Fall Treat (No Tricks)

We were in for a pleasant treat when the Textile Center in St. Paul had an off-season garage sale. This wasn't the usual extravaganza they hold every spring with their silent auction and famous $5 a bag sale at the end. It was a very pared down sale held in their own facility in their multipurpose room but was nicely done and good items and prices were to be found. Although we did have to drive around a bit to find the Center and off-street parking but that was mainly due to our own ignorance (plus I was driving, not my husband) plus there was no $4 parking fee either. I managed to find ten patterns at their famous price of $1 for all ten:

Alog with the usual little girl dress patterns (will I ever have enough?) there were a few fun summer dress patterns for myself, a Vogue wedding dress pattern dated 1999 (how could I resist?), and two vintage patterns for a total of nine. When I told my husband I was short one he found this little gem:

Sorry for the sideways view but can't edit for some reason!

I was skeptical of the sizing but when we looked at it closer I could see the sizing is the same as today with a men's large having a 16-16 1/2 neck. Women's sizing has changed all over the place but from fifty years ago men's have stayed the same? This is an interesting comment on American life, no? Here's the two vintage patterns that have me all excited:

No dates on these gems but guessing 1962?

The wrap around skirt and blouse are straight out of the early 60's and I'm sure this is the pattern I used to make my first skirt. My sister Sue might remember this one as I think she made this skirt in Home Ec. and then I made it up, including the blouse that was way over my head in skill. Check out the sizing on these patterns: size 14 that is more like a size10 or 12 today.

The fabric was also a deal with quite a few quilting cottons in zipper bags with about a yard in each for $3. Here's some of what I brought home:

There were a few knits that caught my eye:

as I think about the bottom green (really bright in person, but not in this photo) that would make up fun little girl leggings, some was swimsuit fabric (top) for those cute panties for the little girls in my life along with a cotton knit in a rather wild '80's print.

The super bargain of the day was the six yard piece of tan/khaki poplin for only $6 along with this great assortment:

I've got a thing for dots these days so I had to snatch these big ones up and the black and white plaid on the top reminds me of the cape I made for my mother-in-law that I have always coveted (maybe I will make one for me?). There were also a few cones of thread and some other random pieces of fabric that weren't close by for photos but maybe they are just shy.

My dining room table is stacked with fabric from cutting out hot mitts for the upcoming craft fair in New Brighton so I have to take care of these stacks right away or we will soon have no place to eat. I'm getting excited about sewing all of this up and even wonder how I will ever get 40 hot mitts sewn but I always seem to find a way, don't I? Happy sewing, folks!