Can already see how beautiful this Winter scene will be, but I’m not looking forward to winter at all yet. Wish I had started this project with you girls, but was just getting into slow stitch and just didn’t have the supplies yet. Maybe I will try something next year😍
I have to agree that it’s getting harder to find goodies at op shops. Maybe they’re already at my place! The lacy square with bead tassels could be a food throwover, the beads would hold it down. For an afternoon tea outside?
Congratulations Corrine. 10k….more of us are finding you and loving your projects, stories and little fur babies. You are such a giggle, incredibly generous and inspiring. A real Joy to watch. Thank you 🙏🏻🌸
Lovely pieces. I know you crochet so you might try out cro-tatting. Tatting stitches you can do with thin crochet hooks. Easy for little edgings or small motifs. Happy creating!
I have exactly the same problem. The past couple of years, ive struggled to find any bits for my slow stitching projects when i visit charity shops and if i am lucky and find something, then its got a silly price on it and its just too expensive for me to buy. When i got talking to a sales person in one charity shop, she admitted they have certain people going into the shops, sometimes 5 times a day, who are buying any good stuff, to resell on ebay and etsy. I have been in charity shops having a look round and seen people come in and go straight to the counter and get handed a bag from the back room, ive seen that happen more than once, my guess is, that people have befriended the sales people in these charity shops and certain items are being put aside and never actually being put out on the shop floor for sale. I don't have money to spend on buying lots of items full price for my Slow Stitching, plus unfortunately I don't often receive any gifted items i can use either, so i rely on occasional finding something i can use but that just doesn't happen very often.
What I am seeing in US is people whose job (or part time job ) is to go to thrift stores, flea markets, estate sales, book sales, etc. with the intention to buy up items to sell on the secondary market. They scan items or often have people on a phone call and go through items to determine resell value and opportunity to make a profit. I recently went to a library book sale where these buyers were lined up with crates, boxes and phone apps which scan the books and tell them who will buy the books and what they will pay for them. They descend like locusts and scoop up all the good stuff in record time. I am finding it harder to find good clothing, textiles and books. I think it has less to do with people like us looking to find goodies to craft with and those wishing to make a profit.
I quite often come home with nothing from the thrift stores too. I do get lucky sometimes and find a little girl’s dress that has a couple of different fabrics, some lace, and maybe even cute buttons. They are a bargain at $1.99.
I never find much at the bigger op shops but I have my favourite small one tucked away here on the sunshine coast. There's always something to find and so reasonably priced. The goodies from Susanna are beautiful especially the tatting. Im always on the lookout for fine tatting. .
Sorry you didn’t find a treasure today but . Well , there is tomorrow. I find here if I go to our senior citizen resale shops . I find way better pieces. And the prices are amazingly reasonable. Most of these shops are there just to support the center itself.not a lot of traffic. So I hit them on a regular basis. Just found a crochet tablecloth for $4. And it is full of pieces that I can cut out . I really need to stitch more and shop less . 😊
Such a shame you returned empty handed on big thrifting adventure . But a lovely surprise to return home to find all those beautiful treasures . You did very well to stay focused and not return home with an extra bundle of fluff . ❤
Oh dear thought you would find one thing in the opp shopping poor you. I’m sure you had fun looking. Such a lovely package of bits for you though. I’m of to Westport next week ( hubby is there working me I’m opp shopping) had the best time last time I went. Didn’t know what I was looking for but found lace and place mats, this Time I know what to look for thanks to you girls. Best place I’ve been to for fabric one opportunity shop has a room filled with material, lace, buttons, so much sewing fun inside not a small room it was massive floor to ceiling bins yep I’m so gonna spend a good two hours there. Knowing my luck slow stitching has taken of and sigh no more bargains, na I will have looking. Have a great weekend.
Thank you Corrine for the video ,I think you could be right about the slow stitch revolution buying up linen although , I have found there is loads around ,it is all on Etsy marked vintage 😂 with of course the price to match. Very impressive thrift shops size wise, ours are really tiny in comparison here in the UK. I bet it really lifted your spirits to come back to a lovely package. Friendship,can't be beat.
Even in Taupo, New Zealand it's getting hard to find pieces! I was told that denim jackets are sold as quick as they go on the racks😮 ... don't know whether to blame slow stitching, that people are more aware of fabric waste or our economy !!
A few years ago, I was gifted several embroidered linens. Tablecloths, pillowcases, small dresser runners. I was overwhelmed and thought the lady had made a mistake- as she had also given me some material. No there was no mistake she was gifting them to me. Upon further inspection, many of them had some staining and wear & tear holes. The stitching and crochet edging is all done by hand. I know I need to start using them, as they are just sitting in a container on my shelf.
The first thing that came to mind when you showed that gorgeous square piece with the tasselled corners, is that it somewhat resembles a Chuppah, the covering over the bridal couple at a Jewish wedding. (Apologies if that is not the correct word or spelling). Whatever it is, it is simply gorgeous, and I really wish Susanna was my good stitching buddy!
I went op shopping today. I was lucky and got some doilies, a lace tablet cloth, 2 cot blankets in the dog bed area that i think i will explore kawandi with.
What a fun video. A collage covering sewing, animals, charity and friendship. How lovely to come home to such a wonderful package! The weights at the corners of your ‘tablecloth’ make me wonder if it’s what we used to call ‘shower cloths’ in Scotland. They were usually made from a sheer material and embroidered/edged with lace or crochet/embellished in some way. Anyway, they were used here up to the 70s (I’d guess) to cover a table that you had already laid out for say an afternoon tea, supper or a picnic. My mum and my aunts used them for instance if they were having a crowd of friends round, they’d get the sandwiches, cakes, etc ready set out and cover them up until it was time to eat them. That way they could stay chatting with their friends and only had to leave them to make the tea/coffee. I’m assuming the cover was to keep thieving hands off the goodies and, in the case of picnics or a meal outside, insects off the food. I think I have an old one my mum had but it’s nowhere as lovely as yours.
Yes, we had them too back in the day, more like the 1930sand 40s. They were meant to keep the flies off the food. You would make sure they were elevated so they didn't touch the food. They made it so the food could be set out without the nasty flies sitting on it.
The goodies from Susannah are gorgeous! As both a tatter and crocheter, I have to say that tatting is much more time consuming. If you make a mistake in crocheting, you just pull the thread out. With tatting, you have to unpick stitches which can take a while. Ask me how I know.....😄
I need to go thrifting for fabric. Never thought of using garments to do this kind of stitching. There is a good shop here where I am and each piece of clothing is $1. Yes Susanna is very generous. Wish I was able to come to the retreat but it looks like I won't be able to. Maybe if she has another retreat I'll be able to make that one.
Do you have estate sales in AU? Every so often I come across estate sale signs that families put out in our neighborhoods for sales they just run themselves. Then, there's estate sales online. That's here, in the U.S.A. All the thrift stores and antique type places we just have to run across while driving through towns. These are beautiful!
I find the prices in Lifeline stores have become too way high. Considering the items are donated to them it seems a cash grab to me. Thus I go to other op shops now.
Crazy how wasteful we are, all those clothes that were cheap to buy and now are in a thrift store…. The real price to our world producing fabric and clothing is not in the price… think about the start to finish … a lot of energy wasted.
Hi Corrine sorry my reply cut short great video and all the goodies were lovely you were talking about tattering I would like to send some to you but I don’t have your address and witch home do I send it to ?do you send to messenger is that ok. Stephanie I am a subscriber for you Sonya so stay safe and happy have a busy day Sewing I live p.s . Do you like sew on wool fabric it is very fine but the needle goes through it easily Stephanie
