Byway to Braselton!

While the stops I made on my way to Atlanta were fun wanders, I didn’t pick up much along the way.

I saw “average” treadle machines with prices way too high.

I saw “ordinary” old Singers with bad wiring and missing parts for much higher than I needed to pay, besides they were models that I already have.

Could it be that I am slowing down?

I am doing my best to practice the “Catch & Release” method of antiquing!  ((Sometimes I can do it, sometimes I can’t!))

This little town was a new one on my radar --- mostly because there is a huge billboard on I-85 about 5 miles ahead of the exit telling passers-by that there are 4 Antique places in Braselton, Georgia --- next exit, turn left!

And this building is the first one I saw --- ooooh perfect!

This is a larger building than it looks.  It is two stories and goes back and back and back and back – you can spend a good amount of time in here!

The only machine worth mentioning was a hand-crank:

I’m not even sure what it is --- the name is all worn off the front.  It’s not a toy, but it’s not full sized by any means either.

Do you noticed the position of the bobbin slide plates?  This is a “transverse” shuttle.  And yes --- despite the fact that this machine is worn clear down to the cast iron beneath the finish ---the shuttle is still there!

Tiny little slide plates!  On the Transverse shuttle….the bobbin rides from right to left and back to right again in a straight line, where as a “vibrating” shuttle swings in an arc.

This poor machine has almost not finish left at all, you can tell that by what decals are barely left.  Rusty as all get out, and they wanted quite a bit of money for it.  These ones are easy for me to Catch & Release!

The wood base is even in very rough terrible shape.

Can you make out a brand name on this? I can’t!

I love the little “sewing machine” emblem at the base of the pillar ----and the floral spray above it is still in pretty good condition too.  But everything else?  Too rough.  Even if you could get this up and working, cosmetically it’s just not going to be in very good condition ever.  But still.  I wish I could know more.   What if I passed up on something REALLY rare?

I did spy one other thing that caught my attention though:

I spotted this folded over a chair ---and recognizing the fabrics from the late 1800s through the 1920s --- I had to open it up and check it out further:

Oh this is a fun one!  There are some early chrome yellows that have faded to soft butter in color.  The burgundy resists are a dead give-away to me of a particular period in time, around the turning of the 20th century.  The turkey reds with yellow details are fabulous too ---dang I wish I had gotten better close ups of the fabrics and the shirtings in the light areas are also wonderful!

This quilt was only $65.00 --- and yes.  This one IS in the van.  I’ll see if I can get better inspection photos of it tomorrow for you ----I love the half square triangles in the center of the blocks!

We are gathering up our gear and on our way to spend a day making Scrappy Mountain Majesties blocks…….Whatever you get up to today, I hope you have some time set aside of needle and thread!