Finding Vera

I finally found a set of Vera napkins a few weeks ago!  This is very exciting because previously I have only found the occasional polyester scarf, and not any silk at all.   The set of four napkins has a great bamboo design in brown as you can see. 

 

They had some staining on them, so into the oxyclean bath they went.  But alas, the stains on polyester proved very stubborn and even after more than a week I could still discern trace spots on the napkins.  So instead of my hoped for $20.00 I listed them for $10.00 with spot photos and they sold in a day or so anyway!  Even slightly stained Vera is something special I guess. :)

 

 

This fall weather we've been having is my favorite of the entire year. Mid-seventies during the day, cool nights, light breezes.  I love it!  And of course it gets me thinking cosy jackets like the one below.  This jacket has been hanging in my closet for over a year.  When I thrifted it there was a belt loop hanging by a thread and part of the front patch pocket was unstitched.  It's been languishing in my mend pile since then.  I've been trying not to thrift too much until I at least list all my old stock so last week I pulled it out and fixed it up.  The pumpkin and kelly green plaid is autumnal and yet still so cheerful don't you think?  This one's still waiting in the shop for the perfect owner. 

 

 

 

 

 

Other little bits and bobs I listed included parts of the piles of fabric that have been patiently waiting for me to get around to it!  This piece of poplin has a great crisp hand to it, and there's enough to make an adorable sundress! 

 

I'm hooking up with Apron Thrift Girl: Thrift Share Monday  Hop on over and take a look at all the great thrifty finds!  You might find something you can't live without! 

Coats and Dresses and Flappers in Photos

I'm starting to load up the coats that have been patiently waiting all summer long into the shop.  I found most of these this summer at the Goodwill Outlet and I can't resist a fabulous vintage coat.

The first one is a faux Karakul wool or curly wool style coat.  It's likely from the 50s or early 60s and I was really interested to see the details of how it was made on the inside.  Most curly wool coats are made from a lambs hide with the wool trimmed and treated to create a curly moire pattern.  Really pretty but not so fun for the lamb, even if it happened decades ago many people prefer to go faux.  The coat is a woven cotton base with a pattern of "wool" curls laid down on it and sewn on as you can see in the photos.  It creates the same effect and was probably much less expensive for the lady who originally purchased it. 

The second coat I love soooo much I would keep it if only it was my size.  It's a 1970s red wool coat with some serious neo-Victorian styling details.  I love the braided trim and the Peter Pan collar don't you? 

I also spent a few days soaking this lovely little lace dress.  It was definitely made around the 80s just based on materials and the lace but it was made to look like a classic flapper dress.  The 20s sillouette had a big revival in the 80s and so did lace thanks to Madonna and Cyndi Lauper.  This would be an adorable dress for a vintage styled wedding! 

 

 

Speaking of the 1920s here is a fabulous class photo I found and it's even dated in the corner 1923.  On the back an inscription tells us that it was the class of 1929 although unfortunately it doesn't tell us the school.  So this was a class of 7th graders with their teachers.  I love the girls pastel dresses and their adorable bobs.

 

And no 1920s miss would go out without a handkerchief.  Like the ones in this box that were never even unfolded!  I think most of them date from the 50's but they are just so pretty with their embroidery and lace and scalloped edges.

 

Thanks for checking out my finds with me this week!  Hop on over to Apron Thrift Girl's Thrift Share Monday and check out all the great finds!  If you're interested in any of these lovlies they can be found at Reneesance

 



Today I learned something about fabric...

Last week at the Goodwill bins I found a nice linen curtain panel with a lovely bold design on it.  I assumed it was mid-century based on the color pallette and threw it in the cart after a fruitless search for it's matching panel in the bin.  No luck there.  It's been sitting at home waiting for me to get a photo taken.  Beautiful right?  Here's a close up of one of the panels.  Such amazingly bright colors and really interesting graphics.


So I started doing a little research and imagine my surprise when I realize that it's not actually from the 1960's instead it's a piece that likely dates to the 1920s!   The company,  Doulton Cretonne was an English manufacturer and printer of linen fabric.  One example that I found online had a list price of $1200.00!!   Now as we know that doesn't mean that my piece will do anything like that and just because something is listed at an outrageous price doesn't mean it will sell either.  More research is definitely in order though.  I may end up sending an email the the Textile Museum in D.C. to see if they might have a resource as well.

Here are some more pictures of the printed selvage. 

My other fun purchase today was this fabulous and colorful painting.  The signature on the bottom reads (Neptune)  but I can't find anything online about the artist.  I'm guessing it was just a talented hobby painter but I can't wait to hang this up!  I need to do a little re-gluing of the canvas around the edges of the frame but otherwise it's in perfect condition.  

I'm linking up with Apron Thrift Girl's Thrift Share Monday hop on over and take a look at all the fabulous vintage finds!

A Vintage Mystery

Finally had a chance to do some thrifting this past weekend.  I went to my favorite location, that being the goodwill outlet in my area.  Some people don't like having to dig around in the bins and turn over piles of clothing to find the goodies but I love it.  Maybe I was a treasure hunter in a previous life ;)

The bins weren't as kind to me as usual this week, but I did find some goodies.  My favorite of which is this amazing indigo dyed coat. 

Look at the detail on the collar and sleeves.  The borders are beautiful silk pieces in a variety of textures and with different kinds of embroidery all over them. 

The mystery part is I still haven't figured out what part of the world it comes from.  The cut is very reminiscent of a Japanese working man's jacket, called a Noragi.  But I can't find any examples of Noragi with this sort of embroidery panels in it.  The embroidery looks much more Indian or Middle Eastern.  Does anyone have a suggestion on influence?  The jacket appears to have never been worn and is in perfect shape but has no label or markings anywhere.  I don't think it's very old and was probably intended for the tourist trade.  I just want to know where before I list it! 

I also picked up some adorable summer frocks but they're in the wash right now.  Pictures to follow soon! 

My sister in law found me a lovely 1950s wedding dress with a classic full skirt and long tight lace sleeves and collar.  It's such a pretty gown but has definitely seen better days.  The lace is dry rotted and very fragile but the understructure is still solid.  So I listed it in the shop as a tattered and torn gown.  I can see this being a fun piece for halloween.  Just add fake blood and you have an instant zombie bride costume! 

As always thanks for taking a look!   I'm linking up with Apron Thrift Girl's Thrift Share Monday 

And Her Library Adventures Flea Market Finds

Hop on over and take a look at all the goodies!

Wedding Dress dreaming

I didn't have much time to go thrifting this week and what thrifting I did to wasn't fantastic. My usual Goodwill store didn't offer up anything of note and the small community yard sale I stopped by Saturday morning before work only yielded a Transformer for my son. 

I did make some progress on revitalizing some things that I've had in the stock pile for a while.  Two of them are wedding dresses.  The first one my sister-in-law found for me at a yardsale.  It's from the 1970s and it had some stains on it but I gave it a  soaking in oxyclean and soap for a few days and it came out bright white again.  I love the high ruffled neck and the relatively simple design.

The other wedding dress I found in the bins at the local Goodwill Outlet.  It was heavily stained but I figured that if it didn't come clean I could still use the lace for a project.  Have I mentioned how much I love oxyclean? A few days in the soak and it came out good as new.  I especially love how soft and delicate the lace is, as well as the color, a lovely antique cream. 

Isn't it dreamy?  It only needs a big picture hat to be the epitome of Edwardian style elegance. 

Apparently it's my week for lace and the 1970s version of the Victorian era because I also found this blouse on the same goodwill bins trip. 

It's polyester which isn't my favorite but it's so pretty that I couldn't resist.  I have all three pieces listed in my Etsy Shop and I hope that the wedding dresses get a chance for another special day!

I'm linking up with Apron Thrift Girl's Thrift Share Monday 
Stop by and take a look at all the cool finds!

Thrifting with Mom

It was back to the Goodwill bins this past week.  This time with my mom, who taught me to love to thrift!  She had never been before and we went a little nuts...like three overflowing carts worth of nuts.  But what treasures we found! 

My favorite is this amazing patchwork quilt top

Look at those colors!  The squares run the decades from at least the 1940s into the 1960's and are mostly cotton with only one or two polyester squares making an appearance.  There's barkcloth, and childrens juvenile prints,  great retro atomic patterns, and men's shirting stripes.  I have it listed up in the shop because despite what I may tell myself I would never get around to actually attaching a backing and quilting it!  It's big enough for a queen sized bed too so I hope it will find a good new home.

There was a lot of great fabric this time, including this lovely indigo patterned print in a nice soft brushed denim fabric.

7.5 yards by 58".  Wouldn't this make an amazing squishy armchair??

The poncho below is made of a very nice quality wool and the stitching all over is hand done.  no clue as to vintage, as it could be decades old or very new tourist goods from somewhere in South America.  Anyone have any ideas for me?

Finally I'll finish up with a different kind of thrift.  I work in conference services for a large university and we had our Alumni Weekend the first weekend in June.  The flowers and arrangements below came from the picnic brunch we organized and we all got to take amazing sunflowers and woodsy baskets home with us.  They currently make my kitchen look so happy!

The blue glass Ball jar holding the sunflowers was also a Goodwill outlet find from last month!  It's my new favorite flower vase. 

I'm hooking up with Apron Thrift Girl's Thrift Share Monday  Head on over and take a look at the other great finds!

Back from the Past Future

It's been a busy month around here.  It always seems that as soon as May hits things start rolling along and before you know it June has arrived.  Lots of stuff to talk about so lets get started.  The last time I posted I was working on outfits for the Steampunk World's Fair in Piscataway, NJ.  I actually got most of the costuming bits done and packed my biggest suitcase, along with a train case and a hat box all for 48 hours of fun and wardrobe changes! 

 These were my partners in crime.  I'm on the right and my sister is in the middle and my awesome and talented friend Dawn is on the right.  We greatly enjoyed the happy hour at the Embassy suites each night before we set out for the revelry. 

And here is my friend John looking totally swanky in his outfit.  I had a ton of fun putting this all together because he just lets me pick the whole outfit, and wears it very well I must say. 

There was shopping!  Amazing costumes and people to meet!  Concerts for every taste!  Seminars (I always want to go to them but I never actually manage to DO it) and just general fun.  We decided to throw a picnic on the grass this year, complete with mimosas in from silver coffee pots.  A kind person caught this great shot of us enjoying a fabulous day. 

I also managed to document a few of my costumes this year, two of them are below.  I love an excuse to play dress up!

So if Steampunk seems cool to you, I suggest making time to get to next years Steampunk Worlds Fair.  I'll see you there.