think of your local Thrift Store as a fabric source

Thrift Store shopping is an activity I've enjoyed for many years now, but it never occurred to me to use that also as a source for fabric...until yesterday.

Anna's blog, Pleasant View Schoolhouse, is filled with inspiration in her writings, lovely light-filled photographs, Alabama Chanin garments she sews and quilting projects she pieces together mostly with fabric she's cut down from garments purchased from thrift stores.  Her quilts are beautiful.

So yesterday when I stopped by my little local Thrift Store, I happened to mention to the very nice saleslady that I sewed, as I was trying to figure out their garment pricing with thoughts of how Anna cuts down old linen dresses for her quilt's fabric scraps spinning in my head.  The very nice saleslady said, 'you know, we have fabric' and led me to a mess! of fabric that was difficult to even sort through as there was so much other stuff in the boxes.  After finding a couple of pieces that were suitable and making my way to the checkout counter, the manager approached me and said if I wanted ALL the fabric, she'd sell it to me for a 'very good price'.  'What was a "very good price"' I asked.  'Everything for $10 - including what's in your hands'.  There was @$5.00 in my hands, so $10 sounded pretty good.  I said 'Sure!'.

She dragged out a huge box from their backroom, you can see a little of it there in my photo above, and she and the very nice saleslady methodically went through the entire mess, carefully folding each and every piece (even though I told them they didn't have to) and after waiting patiently for at least 15 minutes, maybe longer, my $10 box was purchased and it took 2 of us to carry it to my car.  It was THAT heavy laden with fabric.

I had absolutely no idea what was in that box!  The excitement was hard to contain as I slowly went through everything immediately upon arriving at home, checking out, feeling each piece.... it took me at least an hour or longer.  There were velvets, flannels, cottons, linens, a gorgeous pineapple taspestry panel (*squeal*), knits, polyesters and a myriad of scraps.  It was so much FUN going through that box!  It was worth the $10 in fun-factor!

Oh, and back in the store, while they packed my box of fabric, I found a Vogue pattern, already cut out in my size 10, with the instructions and all the pattern pieces in the envelope, for 25 cents that added to my treasures for the day...

...AND all clothing was $2.00 per piece, so a Jones New York, J. Crew, Eddie Bauer and Baranda silk cardi in my size, all came home with me too. 

Because this Thrift Store supports a local charity, there was no sales tax.  $18.25 total spent.

The Thrift Store manager's parting words were to be sure and come back....
...and she'll make me a good deal again.

I dreamed of fabric last night.
*smile*