Hermes alert...

An (or is it a) Hermes day at the thrifts earlier this week. I have not run across one since the first week in January

 I did not even realize it was a Hermes till I got it home, it was so crumpled and creased, just knew it was a lovely piece of silk. This one is called 'Puzzle' and is a gorgeous delphinium blue.

It was a bumper day for scarves, including this bright Dior, many are making their way into my  etsy shop.

 Except this Liberty paisley, an unusual shade of violet, that will join my ever growing collection

update on the scarves

An update on the redcurrants, as I call this pretty Liberty floral pattern.

I now have 4 different colorways in my collection. Interesting too, is the different printed logos.

All uppercase, all lower case, or a mix. I wonder if they were printed in different factories.

5 colorways on this charmer, the first that came my way had no logo at all, but I just knew it was a Liberty.

Paisley types are more difficult to sort, so I am starting with the easiest patterns. I think these two are from the 50s.

Actually, I wrote this post  last year, its in my reserve for times like today when everything is going tits up. ......Also, bloody blogger is at it again, telling my I do not follow any other blogs. Any of you have the same problem?

blanket labels

I have been looking for this label for a while.... Brant Forde...Brantford, just north of Toronto. I was so excited that I overlooked a mend, right in the middle of this handsome wool blanket.

I can just imagine people fording the River Grande years ago.

Another, rather plain Ayers blanket label for my collection. Interestingly , this blanket is 70% nylon and a saturated deep yellow. 1960s I would think.

A reminder of Eatons....once the major department store in Canada. This label is so 50s, when a day out in the car was very special. The rug would have been so handy for a picnic, a breakdown or just because it was bloody cold.

Internet ups and downs

Ahh, the joys of the internet for an old dinosaur like me.

I have desperately been trying to get up on face book 'cos I was told I need to!! I put up a business page but don't know what to do with it.

Then I was told I need a profile page to lead folks to my business page....but that does not seem to work......and I don't really want the profile page anyway. Grrrr

Then bloody blogger keeps telling me I am not following any other blogs....NOT true.

Also, blogger has put me back on the old set up, just as I was getting used to the new one. Grrr.

But all is not lost....the new wedding category setup on etsy is sending lots of traffic my way, and I often notice one of my vintage wedding dresses featured , never looked at the wedding category before. There has been lots of moaning and groaning on the forums but it seems to help my other shop.

****Stop Press....just been invited to join an etsy wedding promotion team....Yikes!

A newish blog that will do very well The Etsy Detective featured this vintage souvenir scarf...Ellie has an image

that you can paste into your shop...but I couldn't do that either.

Shame it is not G&T time yet, I feel I need it.

See, a gift for me.

Look what arrived in the post today! 'Vintage Handknits' from Artesano yarns. I won it on one of my favorite blogs, A Life Like Vera!. Nicky sent it right away and it arrived from England in a matter of days. I have already signed up for Artesano's newsletter and its looks ever so good. A Life Like Vera! was one of the first blogs a started to follow when I moved to blogland about 3 years ago.

I hardly ever win anything, that may be because I rarely enter a givaway...3 in 3 years... and then only when I really, really want the prize.

I quite fancy the pattern bottom right, Wilma, it doesn't take too much wool, and I might have just the thing in my stash.

The best thing is that the patterns are clearly laid out and in nice big type.

Most people know I only knit vintage patterns. Here is my granddaughter wearing a 1940s pattern, that I knitted in the 80s. The pattern and the sweater have stood up well, don't you think?

Thank you Nicky.......and Artesano

Disgusting

One of my favorite farmers asked me if I wanted a stack  of old quilts they unearthed in a barn on their property, I was warned they were pretty disgusting and they were. Moldy, damp and reeking.

 But, you know me, I always believe there is something worth saving, specially if its an old textile.

 I am working my way through the pile.  All from the turn of the century. The top one was relatively easy to take apart.

 Managed to remove the primitive homespun or Alamance type backing, but there is still a lot of raw cotton batting sticking to it...even though I have washed the cloth.

 The tweed squares are very interesting, since the original patches were about 12"  I had hoped to make a small sample stack, alas, even I gave up...

 specially when it was obvious that some small rodents had taken up residence at some point.

 OK, on to the next one, just as damp and smelly. I am still having trouble with the old batting and  might try shaving it. I have rescued the grey and lilac striped backing.

 Two down, four more to go. At least the weather is with me and I can work outside.
Sigh.... these working men's  quilts have been very handsome in their day.

Favorite bouquets

The first major flowers from the garden, always my favorite.

 Our old lilac trees, a bit scraggly now, but I don't care, with deep purple tulips planted specially to go with the tree.

 More lilac with Lily of the Valley, the perfume scents the whole house. My second most treasured bouquet is always the last flowers from garden.

Lovely surprise this week from my blog buddy Maddy, who loves all things French, as do I. We chat about books and decoration...  She sent me her Louis IIX pin which looks great on my spring jacket, its so me.

The pins and other goodies are for sale (very reasonably) in her original etsy shop

3 year anniversary

Celebrating 3 years on selling vintage textiles on etsy.(actually it was May 5th, but I have been inexplicably 'down' and not felt like blogging). It has  been a learning curve.    

 Fabriquefantastique has remained my main shop. I still love the thrill of the hunt, specially rescuing very old bashed up quilts and finding just the right home for them. Lately I have been taking apart a few damaged, heavy quilts to rescue the antique back fabric.
Vintage linens are a little slow....must stop buying so much, says she who bought about 12 pieces just yesterday.There is a lot of very good competition out there.

Boutiquefantastique came about as I could not bear to see lovely old wedding dresses left on the racks of the thrift shops. It has expanded a bit, but I do not give this shop the attention I should. What I really need is a nice, young model, must put the word out.

The latest venture was Foulardfantastique....my shop devoted to vintage scarves. I set this up when I went to New Zealand for two months this January  and wanted to keep an online presence. The shop went with me. 50 scarves did not take up much room, about a large shoe box. I would have been satisfied to have sold 4 or 5 and was delighted that 31 sold during that period. New Zealand PO was very helpful. Whats more it gave me permission to pop in every op shop I passed in an attempt to restock.

Pattern at our house.

Picked up a remnant of upholstery weight cotton at the thrift today, obviously a copy of the famous Arthur Silver pattern, even a very similar color way as this one in the V&A. The selvedge reads 'Copyright House n' Home Fabrics & Draperies, Inc"

"

 It is quite a coarse print, the colours are rather flat and there is not much detail.

Certainly not as intricate as in my favorite  Liberty green  wool shawl.
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 But...I think I will keep it, might do to re-do my dining room chairs if and when they need it. Currently covered in Sandersons William Morris Lily, picked up at the Sandersons warehouse in Ancoats many years ago .....that place is like Aladdin's cave. Just as well I haven't been for a dozen years.

While we are on about Sandersons  and William Morris, I wish I could find more of this wallpaper used in the front vestible and downstairs washroom..... Indian .....I still love it.