Playing Hooky All the Way to Abingdon!

So much for staying in to sew!

Mona arrived at the cabin around 9am – the sun was shining, we wanted to be out!

She said she wanted to visit Quiltville Inn and see the new improvements and then she didn’t care WHAT we got up to as long as we were not cooped up inside.

And that is when I laid it out that I really wanted to get over to Abingdon and check out some antique malls, perhaps have lunch out and just explore what is out there.

“Let’s go!” was her reply.  And I’m so glad we did.

I could have stayed in and worked on more Winter Blues on-point assembly – but I was just feeling kind of SEWN OUT.  Do you ever get that way?

A day to play was just what the doctor ordered – for both of us!

We played a day of “Free the Machine!”

Boy, did that ever feel good!  LET THE MACHINES OUT TO BE SEEN.

I look at it this way – there is more table space to lay out your crap precious items if the cabinet is open.  And how are people to even KNOW there is a machine in the cabinet unless the cabinet is open and folks can see it for what it really is?

One thing we did notice – machines were PRICEY down in Abingdon. I think this fairly ordinary Singer 66 red eye was $300. Hmmmm.  How is that supposed to sell if the machine is down in the cabinet?

This was a NICE one!  And Early!

Wheeler & Wilson!

Is it a WW 9? Or WW11?

The decals are worn off and I don’t know enough about the WWs to know.

Next on the “Free the Machine” list:

Oooohh… A Wizard!  What a tank!

I honestly saw more machines yesterday than I had seen in a long time – maybe that’s because evecn this one was priced over $200?

$200 for a 15 in a plastic case?

Don’t get me wrong.  I love my 15-91.  It belonged to my great grandmother.  Then it was given to my grandmother and she made clothes on it for her own children – my mother, her two sisters and her brother.  It sewed many a roller skating and ice skating competition outfit for my mom when she was a teen.  But I have a hard time seeing these machines go over $200 at this stage of the game when just a few years ago there were many in the $50.00 range.  For $200.00 it should at least come with a cabinet in excellent condition.

Another red eye in a broken cabinet -

Evidence of pin-rash on the arm -

Missing bobbin cover plate.

We didn’t even lift this one from the cabinet because of the broken pieces – this one we were unable to free and it was something like $375.00??  We were just completely baffled at the prices of these machines.  Evidently there WERE so many machines because they were priced so high.

We got a big kick out of the vintage sewing lessons book!

No pins in mouth.  Got it!

Okay, I have definitely flunked the “pick up scraps and threads and put away your work” part!

And I do love that when we get stuck, we have each other for advice, help, and inspiration!

Army green Necchi also stayed behind.

But fun to see.  Perhaps someone else will adopt this one.

And of course there were quilts – MANY quilts!  I think I will save those for tomorrow because the “everything else” is taking up all the space today.

Some days we just notice a THEME -

One vintage TV

(I think my grannie had one like this in her kitchen in the 70s!)

Cute TV with bandanna fabric look.

I would have loved THIS in my childhood bedroom – (Look, my shirt matches!)

But the weird one that took the prize?

Well, okay then!

Weird Jetson’s style mid-century modern TV.

Just where the heck are you going to put this thing?!

Someone wants it in Sweden.  Bon Voyage!

Is it going into a museum?

Someone on Facebook said “put an aquarium in it!” 

There are just some eras in history that make me shake my head.  Mid-century is one of them.  It’s loaded with weird.  And that is why combing antique malls and finding the oddities is so fun!

Check this one out:

Plug in soup-heating station.

College dorm maybe?

Pre-microwave!

And you can own this for the low, low price of $150.00!

We can tell you that the one in the right was used far more than the one on the left.  Definitely a bachelor pad kind of item.  LOL!

Circa 1996 from Walmart.

I know this because this is my set at home and I have added to the set from time to time – last time was $16.00 or something like that for the full set of 4 plates, 4 salad plates, 4 bowls – this set is priced at $86.00.  I think they’ve been talking to the same folks pricing the sewing machines.  The layer of dust says that this has been here for a while.  LOL.

Along with the laughs, the giggles, the talking and looking, speculating, and wondering – I did find something that had to come home with me:

NO!  Not the mop dolls!

We lived through them once, please don’t tell me they are back IN!

This!

This is perfect!

It has most of my favorite Virginia places on it.

You can see ABINGDON at the butt of the sheep at the far left.  LOL.  Roanoke. Lynchburg. Charlottesville.  Richmond. Norfolk.  Newport News.

Someone put a lot of work not only into the stitching of this in 1988 but they gave special care to choosing the matting and the frame.

Welcome to Quiltville Inn, little stitchery!  I know I am going to find a place for you -

And every time I see Abingdon I will remember the day that Mona and I played hooky in the spring of 2019 and found you.

Just say no!

I will also remember the lunch we enjoyed at Chef Heather’s and how we thought it was a good idea to sit here while waiting for our table.  Only neither of us could get up after we had sat down.

This is NOT happening with the claw foot tubs at Quiltville Inn.  Not on the porch, not in the garden, not anywhere – just say NO!

Today I am headed back to the Inn – the Winter Blues top will hopefully (fingers crossed) be completed today.  I’m ready to move on to something else.  ANYTHING ELSE. today – we push through!

Quiltville Quote of the Day!

Vintage Jacob's Ladder quilt found in North Carolina.

How different life would be if we all walked away from gossip and verbal defamation.

Let's make a habit of shutting off conversations that aim to tear others down.

Have a lovely Tuesday, everyone!