Antique Junkies On The Go!

I continued my Spring Break stay-cation yesterday by heading out to Boone with a friend!

We did it ALL, you guys!

We had lunch at Taste Grill for wonderful Chinese food. (I am known to schedule my macular check up appointment early afternoon so I can go there and grab lunch before they dilate my eyes all to heck and back.)

And then we did some damage with three thrift shops and two huge antique malls!

It's always fun to take our time and wander - but as it is Easter Week and the weather was lovely, downtown Boone had ZERO parking availability at the metered parking, and we luckily found a spot in a 30 minute zone right around the corner from this big mall -

We had to shop in a hurry in fear of being ticketed or towed! LOL!

We looked at the lovely pyrex in the top photo of this post, but both agreed that this person really wants to KEEP their pyrex and not sell it as some pieces were $200.00.

I don't care how rare they are. But whatever.  I suppose it is just like featherweight collectors because how many machines can you own and still sew on them all.

I'm guilty of that.  I am down to 3.  Or is it four??

We did spy this beauty on a lower shelf - love the blue!

Wizard machine, made in Japan.

And in my earlier years I would have snatched this up for the style alone, but if you look closely at the needle position - straight stitch homes at far left needle position.  So if you are tryig to get a quarter-inch seam, you'll be running on ONE feed dog.

Still - it was a lovely mid-century machine in a gorgeous color!

Dressmaker straight stitch machine - also made in Japan.

Post WWII, a lot of Singer 15 knock-offs were made and features improved upon.  This one has a knob where you can lower the feed dogs.

And yes, there were some quilts and quilt tops!  Machines and quilts have been hard to find around here lately, so it was great to get a glimpse of SOME.

Just the top -

Why was this never quilted?

The fabrics are fairly fragile - I'm guessing late 1800s. But what is wonderful about finding a top is that you can see the hand piecing stitches on the back side.  Someone's hands made those stitches.

I had an inkling I'd seen this block before and I found it in an old Maggie Malone book as Double Z.

The only difference?  The block halves are facing out rather than facing in which changes the look of the block. Look at the upper left diagram and imagine the top row of the bock becoming the bottom row...Perhaps the maker had inherited some templates and was trying to make this block from memory? Or maybe they just liked them better this way.  We will never know!

And while the diagram in the book is all half-square triangles, this maker's piecing included flying geese eliminating some of the seams which also saved fabric.

Tattered and well worn - Barrister's block quilt!

We call this "granny squares" now. But what was it called then?

This was just a partial quilt piece for sale.  Probably the only good section of the quilt that was left.  I love the soft Eastery colors.

Bazinga!

1970s Avocado green!

Beautiful piecing and freehand fans!

There were others in this cupboard, but there was nowhere to lay anything out in this booth and I wasn't messing with the hangers.

Some more here - 

The one hexagon one that you can see I really wish I could have taken off the hanger and spread out.  It was 1960s with all kinds of fabrics I remember from my childhood.  It was iff the Brady Bunch and the Partridge Family had made a quilt of all of the clothing scraps from that era.  Fun!

And who doesn't like a wonky log cabin?

Things that came home with me.

No quilts or machines - but a wonderful stoneware bowl!

And not from either of the antique malls.  This one was $5.00 at the first thrift store. I have a thing for stoneware bowls.  I've placed this one with the others on top of my kitchen cupboards.

I also picked up a pair of "rarely worn if ever" jeans for $3.50.  Score!

Goodwill Stop! $4.00

Holding cleaning supplies on my under-the-sink cabinet door.

My expensive piece of the day.

Yes, vintage pyrex. No, not part of a set. Price tag: $17.00 but the biggest thig is that it has a LID and I use these.

The gal at the counter said "You are going to USE it?!"  Yes. It has a lid.  It's great for baking, storing, reheating.  Glass lid.  Not plastic.

In other news - Zoey is fogging up the glass with her panting because they were happy to see me home.

Lola occupied my lap for a bit, but was miffed that I didn't bring her anything.

I moved her next to me so I could put the LAST hexies in the top border of my hexie quilt. FINALLY!

And now we put some stitches into the beginnings of the bottom border and I'm wondering if this quilt will be found (as a top? or as a quilt?) in some antique mall somewhere with passersby remarking "Look at all of those prints from the 1980s to the 2020s!"
We had an awesome day out and I hope to do it again.
Today?  Get those borders on the "Hello, Gretchen!" Quilt and start really deciding what I want to do for a backing.

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

You never know what lurks at the back of the junk drawer.

Find it and embrace it!

Have a Fabulous Friday, everyone -