I get very sentimental over the sewing items I buy at Estate sales...I understand the love I have for them and can't help but feel the love she would have had, and glad I can carry on.
I bought an entire sewing room one time- including a featherweight. I couldn't see out of any of my car windows on the way home, but I sure was happy to unload my haul. I would hope my stuff goes to someone that feels the same way as I don't have family that sews either.

My mother passed away almost 3 years ago. Mom also went to garage and estate sales and always seemed to find sewing tools, machines, sewing room furniture, sewing books and tons of fabric and yarn. As the only one of her children that sewed she always said "just think, someday all this will be yours". When she would say it we would laugh and I would tell her that she better get busy because I had more than enough on my own and it would probably end up getting trashed. My mother had a small house (a 2 bedroom 1 bath) next to their house where she kept the majority of her sewing and craft things. Within a week after she passed her husband wanted it gone through and emptied out, and as all this belonged to me he wanted me to either move it or he would trash it. I knew it was a mess but there was more in there than I knew. I boxed it up and moved it to my house but i know this, I WILL NOT leave this kind of a mess for my children to go through. I have a lot of sewing and quilting things of my own. Now, even after all this time I am still going through her things, alot of it I am keeping but tons of things have been given away and unfortunately alot of things got thrown out as it had not been stored well.

My son-in-law says he will find the biggest dumpster he can find and throw all my stuff in when I die and never look back...My daughter does not sew. I fixed my will last month so he cannot touch anything I have until friends and distance family can pick through it first...

I have found a lot of things at estate and yard sales. Now I avoid them because I have so much that I decided to use it first so my estate won't be so full. I do have a son and sister that like to quilt so a lot of things as sewing machines will go to them. It is hard as I just love to buy fabric, the colors are getting better all the time. Oh well I guess thats the joy of quilting.

Reply to mjhaess: Funny but a very good idea. My kids used to say 'Garage Sale", now they are talking "Flea Market'.

I better get busy - at least clean-up for them.
I like your idea.

Neither of my kids sew and my daughter thinks that my sewing machine and fabric collecting is, "kinda creepy Mom," BUT they do love the quilts and other things that I make for them. For me, that's all that counts. Scraps of fabrics, threads, SMs and tools are nothing until they are used to be made into something. That's where the love is.

When I pass away, I'm sure that my family will be overwhelmed, as I was when my own mother passed. Let's face it, sometimes all that stuff is just too much to handle. If they can sell it to someone else that will use it, then I'm all for that. If it ends up in a landfill because they just couldn't get rid of it, then so be it. Hopefully, I've taught them to be charitable, so all those things will be donated.

~ Cindy

When someone passes away the survivor is always overwhelmed - no matter what - just make plans for giving it away.

I am 82, so I really wonder as I set out to buy more fabric, but then, I only have 7 machines.

I go to yard and estate sales and I'm thrilled to find sewing stuff since it is so expensive in the store. I especially love finding tools, even if I'm not sure what some of them are, lol! I love knitting tools too. Sometimes there are great deals on fabric but it has an odor, or hasn't been well taken care of. Sometimes it is over-priced, but sometimes Jackpot~!

Maybe some of you with so many machines would like to sell some here on the QB? You know they would get used and appreciated!

For example, I've been looking for a feather-weight or big heavy machine I can add to a quilt frame to try long or mid-arm quilting. Ever since someone posted a picture of their pretty set-up. They painted an old featherweight lilac and mounted it to a frame, it was so pretty and not that expensive.

I've seen some deals in Craigslist, but at this point it's just an idea, not a definite plan. ;) That reminds me, I should look here!

I got my Singer in a cabinet for $10 at a yard sale. I don't usually find too much fabric at Estate sales but I'm nosey and I go in to see the inside of the house. I did buy a barrel of wool for $20.