Textile Mania

I swear to you, I do not go out looking for cloth. My watch-for list includes things like plant-support grids (found some once, keep hoping for more), specific sizes of picture frames, unvarnished wooden beads, padded envelopes. In fact, I even put on my list in shouting capital letters NO CLOTHES OR FABRIC!!!

Hmmm. Guess I should actually read my list more often, and then pay attention to it. But really, how could I not bring these things home? I swear, a bundle forced its way into my hands at an estate sale, with a vintage fruity tablecloth, 

an appliqued & embroidered guest towel, 

a parrot embroidery, 

a vintage laundry bag,

and the cutest dish towel ever.

How could I resist three large pieces of this amazing, vibrant floral fabric 

or a pack of four brand new cloth napkins at a dollar each? (That's a dollar for the three fabric pieces, and a dollar for the four napkins.)

Or a big coffee can full of thread for another buck? 

Especially since it held 3 dozen spools of thread, 

including vintage wooden spools with cool labels, 

plus needles (yes, I did find the first one the hard way, ouch!), 

hooks & eyes, 

beading wire, 

and a seam ripper.

Then there were the pieces of cloth from Japan priced at 25¢.

Millie likes them.

She also likes the wire basket I found at our first stop. 

I'm happy to say I have an upcycling idea for it that involves some of the cloth I keep bringing home.

Lest you be tempted to paint me with the “hoarder” brush, I hasten to add I'm actively using up some of the fabric stash. This week’s project was a little art quilt.

As with my mending project from last week, everything to make it was thrifted. Oh, the freedom of thrifted supplies! Fabric scraps from free boxes, gold and silver metallic thread from the Baptist rummage sale, 

batting and fusible web from driveways a few months ago. Bunny was cut from a little scrap of cashmere.

I think the world needs more dancing bunnies, don’t you?