Once in a Lifetime Estate Sale...back again

Well,I couldn't help myself so my friend Hilary and I, went back to the estate sale for its 3rd day. She hadn't been before,so I really wanted her to experience it. We left early and arrived 1/2 hour before it opened. Then our friends Ellen and Ruth Anne arrived,so the first 4 people in line were Canadians. It was a gorgeous sunny morning and we were all excited . The sale offered a 30% discount today!
Doors opened and I went back to the bedroom for a quilt I couldn't afford on Thursday,an unused early calico bowtie quilt.Got more quilt squares and found the 2 dolls I had seen before. One was missing but I found her in the basement. I was thrilled that so much I had wanted was still there. Throngs of people started to arrive so they had to wait for people to leave before getting in.
I had a chance to look more carefully and I got some more treasures.We all had fun and then Hilary and I went for chicken wings in Lewiston. A perfect day.
Check out my wonderful finds. This was a once in a lifetime sale.

Today I will get all my treasures ready for the spring sales I am doing. Striper and I are having a home day,he is snoozing and I am ironing.

Risking Life and Limb to get to an Estate Sale

OMG,anyone that knows me agrees that I don't really like driving in snow at the best of times. Today,knowing I need new tires,I set off at 7.30 am in a snowstorm to drive to an estate sale. After crossing the border,it got so bad I turned around,but 10 minutes later,after a whiteout,it was clearing a bit.I turned around again and made slowprogress for 1 1/2 hours instead of 52 minutes that it should have been,and I arrived only to find a line up outside.The sale had been on for 1/2 hour,but the house was so small and filled with people,I had to wait until people left.
This was an older but modest bungalow,filled to the brim with Americana,100's of bears,dolls, everything !
As usual,I headed for the bedroom to look for quilts. Gorgeous but was too expensive,so I started to go through the quilt tops,still too much,so I got oodles of quilt squares,funky peg bags,pot holder bags,aprons etc.Then I went to the basement and it was jammed with more,and a whole room full of fabric.At this point I couldn't carry all I had and with the crush of people it was difficult. I wanted it all but was thrilled with my loot. I did get one early quilt that I will have to work on a bit. This is why I am called   mad4fabric  !
Here's what I almost missed due to weather.



It doesn't look like much but it is all wonderful,really old or fun and there is a quilt not in the picture. Was it worth the drive...you betcha!!  

Sunday the 20th in Toronto.

Okay I just posted my blog about Sunday and it put Fridays date on it. I went Sunday the 20th !

Sunday at the St.Lawrence Antique Market with Barb

Okay,in spite of crummy weather on Sunday,I drove to Toronto to do Antiques at the Market,a regular antique sale,every Sunday. Barb has a permanent space in the corner, a little store  filled with amazing quilts,vintage textiles,vintage clothing and lots more.Here she is with a fantastic quilt top with a log cabin in the centre.
Barb and I had a nice breakfast with a friend and customer,Pam,who belongs to a Nancy Drew Club. She goes to a convention every year and this year they have an event where they all dress as the villans in the books. She was scouting items for her costume.

Below is her good friend Kathy,in her French,shabby look booth. 

This is Barb's friend Robert who sells lovely linens. He sells at the market every Sunday and is a talented songwriter and musical artist.  Awhile back he had an early tea set that Barb admired,she asked him to bring it back for her,she wanted to give it to me for Christmas..it is right up my alley. He brought it this Sunday, and he gave it to Barb. Barb had wanted it for me,so she gave it to me. Look at lower pictures to see it already washed and installed in my cupboard..only pink lustre and early paste china go in this cupboard.Bottom right..I love it. Thanks Robert.

So all that is left to do is add pictures of some of my stock.I could only bring what fits in my Equinox,so mostly quilts,some china and a bunch of teacosies that I made new innards for out of nice rose fabric.They were all crocheted but had never been finished..that will be like my estate!! Unfinished stuff.



That's it,I had a nice day with my sister and all her dealer friends. I forgot to take a picture of my own quilts..I'll get this right sooner or later. Sometime this week I am going on a jaunt with Hilary or Ellen. See you then. Bev

Trip to Southworks on Monday

I drove to Southworks in Cambridge to tidy my booth after I sold a cupboard. What a mess it was indeed. I forgot my camera,so you can't see how nice it looked when I was finished. Next week...

I added some quilts,crown jars,vintage clothing and the black barkcloth panels in a previous episode. When I got home,I felt like sewing,so I made a little needlecase I had seen on a wonderful blog. Check out Vintage Threads and look at Grandma's Needlecase.It is on Pinterest under needlecases I think. I need to add some more little notions but that is all I had,that suited it. So much fun and easy to make from an old card. Brilliant.

That's all for now. Back to ironing. I am selling this weekend in Toronto,so will try to remember my camera!

Antiquing with Ellen

Yesterday was a gorgeous sunny day,so my lovely friend Ellen and I went on an antiquing jaunt. We knew it was too soon after Christmas for new stock, but we couldn't wait any longer. We drove on the highway to get there quickly and then meandered our way home,stopping at several antique stores. At the first stop I got a great, chippy paint, dropleaf table with gorgeous turned legs.Good score. Ellen also got some things so we were off to a good start.

Here it is in my car.Has great hardware under the sides. It would have had leaves. Next stop was a wonderful store but all I got was some little strawberry needle keeps. I am collecting them,so will show a photo when I get a bunch.

Off we went again,had a great panini in an old shirt factory,made into a cafe on main floor,and soon to be a boutique hotel upstairs. Great old building being saved.

Next stop I got some black background barkcloth curtain panels in good condition.

That was my purchases for the day,but we had a very nice time,driving,chatting and of course hunting for the perfect antiques.

Today is raining so I am washing,ironing and repairing. I got a really ruined quilt so after laundering I am cutting it up for sachets. I am giving it a second life as it was falling apart and unusable. I also cut out a circle of turkey red embroidered cherubs(my favourite) and am hemming it to make a doily for my table. I only keep special things like that.

This weekend is for getting ready a dresser,all gorgeous green paint,for my booth at Southworks. Sold a cupboard this week and need to replace it. The story will continue Sat. and Sun. I need to go to my garage and drag it out.

Okay,here I go again.I have one follower,my twin sister. She also is working on a blog. At least we can see what each other is doing,and buying. I got some nice quilting cotton and got it ready. A lot of quilters buy from me and my sister. They need old fabrics to repair vintage quilts. My booth at Southworks is really a ladies booth. Sold a cupboard there this week so need to go and tidy it up. There will be stock lying everywhere. I will take a picture of it on Thursday.

Today I may head out for a little buying jaunt,will post later if I get new items.
I haven't mentioned that I have a helper in my house. My lovely Striper,a beautiful cat who came to me 12 years ago. He looks like the pillow in my profile picture. So nice.

A number of years ago,I was in a wonderful antique store in Mass. and I could have anything I wanted. I was so overwhelmed by the choices all I picked was a sweet, beat up cat clothespeg bag.
I copied him and made a couple of bags.I have them on etsy for sale. mad4fabric is my name there.

Antiques at the Stone House

Okay,I think I have the pictures figured out.It took me hours to figure out how to do ebay in the 80's,so I guess this is the same.Once you get it,it is simple.

This is the little area beside my open kitchen where I work. I love 40's tablecloths and this is a favourite of mine.I have hundreds waiting to be sold but I only keep special ones.

I went to a fab sale at the end of the year and the pictures following are some of the things I got.

A whole lot of vintage hardware which I have sorted and priced to sell. My store is at Southworks Antiques,in Cambridge  Ont. Will tell more on Tuesday. B

New stock from a great sale.

Hello everyone,this is my first blog so bear with me. I didn't want to miss out, so here I go,better late than never.

I went to my first auction when I was 15 years old and I was hooked on antiques.Over the years my tastes have changed and what I collect is different from what I sell. The one constant is my  love of vintage textiles. I specialize in quilts,chenilles,blankets,and vintage fabric. I also learned to upholster,and redo chairs in gorgeous fabrics. I took an upholstery course at a community college. I loved it so much I took it 6 times just for the fun of it. I learned so much from my wonderful teacher John. It is a good skill to have if you are in the business.

These chairs are in my room off the kitchen where I do my work,pricing,cleaning,sorting etc. I redid these with a gorgeous barkcloth from ebay.They were a terrible chipped brown,so I painted them and redid the seats.My teacher would be very happy to see my efforts.

Anyways,will post again soon.Having trouble uploading pictures. B