Wednesday, May 15, 2013

A needlework book from the Awesome Spring Sale

Didn't I tell you I'd find fantastic things at the rummage sale this past weekend?


There were tons of beautiful vintage knitting needles in the craft section too, but the space situation here at home is now sufficiently dire to have produced murmurings of renting a storage locker as a cost-effective alternative to moving, and as a result it seemed best to leave those for somebody else who loves them as much as I do and can house them.

Even without the green knitting needles I am happy though, because Donna Kooler's Encyclopedia of Needlework is a pretty great book, especially for $1.50.

There is history,


and stitch directions with diagrams,


and even patterns.


Admittedly I have no burning desire to do any of this type of stitching (it may be another story after I've spent more time with this book), but I do love reading about how, not least because needlework is such a huge part of our social history.

Wondering about the fabric lurking in the background?


It's a $4 vintage cotton twin-sized bed sheet covered with pink cabbage roses, which is another way of saying it had to come home with me, if only en route to the cottage. I think it wants to be a closet cover, though the only room that needs one is predominantly denim blue and sea green.  Horribly clash-y?  Maybe just a spare top sheet, then.

And speaking of the cottage, those two finds are the boring ones - the real score is for summertime use up there in the woods when I'm craving a nice homey tea:


I can't remember how many pieces are in this box but I do know the set had two jugs, a cream and sugar and plate to put them on, a cookie jar, a teapot, and a covered plate - for cheese, or perhaps butter?  and possibly some other bits which I will discover when I unpack it all properly to wash it... at which point I will take proper glamour shots, maybe with scones on that oval plate even.

It looks like this set has been looking for a home for a while - it's still got its original stickers on it from the china shop where it was sold, and the jug out front also has a garage sale sticker on the side.  I do love finding something that just need someone to love it, especially when I am clearly that person!

Tomorrow, I'll have knitting to show you because I have been very very busy in my cute and tidied-up living room.  Hope you've been getting in some knitting time yourself, and I'll see you then.

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