Before I moved to the farm, garage sale-ing was one of my favorite hobbies. There’s nothing I like better than finding a treasure for just pennies. However, since we moved out here, the little town near us has the worst garage sales pretty consistently. I’ve gone to a few, and have bought even less. I’ve been so consistently disappointed that I often drive right past.
You see, when you live in a big city, you can go to a sale, and pick up brand name children’s clothing for less than a dollar. In our small town, you’ll find a pair of generic pajamas that are pilled, stained, and probably have been worn by 5 kids already, with a price tag of $3. At that price, I’d rather clearance shop and buy new! People here actually think their junk is worth something.
Anyway, to my point. Today I went to our cute little downtown because when I was in the yarn store earlier this week, they told me some skeins I’ve had my eye on for a few months (but out of my price range) were going to be 40% off this weekend. I thought it was worth a trip to town, and headed in this morning, which was the first day of the sale.
I got my yarn, and showed surprising restraint in fact, as to the number of skeins bought. Then the kids and I walked up and down the street which was closed off for a bit of a street fair with booths and such. It was pretty sparse, but it looked like some fun.
My small finds were fun. I got a ton of Christmas ornaments which we traditionally put in the kids’ stockings. They were all so pretty and only .50-1.00. Then I picked up some ceramic platters that perfectly matches my china set, although it had a fun silver snowflake embellishment on them. $2.00 a platter, so of course I had to get both!
Then…my treasure. The booth was in front of an insurance company building, so I’m not sure which company was selling the booth, or if it was just someone having an unconventional garage sale. She had some pretty things, and I got talking with the lady at the booth, and commented on the antique quilt top that she had under her cash box…serving as a tablecloth. I drooled over the 1930s fabrics (certainly not reproductions!) and the little blemishes here and there than had the mark of a homemade quilt.
She thanked me for the compliment, and although it wasn’t on the sale table, I couldn’t help but ask if it was for sale too. She said sure, I could have it for $10. Well I only had $6 left in my purse, but I was able to gather together enough change from the bottom of my purse to come up with the rest. So with my purse significantly lighter, and an amazing quilt top just waiting to be quilted in a bag, the kids and I walked off with my biggest treasure of the day.
She said she bought it at an estate sale in Elizabeth, MN 20 years ago. The sale was the estate of a woman named Elizabeth as well who was over 100 when she died. Elizabeth, I would assume, had made the quilt top, but had never quilted it into a blanket. The woman I bought it from had hemmed the edges and made it into a tablecloth. I haven’t measured it, but I would imagine it’s about a twin size. If I ever get to it, I’d love to hand quilt it myself, although Elizabeth had used her machine to piece it, and I don’t think would mind if I quilted it with Lady Katherine…the only machine I have that I would touch this quilt with. I’ll have to think on that.
Maybe only other fabric junkies like me could rejoice in a find like this. I’m just walking on air over this find. The quilt pattern seems to me to be a variation of irish chain, which is one of my favorites! It’s a scrap quilt made in the way that scrap quilts were first intended. Not all matchy-matchy but with the fabrics that were a part of her life. I’m just so in love!
Sheila says
July 23, 2010 at 8:42 pmWhat an awesome find!!!!!