Rescuing other people’s handmade projects is possibly a habit of mine. A good or bad habit? I’m not sure. I see how much time and skill the make has woven into it. The love. The care. Seeing it crumpled in a box and undervalued, tugs at my heart. Each piece takes hours to make. I need to take it home. Special mention goes to tapestries and embroidery, so often abandoned and yet easily given a second life as a cushion cover, where it can be admired again.
Last weekend, my two daughters and I headed down to a Flea Market. It makes a great day out and we love looking for unusual finds. Eldest found a three mirror for her dressing table, which had a French vibe to it. Middle found a beautiful dress and I found a handmade quilt. Handstitched with thousands of tiny, exquisite stitches, it’s big enough to fit a King sized bed. This quilt took hours and hours to make.
The colour? In some lights, it is gold. In others it’s pink or peach. Maybe coral. None of us can agree.
I have no idea of the quilt’s history. It has spent time folded up, as there is a patch underneath faded by the sun. It is heavy, so I suspect a wool wadding inside and the fabric feels cotton. Where did I find it? Crumpled up, slightly bedraggled and hanging half way out of a cardboard box. With an air of rejection and slightly embarrassed to be there. It was £20. I rescued it. Definitely my best purchase for a long time.
Other finds
This flea market I made myself a rule to buy nothing that would sit on an inside surface. This still left plenty of scope for finding useful objects for the garden or to go on the walls. This print tickled me and is definitely a conversation starter. Subsequent research shows that credit goes to Erbsenbeetdesign through Etsy. I love it.
I rummaged through a box and found an oversized handmade skirt and top, which I plan to refashion as the fabric is gorgeous. Also a sweet apron which I’ve already put to good use and wear whenever I cook.
Going to a flea market, you are never too sure what you will find. It’s no good expecting to come home with a particular item. I have a list of things I’m looking for, but I’m fine to go home empty handed and leave it for another market. There is fun in the chase.
This time, I knew I wanted more terracotta pots for my geraniums and I wasn’t disappointed. The sellers were starting to pack up and I just caught one with perfect pots. I bought three and he (carefully) threw in an extra one. Who doesn’t love a bargain? I suspect the seller was happy not to be reloading them back on to his van.
Handmade shed
Not all handmade is textile in our household. My husband is building an extension to his shed from scratch. He’s using the same ethos as he put into practise when he built my potting shed and using recycled materials as much as possible. He’s been skip diving (permission from owner acquired) for roof timbers and Facebook marketplace for free double glaze window units. A neighbour offered a collapsing shed, which the salvageable parts have now cladded the long side. Running cost is about £70 so far.
Hair
Both Eldest and I have been to the hairdresser this week. I only go twice a year or every two years, but I always marvel at how my hairdresser can add movement and bounce into my long, heavy hair with her clever snips. Eldest had her’s cut and opted to dye her hair at home. She’s stuck to red. It looks stunning. We’re off to an event this week, so hopefully I’ll have a photo or two to post next week.
Hope everyone is enjoying/surviving the heat in the UK. Joining in Anne’s word of the week linky with my word “handmade”.
It sounds like yous found some fantastic things at the flea market. The quilt really is lovely!
Good job to your husband with the shed. Wood is expensive so skip diving is a great idea. x
People throw so much good stuff away in skips, probably because they don’t have time to recycle it or sell it. My husband is very clever at reusing building materials. The flea market was fun.
It’s brilliant that you can breathe new life into old, discarded things. The quilt is lovely and reminds me of one at my nan’s house when I was growing up. Flea markets are the best. I love to rummage even if I come away empty-handed.
I love that print! It’s exactly the type of thing I look for in charity shops.
The shed extension is looking good, and what a bargain so far.
There is something about finding the unexpected at a flea market. The print makes me smile each time. Reminds me of my Grandmother’s daxies. The shed is a slow project, which is fun in itself.
The quilt looks pink to me and a good buy, hope the faded patches don’t spoil it too much. What will you be doing with it?
The terracotta pots were a good find and a free one even better. We have a massive flea market near us, but I’ve not been yet, must rectify that #wotw
In some light it’s pink, in others it’s not. The quilt is destined for our bed. Yes, go to the flea market. It makes for an entertaining day out.
What great finds at the flea market, my mother was addicted to rescuing other’s things at flea market. She would come back with loads of stuff. I love the idea of a shed extension. I’m looking at mine right now and wondering if it would be possible. I was thinking of a new one but an extension would be a good idea.
I’m choosy about what I will pick. I find other people’s sewing boxes with contents particularly heart tugging. The shed extension made more sense than another shed, in our case.
I LOVE that print! I would definitely have grabbed it up. We don’t have a lot of second hand markets here and it makes me sad because there are so many hidden gems out there.
It is a fun print. Online second hand goods are good, but nothing beats walking around the stalls and seeing it. I spot things that I’d never think to get second hand, but I can.
I’m not sure we have flea market by me but if ever one pops up I may have to go and look. I would say the quilt is pink and a steal at £20!
Definitely worth looking for a local flea market.
How lovely to find a handmade quilt at the flea market and be able to rescue it. The underneath is such a pretty colour. I can imagine just how much work must have gone into it with all the hand-stitching. That certainly is an interesting print. Hope you have fun refashioning the skirt and top and hope the shed extension project is going well. #WotW
Amazing time put into the quilt. It is a lovely colour.
[…] put the mirror, she found in the Flea market, on top, so she can use it as a dressing table too, and her rat. Somehow it works. I love seeing her […]