30 November 2006
So, I was taking Minnie for her walk today. (She had to wear her little coat, it was so cold. I wore two pairs of trousers, two shirts, a jacket, two pairs of mittens, a hat and a scarf. I'm aware that it will actually get colder soon. Grumble.) As we were rounding the last corner towards home, I noticed a sign for an estate sale. I never would have seen it if it weren't for Minnie -- she's finally starting to earn her keep! I dropped her off back at home and headed out again, this time with my checkbook.
At first, the sale just made me sad (I haven't been to many like this, where you just wander through the person's house). The bathroom was the first room I walked into, and I felt washed over with the fact that the woman who had lived there was no longer around. Half-used shampoo, recently opened bottles of lotion. It's just so strange.
But then I got down to the basement, where all the 'junk' was, and I quickly got over that! There was a box of Christmas ornaments, in which I found these little birdies. Alicia makes the cutest little things with these kinds of birds, of course -- I'm not exactly sure what I'll do with them yet, but they were only 25 cents a go! You can't go wrong with that!
Then I stumbled upon two boxes with the woman's crafty odds and ends. The above is a pillowcase-in-the-making -- two actually. It's a tube of fabric, two pillowcases long, with the embroidery pattern at both ends. This end is finished, and the other is barely started. Does anybody know how these are meant to be finished at the end? You can see how little fabric there is on the other side of the lacy border -- do you face it with something else?
Hoops of various shapes and sizes! You can never have too many hoops. There was also this unopened embroidery kit: a pretty spring tree and country scene in pastels, floss included. Underneath is a vintage advent calendar. There are two actually, and I got both, because they're so sweet.
An unfinished napkins-and-tablecloth project. It's difficult to leave any hand-stitched items behind, because somebody has put so much time into them. I also found (but didn't photograph) a set of dishtowels printed with a kitschy design (for embroidering), still in the (very old) package with the hand written receipt! They're linen and everything, so I might have to make them and use them.
This is one of my favourite finds! There was a tissue box with sewings odds and ends in it, and this tin was inside, turned face down. I picked it up and turned it over and though, 'Heyyyy, I know that lady!' Just in case you can't read the script on the side, it says A Souvenir of the Coronation of HM Queen Elizabeth II, 1953. Made in England. In general, I don't really care about the royal family, but I love this. But it gets better!
Inside was this Sunbonnet Sue needle book (she had loads of these little felt character kits in her boxes) and a lovely card with a couple of buttons. Nothing was marked with a price, besides the little birds and the three-dollar lidded basket (which I didn't get a good photograph of, but it's what the tin is sitting on above). I was trying to keep a tally on what I would offer for various items, but how can you know? The unopened embroidery kit was marked as having been $7.99 new, but should I offer a dollar? How do you judge the value of a hand embroidered pillowcase? In the end, I told the man (an independent estate sale guy) that the basket was marked $3 and the price of the birds. He rummaged through my other finds and said, 'How about $6.50 for the lot?' Erm -- okay!
So I left feeling very happy indeed. These things are so full of life, and I get to cherish them now that their original owner is gone -- I can't help feeling good about that!
Those pillowcases are probably meant to be trimmed close to the hemstitched border and be crocheted. My grandma used to make them. They are beautiful, and what a find at an estate sale.
posted by Emilee at November 30, 2006 10:02 PM
Emilee -- Of course! Clever old you, that makes perfect sense!
posted by Anna at November 30, 2006 10:30 PM
The bathrooms at estates sales totally creep me out. I talked to a woman once who ran an estate sale business and she said that she put a price tag on EVERYTHING. I've seen half-empty boxes of tampons.
You got an amazing deal, and such fun stuff! Congrats.
posted by melissa at November 30, 2006 10:36 PM
Anna,
Is it possible the pillowcase thing is a bolster cover? Sometimes they go all the way across the bed and are two pillowcases long.
Years ago I bought some wooden Christmas tree ornaments in Georgetown - I have a cardinal, a jackrabbit and another I can't recall right now. The cardinal made me look forward to getting the box of decorations out of the garage in a week or two.
Found my way to this site when browsing tonight - you probably know it already but thought it might be your sort of thing
http://theglassdoorknob.blogspot.com/search/label/handmade%20for%20the%20holidays
posted by Judith at November 30, 2006 11:08 PM
Ooooh man, you're in for such a treat, Minneapolis estate sales are so great. I used to live in Southwest (49th and Morgan) and if you drive from that area on Penn towards Southdale (Richfield area), there are always a ton of them in those smaller houses. Esp. in summer...have fun, wish I was still there...
posted by Courtney at November 30, 2006 11:34 PM
I love estate sales too. Although they can be sad, I try to remember and pray for the person whose stuff I'm rifling through and enjoying! It's really amazing to see a whole life's worth of stuff. It also reminds you that it's all just stuff and will someday be for sale to a bunch of strangers!
posted by Heidi at December 1, 2006 02:23 AM
Now someone's past will live on with you.. it seems right and it makes me smile too...
posted by Anita at December 1, 2006 09:32 AM
Lovely stuff! What great finds.
posted by sara at December 1, 2006 02:27 PM
I'm glad you rescued those treasures.
I've made embroidered pillow cases just like the ones you found, and the raw edges can be enclosed in contrasting bias cloth tape, or you can tuck them under and attach a wide lace border, if that look suits you.
posted by rachel at December 1, 2006 08:44 PM
I've never been to an estate sale but this post will motivate me to keep my eyes peeled when I'm out and about. I'm the sentimental type though so I imagine even if I found beautiful things to buy I might be overwhelmed by the sadness of it all. Still, it's worth a try.
posted by Sarah at December 2, 2006 02:04 PM