Flea Market Finds - Part 2.... AND MORE!!!

In my last post about the Springfield Extravaganza, I showed you the sweet apron fabric.  Well it has already begun it's new life {for a later posting}....but there are a few other finds I want to show you...

one more look at the apron fabric :)

I found this piece of red and white buffalo check....love it!

We arrived at the market Sunday afternoon.  The vendors had been there since Thursday evening so they were ready to pack up and go home.  I am sure we missed a lot of fantastic finds, but by Sunday afternoon the vendors were willing to give us a bargain price!  So I found a very large quilt....not in good shape but that is what I wanted.  I wanted one that was well worn so I could cut it up without the guilt. 

Love the little dark blue triangle.  I have lots of plans floating around for this quilt.  It is completely hand quilted so it will make a lovely base for some embroidery, etc.

This was only about $10.00 and it is a full size quilt....cha-ching!

Vendors at Springfield come from all over the country, but we met a lovely couple from Ohio....just west of us.  They had a load of items....quilts, quilt blocks, just tables and tables of things.  I picked up a quilt and turned it over and over looking for a price.  The vendor told me her mom missed marking a few things and she would put $50 on this quilt.  My mind did some flips and I tried not to look shocked!  I was holding a queen size double wedding ring.  Completely hand pieced and hand quilted.  Scalloped borders with a lovely lavender binding....I could not pass up that price!

    

It is barely worn and I would guess it was done in the 30's from the fabrics....it is simply lovely!

I can tell someone loved making this quilt....what gorgeous borders....

This bit of wear on the binding is the extent of the damage.  I think someone took good care of it for a very long time :)

That's it for my finds....

In my last post I teased you with a look at a little project I have been working on.  I found this whole cloth quilt pattern in a book full of Scandinavian needlecrafts....by Clare Youngs.  I am using a large lemon yellow check {flannel} and quilting a heart design in the center.  The directions call for transferring the design with transfer carbon, but I have never had much luck with transfer carbon.  And I didn't really want to mark the top...so I thought I would give this technique a try.  You can find it here.... demonstrated by Leila of Where the Orchids Grow.  

I traced the design onto a tissue-like paper.  This one is actually designed for machine quilting...I don't have the original wrapper, but I think it is called Golden Threads.  Then pin the paper to the quilt {all three layers are basted together}.  And stitch just as you would normally stitch.  I will be demonstrating quilting with perle cotton to a group of quilters and I thought this would be a fun option to show.

If you look closely at the design there is a row of French Knots and a row of Lazy Daisy like flowers...I will add those at the end after I take the paper off.

Well, yesterday I received a package from Australia....I was so excited I forgot to take a proper picture of the wrappings....so I have recreated it here! Hee hee!  The French postcard is an early Happy Birthday wish to me.... 

In the year I have been blogging I have gotten to know several bloggers that I just adore!  I can just tell if we were located in the same town we would be stitching together and having a great time.  Suz is my sweet friend from Australia!  {But you all know that and her wonderful blog...PatchworknPlay}  We began corresponding when I reached out to her for some help with quilt instructions {don't you love it when the instructions are wrong}......and we haven't stopped emailing each other almost daily.  I must say, that is one of the most wonderful things about blogging - that there is a common thread {excuse the pun} that winds through these connections and pulls us together in friendship.  Okay...sorry...sounds like a Hallmark card....but you get the idea.

Suz is one talented lady!  Not only is she a master quilter, but she can knit!  Yahoo!  And I am the recipient of a lovely knitted scarf.....

I have been drooling over a similar scarf from Anthropologie...but this one is so much better....because it was made just for me by a friend :)

And if that wasn't enough....a very precious hankie made with Liberty fabric!  Oh my!  I am so spoiled now....I will be sneezing in style this winter!!!

I am such a lucky girl!!!  Thank you Suz....I am sending you a big hug!!!

Are you still with me?  I know this is a super long post and you are ready for me to just zip it!!!

But I have to tell you....the friendships are not just of the bloggy nature.  I have a dear friend whom I met through the shoppe and quilt classes....Mary Jo.  We had a class last night and at the end of the evening Mary Jo hands me a bundle of fabric! 

Wow!  I feel so blessed to have such wonderful people surrounding me :)  I love them all!

Have a great Tuesday!

mary