Tuesday To-Do's: September Glow & Vintage Quilt Sale

A happy fall Tuesday to everyone.

1) Finish September Glow blocks
The blocks are all done but what to do next?


I need to mess with the layout just a bit here and
there--but we all know that once we mess with a
block here and there, a domino effect will begin
and I'll likely pull them all down and start over.
So maybe I just leave it and start putting together.

2) Make WP table runner


Super slow going here.

3) Start on Hocus Pocus?


I was hoping to pull from my stash but I just
don't have much in these colors anymore so I
might do a little shopping.  I'll be by a quilt
shop in the near future so that's on my list.

With all the shop hop pics last week, I didn't get
to the next day's vintage quilt/linens sale
(Mennonite Relief Fund benefit)
so grab a coffee and have a look/read:


Remember that the day before I was on the road
for the hop at sun-up and arrived back home
at sun-down.  I was back on the road the next day,
watching the sun come up through my windshield
as I headed out to do some quilty shopping.
(A quilter could get used to this.)


The sale didn't begin till 9am so I had planned ahead
to make a stop into a local coffee shop on Main Street
in Newton.  I like to support local places and I thought
it would be good to get a little posting done on the hop.
(That was a LOT of pics and info to write about!)


First off, I should warn you:  I'm a complete novice
at this sort of thing.   Oh me of little experience!
If the line out front of the door 10 mins till opening
didn't give me a heads-up, the fact that everyone was
carrying their own bags (that's "bags" plural) sent off
a little warning bell in my head that perhaps I was
not quite prepared for what was ahead.  Blast!


The doors were opened and the frenzy began!
I'm not much of a crowds person so I worked my
way to were the crowds weren't; later I realized
I missed seeing the old quilts and quilt tops by
doing this but, outside of missing out on taking
pictures of them (most were gone by the time I 
worked my way over there), I didn't mind at all
because I'd stumbled on the notions table.


Now, what have we here?
The exact two rulers I have wanted but 
because I didn't really need them, I hadn't yet
bought them.  First, a 12.5" square Omnigrid in new
condition for a mere $5!  And then, a 4x14" Omnigrid
ruler for $4, also in what I thought was new condition
but later I did find a tiny crack in the lower corner
with tape over it but I can totally live with that--it's
on the left side even.


This table made me wish I took the time to do
hand-quilting.  Truly, I love it but I'd never get
anything made that way so I didn't get any.


Trims, batting, sewing boxes...


Threads, embroidery floss and strings of all kinds;
tables of quilt books (fairly recent) and magazines.


Here's where you're all going to think I'm crazy.
Just look at all the fabric!  And did I scour through it??

Now, hindsight is 20/20 so I'm really kicking myself.
I did glance at some of the tables (much more
than pictured) and picked up a couple small bags
of coordinating fabrics.  After I got home I really
looked at them and it's great fabric.
Notable labels on the selvages, including
some Jo Morton fabrics--some of my favs!
<kick, kick, kick>


By the time I got over to the embroidered linens and
such, they, too, were a little picked over.


I missed the scoop; I make a lousy reporter, I guess.


I stumbled across a flour sack from War Eagle Mill.
War Eagle is now known for hosting one
of the largest craft shows:  acres of vendors deep in the
countryside of Arkansas in the fall when the trees are
turning.  Add in the mill and its buildings along with river
and bridge...!  Even if you're not too into craft shows,
it's worth visiting at least once.  We found ourselves in the
area years ago and decided to see what this War Eagle
was that everyone was talking about.  Hubs is a very
anti-craft show man but he liked it enough to take me
two years later!  SO, of course I bought this flour sack
to go with the memories I already had.
A kind quilter next to me said she puts flour sacks on
the back of her mini-quilts--an interesting idea.

I had some good bargains and decided to check out.
What I didn't realize was that, due to Covid, they were
only allowing a certain number of people in at a time
so that when I put my things in my car and made to
come back in to really look through that fabric, I found
that there was a line of people waiting to get in.  And
it was not moving.  By my estimation it could've been
30 mins, maybe more, so I decided to leave.
<kick, kick, kick>

Do you know what's worse?  I found out a little later
that I just missed my brother and his wife by maybe
just a few minutes!  How fun it would have been to 
run into them and shop together!
<kick, kick, kick>

And after I had such very little luck on the shop hop
the day before!  Here was my chance to stock up on
the blues and reds like I'd planned, and perhaps
antique/reproduction 1800's fabrics, too!
I can only hope that such a sale occurs every year.
I just need to find out how to get on the email list,
or however else one keeps up on it.


Above is part of my haul.  The little cutting mat was
only $1 and is in centimeters--Euro?  Canadian?
(Why we can't get with the metric program here in
the US, I'll never know!)
It's perfect for travel, or in front of the tv, etc.


My sad, disappointingly small fabric haul.


Can anyone help me with these?  They were in
a bag so I didn't notice how glossy they were--are
they machine embroidery thread then?  I am
unfamiliar with the brand but they look new.
 I also picked up some pins, needles, Gutterman thread,
a small scissors--all things I could use just a little more of.
(I'm also wishing I'd picked up more of this stuff as
it was all very reasonable--$.50 to $1 or $2/bag.


The flour sack has some staining--do I leave it
or try to get it out?  What is that product that is
said to be so good at stains like this?

I apologize to my quilty friends for my lame
shopping skillz and promise to do better next time
when I will be one of those experienced shoppers
carrying a few of my own bags.
(Please, please let there be a next time!)
I did some research and discovered the sale
raised $20,000 for the relief fund--FYI.

I'm still picking and canning tomatoes but I admit
that I kind of wish a freeze would just end it all.
Blast my practical nature -- I can't find it in me to
just throw them out while God is seeing fit to bless
us with so many. Someday I will be very grateful.
I'm just not feeling it right now.  

My mom used to make mincemeat to make use of
any green tomatoes left before the first freeze and
 I've always wanted to try canning it.   I loved mincemeat
pie when I was very young but I haven't had it since.
Hubs, who has never had it before, is now also fan so it
looks like I'll be canning a little more when the blessed
freeze decides to finally hit and end my garden work.
I'm curious if anyone else has memories of mincemeat
or even still makes it today; if so, do you use green
tomatoes?  (I know there are various recipes out there.)
We'd never get a whole pie eaten so I'm thinking
of trying it as a filler in cinnamon rolls. 

So, onto next week:

1) Sew together September Glow blocks 

2) Finish table runner

3) More canning/gardening
(tomatoes, mincemeat, peppers)

Happy quilting!


Comments

Debbie said…
OMG!!!! That is a sale! OK, you need schooling in thrift, and relief sales :) Take cash and bags, always. Ditto for book sales.
What you picked up is grand. The thread is Isacord and wonderful for quilting. I often use it to get that certain color. It does have a sheen but when you quilt with it it is barely seen.
The flour sack is too cute. Vintage quilting on FB suggests to use oxyclean or Retro Clean and then lay it out in the sun on the grass to remove stains. It would be great on the back, but I would like it on the front of a mini, especially for the kitchen.
Love your pretty fabric. Yep, I think you missed a bit there. This is an annual event, so guess you can google it to see about a mailing list.
Thanks for sharing it...I would have loved to go.
Your glow quilt looks so pretty and I would just begin putting them together unless there is something obvious that bothers you.
I haven't been to War Eagle in years - I would have thought the craft fair would have been cancelled this year most everything else is - that place is always so packed I'm not surprised they were limiting entrance
Home Sewn By Us said…
Hi Cheree! I don't see anything that needs to be adjusted with September Glow. I think you're too close to the project. If you step back and leave the critical glasses off you'll see just fabulous it is just as it is. Oh yea, please start on Hocus Pocus. Just seeing the pattern again makes me think that I NEED to start on Hocus Pocus, too. I love everything about that quilt. E.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g. WOWEE - what a fabulous sale!!! Can you even imagine the luck of finding those rulers?!! Well, now you are in the know for the future. Who would have thought. I hope you can get on the list for next time/year. Thanks for linking up today. ~smile~ Roseanne
Yes, get on the mailing list for that sale. I'd love the notions table and the fabrics. I've never had mincemeat.
grammajudyb said…
I agree with the rearranging of blocks. I tend to take photos on my phone of each different arrangement. It is sometimes better just to go for it! I have never been to such a large vintage sale! The bane of living in the sparsely populated West! Looks like it was slightly overwhelming! You did find some good bargains though!
That looks like quite a sale! It could even be a little overwhelming to figure out - but by next year you'll be an expert at it! Good luck deciding on your block layout - I have to do that with my trees, too.
Sharon Kwilter said…
Wow, that looks like it was amazing sale. If I had gone, I would have picked up tons of fabric. I love picking up fabrics this way; you can find some fun patterns that aren't available anymore.
chrisknits said…
I can't even imagine the frenzy!!! But I would probably have hit the notions too. I don't have a huge stash, but enough I won't run out soon!
I've been to sales like the one in your post. I love looking at all the items but I sometimes get overwhelmed! I think you did well with the things you bought. I've gone and and only bought 1 or 2 things. There's just too much! It looks like fun. There's nothing like this in my area anymore. I'm so sick of this virus!
Vicki in MN said…
OMG, I would have totally went nuts at that sale!! So the Isacord is embroidery thread, but it also makes fabulous for quilting!! But if you decide you don't like it, let me know!
Somehow I missed your shop hop adventure, I'll have to read it tonight. I am up to my eyeballs in table runner making today-this week!!