Don't call it cr*p!

It's not a secret that I love thrift stores, yard sales, estate sales, etc...  The old adage "one man's trash is another man's treasure" is so very true.  
I like nothing better than coming across a box, bag, whatever of sewing stuff just thrown in it and buying the entire 'lot'.  Then I get to bring it home and go through the bounty/treasure.  There have been times when once I've gone through it, I have half of it or more being re-donated or trashed.   But I have to say, I've always gotten my money's worth!  I can not think of one time I've said, "well, that was a waste".  I've had friends and family ask, "what are you going to do with all that cr*p?"  But who do they come to for just the right clasp, snap, zipper, button, etc...  ?
Recently I had a project to make for a gift exchange and the monetary limit was set at $20.  The organizer told me I had gone over the limit and I told her no I did not!  The fabric used cost me less than $5 and everything else was constructed from what I had on hand and bought at estate/yard sales at pennies..  I was told that was cheating... WHAT?! Because I'm thrifty, I'm a cheat???  Oh well, call it what you want, someone will get a very nice exchange gift because I had cr*p on hand to make it... Photos forthcoming...

Katie

accumulating fabric

I have been accumulating fabric and have not purchased one yard!  The lady that runs our local thrift store (proceeds go to our historical society/museum), found out that I do a great deal of quilting for charity and that I'm co-founder of Quilters for Comfort.  Since she's discovered that, anytime she gets a donation of fabrics, she calls me to come take a look.  If it's something I can use, she then donates it to me.  She had given me a large box of fabric and told me it was from the estate of one of her neighbors and there would probably be more.  I happened to stop at the 'estate sale' of her neighbor's as I saw some wicker chairs I was interested in.  While I was 'shopping' the estate sale, the neighbor's son started showing me fabric.  OMGoodness!  bolts and bolts of fabric!  Unfortunately, a great deal of it was drapery weight and something I just was not interested in.  The lady from the thrift store come while I was there and told him I was the lady she told him about that could use the fabric.  Long story short - I had to call my husband to come with the truck because I literally had a truck load of wicker and fabric!  This guy just started piling stuff up. He asked me one thing - that I finish a quilt (if I found any) and send to him.  He said he would like to have just one of his mother's quilts to give to his wife.  A friend came over the next morning and we started sorting and going through boxes of stuff.  When all was said and done, I kept 2 large totes of fabric as did my friend who helped me sort.  There was probably 75 yards of flannel on bolts of which I kept maybe 25 yards and donated the rest to another friend who makes preemie blankets for the children's hospital in Phoenix.  Another sewing friend came and took several pieces of sheer fabric, some for curtains, and some for lining Christmas stockings that she makes for the VA Hospital's Christmas party.  So anyway, with that all sorted, I found 3 quilt tops that had already paired with backing and batting.  One quilt top that had gotten wet and the mildew had eaten away at the fabric.  I was sad to have to dispose of that top...  Then there was a hand sewn quilt top that I believe might have been made by this guy's grandmother.  He had told me she made quilts by hand and there might be one in the stuff.  Well, here are the quilts I finished:

These quilts are not perfect (neither am I) and the Sunbonnet was a 'rough edge' applique that was a challenge to quilt, but they are done and I will send them on to him.
Here is the hand sewn quilt:

I love the pattern!  These are large blocks - I didn't measure but I would say 18"...
I am not going to quilt this top as I don't hand quilt and I just feel this should be hand quilted.  I will send it along with the other quilts.
Oh, just to share - the bulk of the fabric from this estate was mostly (I'm guessing) from the 1980's.  Just judging from the prints and colors...  And a lot of 'polished' cotton.
I am thankful for the fabric that is donated to me and when it's something I don't think I will use, I always try to find someone else who can use it that I know will appreciate it.
Hope you all have a good day.

Katie