablecloths, shower curtains, window curtains, etc. and have found wonderful fabric that I can reuse as something else for very little money.

The other place I've gotten fabric is from "little old ladies" at church who are either moving, or have quit sewing and want to get rid of their stash of fabric and sewing notions. Never refuse anything! Even if you personally can't use all of it, take it, sort through it, keep what you want, and either sell or share the rest. If you say no, you might not get another chance. Ask around and you'll be surprised who's willing to share with you.

Want to learn to sew? Ask those same little old ladies to help you learn. Lots of YouTube videos and online classes are out there, but it's nice to have someone to ask and demonstrate also.

The thing I like most about making my own clothes is that I can get what I want, when I want it. I'm not at the mercy of retailers and their immodest junk in all the wrong colors for me.

New Look

We bought a great RV trailer last summer and thoroughly enjoyed our trips with it. It's just right for the two of us now.

BUT!

I think the decor is dark and pretentious, as if it's trying to be a high class hotel. I don't like it so I'm replacing the window coverings to begin a change of atmosphere to be more in line with, well, something fun, like vacation.

Original curtains and blinds in the bedroom. 

New curtains on TopDad's side of the room.

This is how they open.

I have pink on my side--see the button to hold them open?

I fell in love with this tropical bird fabric and I think it's lots more fun!

Tuesday's Treasures on Wednesday

A trip to the thrift store today and I scored big time!

Pieces in this pattern are in my mother's kitchen - I decided not to wait to inherit and have looked for this pattern
every time I go to a thrift store or yard sale.  Today I scored this beautiful three bowl set, totally worth the wait!

A couple more books for me, and two girl's classics for a young friend of mine.

An unused copy of a classic -- it will be a gift.

Three fun baby books. Sandra Boynton is a favorite of mine.

The table runner I bought for the delicious looking apple fabric.  Some colorful cloth napkins.

A spring daffodil, two linen towels, and a yellow embroidered napkin.

Christmas napkins, two each of three motifs, hand appliquéd.

Detail of applique.

Lovely cross-stitched linen tablecloth.

Detail of cross-stitching.

Christmas fabric for more gift bags!

Wonderful pieces of fine wale corduroy. Just right for children's clothing.

 Lastly, I took my two sewing machines in today for servicing. While I'm without them I plan to prepare a few things to sew. (Actually, I'm going to attempt a little bit of mass production so I can stock an Etsy store with things to sell. Watch for the announcement of an opening soon!)

Artwork in Fabric and Thread

Count Your Blessings - Day 4

An annual quilt show is held at the Mormon Trail Visitors Center in Florence Nebraska, also known as Winter Quarters, where the earliest Mormon Pioneers stayed the first winter after being driven out of Nauvoo. I spent a hour viewing the quilts last Thursday and feel grateful for my own heritage of quilt making. My mother quilted and so did my Grandma (Dad's mother). I've made a few so far and look forward to making lots more. I'm grateful for all the women who make quilts, whatever style, they are all labors of love.

Memory quilt made from the fabric of dresses and other pieces of clothing the mother made for the daughter over the years.

Quilt commemorating the pioneer trek.

T-Shirt quilt from years of participating in a summer pageant - I love the "Glance backward . . ." quote.

Gorgeous "postage stamp" scrappy quilt.

Detail of "postage stamp" quilt block

Crazy Quilt

Center block of crazy quilt - This could be mine - Rozy!

Darling Sunbonnet Sue and Overall Sam quilt. I have a goal to make one of these, in a wall hanging size.

Another Sunbonnet Maiden quilt - I thought it was so pretty!

Another T-Shirt quilt from a drama student - I love the quote!

Delightful quilt with fairies - It made me think of Noble.

Detail of fairy - I named her Noble!

There were many, many other quilts of all styles and colors. These were some of my favorites.