Thrift Shopping & Sewing

So what does 30 mins. and $37 get you at the local thrift store? All of the above!
5cup Hitachi Rice Cooker (looks brand new, never used. Was able to download the manual.)
3 hardbound books & one cartoon book
1 fake minature rose plant to brighten some corner of my home (looks pretty real to me)
3 small gold-colored baskets for little gifties or adding sparkle to somewhere

8 rolls of fabric, none less than 1 yard

2 twin-sized sheet sets in a perky yellow/red/pink
1 full-sized sheet set in blue/white

The blue/white sheets will fit on the basement guest bed. I plan to join the flat sheets into one full-sized top sheet and find a yellow or pink fitted sheet for the grand-girls' guest bed. The twin-sized fitted sheets will be used in either room decor or for quilting. They are 100% cotton.


*warning to non-fabric lovers-- extended gushing about my finds ahead, scroll through if not interested*

Is this not the coolest design! I really like paisley. This material has a brushed suede feel to it. I suppose for skirts or light jackets? I just like the richness of the colors.

Oilcloth anyone? Not really but has that feel. Avocado....caning.... from the 7os, perhaps?

This one and the paisley are going to be used to make new shopping totebags.

The blues.... love them for their individualness. The grid, so masculine and orderly, but the shell design is more "me." These will be for covering old canvas tote bags. (I wish the shell design was 100% cotton. Would love to put it into a quilt.)

And then we have these lovelies. The yellow/blue vines remind me of Jane Sassaman's fabric and quilts (http://www.janesassaman.com/core-pages/quilts.html ). Again, none are 100% cotton and won't work for quilting. The red/yellow floral is glazed & would make great pillowcoverings. Or great tote bags!

I have this as an idea for covering my tote bags:
Aren't these yummy? I copied this from someone's blog and forgot to note where. Sorry!!! (If it's yours, please LMK and I'll give proper credit.)

And on that site, these: Sweet pincushions. No pattern but I bet I can figure it out. That "vine" fabric would work for these.

Then, yesterday afternoon, after fondling all my fabric finds and washing the sheets, I decided to hunt up my tote bag patterns. And in the pile I found one for the Humbug Bag that one of my quilting friends had sent me, complete with fabric she had quilted. I LOVE batiks and this is just my style! Well here... take a look at what I made from that material, a 10¢ thrift store zipper and about 30-45 mins. (would have taken less time but I was learning how to use my zipper foot):


and a close-up of the inside, the zipper and the thrift store organza ribbon accent. (Have I said how much I LOVE my local thrift store! )

This little bag will be perfect for my lipgloss, mints, etc in my desk at work.

I can't wait for Sunday, more sewing. (this evening- eye exams & dinner out; tomorrow-Bull shopping [yee haw I'll be reading in the truck])
I just need to decide what to sew.... the Anniversary Quilt? More bags (but I need more zippers)? Those pincushions? The tote bags &/or tote bag covers?

Oh! And want to know what spurred on my Muse to make this bag? Restitching Farmer-dear's zipper in his chore coveralls. LOL Hey! Whatever works, right?

Finally, thanks for all the good thoughts, prayers and well-wishes you all sent for Farmer-dear & me. He's feeling lots better. Good enough, in fact, to trim some trees with the chainsaw yesterday. I'm about half-way through my cold. At the gunky stage (sorry) & with a sore nose, but no more fever, so I'm on the mend too. Definitely time for Spring weather!

Hope you all have a Fabulous Friday and a Wonderful weekend!

Hugs!
Kay~

** "Methinks it is a token of healthy and gentle characteristics,
when women of high thoughts and accomplishments love to sew;
especially as they are never more at home with their own hearts
than while so occupied."
~ Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Marble Faun, 1859