Auction and Etsy

There was a local auction today.  I missed most of it because I had to work all morning, but I did manage to get there for the last hour or so.  I had my kids and one of their friends with me, and I left them on the playground outside while I went in to see what was left.  I saw a box of linens (man, am I ever predictable!), so I got a number and took a seat.  It didn't take long for that lot to come up, and I won the bid.  All the vintage sheets quilts out there have me wanting to make one for myself, and there were 3 good sheets in there to add to my growing stash of sheets

along with some more pillowcases crying out to be made into shopping totes or aprons or something.

The rest of the linens didn't excite me, so they were dropped off at Goodwill on the way home.  Along with my other purchase...

When my kids came in to the auction room from outside, I waved at them so they would come over to me, forgetting at that instant where I was.  "SOLD!  To number...ma'am?  What's your number?"

CRAP!  In waving to my kids, I accidentally bought something!  Luckily, "my bid" was only $5.  It turns out, I bought a box of records.  Lovely.  I don't even have a record player.  Straight to Goodwill they went.

I also bought two old chairs with seats that are falling apart.  You know those chairs where the seat is made with neckties?

Why is this sideways??? Image borrowed from http://luciav.tripod.com/robyn/chairsforsale2.htm

I want to try that.  So I bought these two sad looking chairs.  Let this serve as the BEFORE picture.  Hopefully there will be an AFTER picture one of these days, although I know better than to give myself a goal completion date which I will fail to meet and then feel like a slacker loser.

So that's the auction - on to Etsy.  Some of my upcycled aprons have been selling, so I made some more to post.  First, why should the kids have all the fun with the denim aprons?  I made an adult sized one, but instead of making all that binding for the edges, I sewed one long 138" tie, fed it through channels sewn up each side of the torso, and then pinked the rest of the edges for a ragged edge look.  Two roomy, denim lined pockets made from the same pillowcase from which I made the ties, and I was done.  I love it!  Definitely gonna make more like this!

And that orange pillowcase still had more to give, so I paired it with a big floral pillowcase and made yet another half apron.  I was sure to make the pocket big enough to be functional this time, instead of just decorative.  I love orange - it makes me happy!

Enough with the little projects - I want to finish a quilt!  Time to pick up the needle and find a good movie on TV.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend, y'all!

Pictures! And seeking travel advice.

I was feeling badly about my nearly picture-less post yesterday, so here we go.  First, Donald and I cutting wood for the chicken coop.  We couldn't find safety goggles, so we are wearing "cool dude" sunglasses, as my boys call them.

Then, my latest pillowcase aprons.  The one with the pockets is for me.  For some reason, these pillowcases just said "Spring" to me.

And finally, I put the last two borders on this quilt.  It is 39" square, and the vintage fabrics are super soft, so it seems like it would be perfect for a baby, but since all the fabrics (except the white background) are vintage from a salvaged quilt, they are also super fragile.  I'm guessing a baby isn't necessarily the best recipient.  Is 39" too small for a lap quilt?  What to do with this one?  I would have made it bigger, but I was trying to use up the last of that white fabric, and I did.

I just love looking at these vintage fabrics and trying to guess what they were used for (besides making a scrap quilt) - an apron? a shirt? a babies jumper?

This weekend is my annual twin retreat with my sister.  We are headed to Columbia, SC to see the Zac Brown Band in concert.  Anyone from there or been there, with ideas for what else we should do?  I'm sure we'll find some thrift and antique stores to browse.  She is a knitter - any great quilt and/or yarn stores we shouldn't miss?  Any textile exhibits?  Great (and affordable) food?  Our schedule is wide open and we are open to suggestions.

Balking at borders

I don't know why I do this, but I always seem to cruise along making the blocks of a quilt and putting them together, but when it comes time to put on borders, I lose momentum. I love pieced borders, so that is probably why. After doing all that work making the center of a quilt, the work of making pieced borders is sometimes overwhelming. But with this little quilt, I really don't have an excuse. The pieces are already cut and just need to be sewn together and then sewn onto the quilt. What is taking me so long?

Part of the problem is my recent infatuation with making aprons from pillowcases.  My thrift store shopping spree last weekend yielded A LOT of pillowcases.  Last night I made 2 more.  First, this reversible children's full apron from a pillowcase and some green striped fabric that I had on hand.

 And then this half apron from a large cloth napkin that I found paired with the last bit of a Thimbleberries print..  I just LOVE the pom pom fringe at the bottom.

And lo and behold, I posted items in my Etsy shop last weekend, and had a sale in less than 12 hours.  Woo hoo!

Going overboard

I'm starting to worry that I have an addictive personality, because I have been addicted to making pillowcase aprons today.  Half aprons,

a full apron,

and I even tried a denim AND pillowcase apron.

Note to readers who may be female and related to me - be forewarned, you will probably be receiving an apron as a gift at some point this year!

It's funny, I love wearing aprons, and I love making aprons, but I hate to cook...

She has no idea

Having a niece is SO MUCH FUN!  I struggle to think of things to make for my boys, but I can always find things to make for my niece.  She has no idea how much I appreciate having her to make things for. 

Her next package in the mail from me will be this little half apron, made from the leftovers of that pillowcase when I made the Creamsicle quilt top. 

I had to promise not to put my son's face in the photo...

I looked up a bunch of patterns and tutorials online, but none were exactly what I wanted, so here's my version.  I love the pleat in the middle - makes it kind of flirty and feminine, don't you think?

Pillowcase apron for my niece

I love the poiny ends!

And you know I have lots of thrift store pillowcases, right?  I used two coordinating ones to make two more half aprons - a "Mommy and Me" set.  I love my boys, but I think I'd have loved having a girl, too!

Mommy and Me Half Aprons from Pillowcases

I added the pocket on a whim - not sure how I feel about it

I think this is just the cutest little apron!