Bonnie bought a new basket!
I found this little basekt in a 20% off booth in one of the antique malls in Waynesville on Thursday. Isn’t it cool? I think it might have been a knitting basket, but as I love old quirky baskets, it’s perfect, no matter what it was originally used for.
Believe me – I scoured the antique shops quickly, but scoured them thoroughly ---sometimes you find loads of good stuff, and sometimes just not!
What was interesting about those shops was the hours --- some of them didn’t open til noon, and some of them said “by luck or by chance”.
Wow. I wish I could run my business by luck or by chance! I would have done more browsing if they had been open, but I needed to hit the road and make it over to Ashtabula.
Don’t doorways like this just draw you in?
The old buildings and shops are fun to wander……and that’s just the thing, you never know what you will find ---that's part of the thrill of the treasure hunt!
One shop had two toy machines, and one antique treadle head in a glass cabinet --- way too rich for my blood, but fun to see! I already have one very similar to the red one on the right.
There were a few quilts, but not many ---
One quilt had darling baskets in embroidery ----this is the first kind of needlework I learned to do. My step-grandma taught me how to trace images onto muslin, and then to do all of the stitchery in colored floss – so not quite red work – instead it was fun picking which color would go where. I always think of her when I see embroideries like this!
There’s my shadow! Taking a picture of a rug/runner loom as I wandered down the street from one shop to the next. This thing looked ancient ---I think I'd rather be quilting!
Some quilt tops were “shirnk wrapped” in plastic and you couldn’t even get to them! I couldn’t find anyone to tell the warnings of plastic and humidity and the need for fabric to breathe to ---but I sure wished I could get these tops out behind the plastic!
Bow Tie Top! Great 50’s fabrics --- but it didn’t come home with me.
This lovely old treadle was marked $40 ---look at those decals! It’s a White Rotary ---
Close up of the corner decals --- This didn’t come home with me either. I just don’t have what it needs to get this up and running, and it’s a treadle, not a motorized machine. I love vintage machines, but with my life as fast paced as it is, I really like to sew with a motor :c)
When I told the shop keeper this, she unearthed this Singer Spartan and sold it to me for $28.00.
I swore I wasn’t going to buy any more machines --- but….come on --- $28.00?? I shouldn't have opened my mouth about prefering a motorized vintage machine --- OOPS!
Just how am I going to explain THIS one to DH!?
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34 comments:
Hey, you're not made of steel are you? No one could resist that deal! LOL!!! It looks like a beauty. I'm sure you'll enjoy it well beyond the price! Travel safely =^..^=
Hi Bonnie,
I'm sure you know but a guy who took one of your classes and nas a blog has a Spartan. The link is http://outnumberedquilter.blogspot.com.au/
Is that why you bought the Spartan? His descriptions of reconditioning it are very interestin. He calls it Leonidas
Tell DH that you are getting a jump start on the tax deductions for 2012! After all, he DID tell you that you needed more deductions!
LOL - Bonnie you sure do move fast. Question: is it possible (someday) for you to provide a tutorial on purchasing a old sewing machines? What to look for, when it's a good buy, when it's not, etc.? Thanks for providing such entertaining stories!!
$28?? Who could resist that? And I'd love a tutorial on purchasing old machines as well. Love reading your blogs...
I agree with Sharon. You need more tax deductions. The antique machines that are beyond repair my husband makes into lamps.
You 'splain' it to DH in one word '$28.00'. LOL! I have a Spartan that I use for doing upholstery. It's powerful enough to handle the heaviest of fabrics and not at all finicky about thread like my Pfaff. It purrs with that heavy upholstery thread or the finest of delicate silk thread. You got yourself a gem.
Didn't your husband say you needed to spend more for your tax write offs?? That is practically him saying you could buy it. Haha!
I would buy that Spartan in a heartbeat!
I would buy that Spartan in a heartbeat!
If you sell it to someone for $30.00 before you get home you won't have to explain anything. LOL
This will make a perfect and inexpensive gift for somebody. Someday. You need to get it up and running for awhile to make sure there are no hidden problems that may arise. Can you imagine giving it away? No me either.
I'd have bought that in a heart beat.
Well you could tell him you bought it to put in July's yard sale for one of us not so foturnate to find a great bargain. LOL
Sue
Will he buy the "It followed me home" plea?
I agree that the Spartan was a wonderful buy. About the toy machines, I don't know about the one on the left, but I'm not sure the one on the right is a toy. I was followed home a couple of years ago by two or three similar machines--it looks like a Wanzer from the late 1800's, but I'm no expert!
Congratulations on the basket find too.
I'm doing most of my quilts on two treadles, and they are every bit as fast as any electric I've ever found--and they make my thighs look better too! ;-D
What great finds!! I don't collect sewing machines...but I do love baskets, and that is a great basket! Love it!
Inflation is high!!! Mine cost $17.50 47 years ago!!!!
as I was scrolling up, I spotted a small ox yoke in the pic of the flower garden qult???
I think that was a good deal on Sparticus. Just remind DH how much a dozen golf ball cost and he loses those! Kendra
Nothing wrong with a sewin' machine stash - you need them to deal with the fabric stash afterall !! I bought my little Featherweight just because of you, you know - they looked such fun, and I'm certainly pleased with it, though it's my Pfaff that does most of my sewing, and the Elna that did all my sewing for many years mostly gets brought out now for the tough stuff. Margaret
Just keep it in the car until he's out, and then pop it on your shelf. When he asks if it's new, just say "What, this old thing?"
:-)
lol Tell him buying the machines keeps you out of bars and out of trouble.
Will he even notice one more? ;)
That old Spartan looks REALLY good! I have my grandmother's, and it was the first machine I learned to sew on. What a workhorse!
Well Bonnnie if I had gone to Waynesville w you I might have bid on that Saprtan too... but as it is I just Won an ebay feather weight (1946)I hope I won't be disappointed. I'll send you pics when it arrives.
Oh loving the basket!!!
Love the great buy and want to see a future tutorial too, especially the cleaning part. I remember you saying you clean them thoroughly when you get them, but what do you use? Thanks for sharing!
You are going to tell him that it is an income tax deduction! You are just following his instructions from tax time!!!! (Bet he won't open his mouth again!) Joy In AK
Seriously, by now do you think this will come as any surprise to DH? : )
It's a beauty!
My girlfriend and I had a "Bonnie Hunter" moment at an auction today in 90 degree heat. A cabinet model old black singer in perfect condition belonging to the original owner who had passed at the age of 92 was auctioned off. My girlfriend was signaling to me on the other side of the crowd, when the auctioneer took her "bid", and she ended up purchasing the machine for a whopping $7.50. Yes, that is correct, only seven dollars. We decided to name it "Daisy" in honor of the owner who proudly used it for years. It makes a wonderful story that will be written down and tucked away in the cabinet with the machine. ** Nancy in Kansas
I would love a tutorial on buy and cleaning old machines. I have been looking for them out here (west) and they seem to be a lot higher priced.
I say tell him it followed you home.
Hey, if you get bored with the motor on that Spartan, you can always convert it to a hand crank, like mine. (I do still have the motor, I just don't use it). You got a Spartan, like mine, and I now have a blue machine, like your 'Wizard' but named something else. Now to rewire it. I think it will keep it's motor.
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