juliasb

I was out to a rummage sale yesterday and found $698.83 worth of new (never opened) Quilt Shop quilting patterns. I was able to fill a large container with what ever was on the table so I too the patterns and then some Ink Jet photo fabric for quilts. What a find. My plan is to donate some to my local quilt guild and then use the rest myself. I have gone through them already several times and am sure I will go through them again today. Some of them are of course older patterns there are a number for jelly roll quilts and others for charms. There are maybe 10+ for stained glass quilts. All together there were more than 70 different patterns! I spent a grand total of $5 for all of them! I am interested in what kinds of finds like this others here find. I know many of us are bargain hunters. Also if you do find things like this or other treasures that call your name do you share them ,as is my plan with this multitude of items, or hold them to your self. Also I know when I go out I always have something in mind and I want things I will never let go of like my $25 treadle or my 1921 White that I paid $5.

Watson58

I always love finding a bargain. I found my Davis Vertical Feed treadle at a thrift store marked $40 and it was half price day so got it for $20. I love using that machine for bindings as it has sort of a walking foot with no feed dogs. that was 23 yrs ago that I found it.

NikkiLu

Well, not exactly quilting related, but I went to a garage sale and went inside the garage just as the "woman" of the house was going into the house and she had left the sale to her husband. There was a feather comforter on a table - I felt it, etc. and even pulled a little feather out of a side seam. No price on it - so I asked the husband how much for the feather comforter and he said "that's not a feather comforter" - so, then I asked, "well, how much for your comforter?" and he said "$3.00" - so I whipped out my $3 and quickly paid and left. When I got home I unfurled it on my queen size bed and it reached to the floor on all sides - it was a King size feather/down comforter. Bet it costs over $100 new. It was in great shape too. I bet he got into trouble when his wife came back outside and he told her what he had just sold. LOL

Iceblossom

Quite the score! What fun to go through. There are times when I come across things I just can't pass up and of course, I'm more than willing to share. That's the thing with buys like this, someone (like us!) is going to come along and pick up the stuff if we hesitate. Although I could probably make a pretty good living re-selling stuff I get, I don't actually do that. LOL, I had collected hundreds of yards of vintage fabric planning to sell them on ebay, but never did. Finally sold them at wholesale price to a person who not only sells on ebay but who sells vintage fabric at quilt shows etc.

I get most of my fabric any more from thrift stores and estate and similar sales. Honestly, I get most of my stuff from the thrift stores now even when I can afford the full purchase price, I rather enjoy the hunt... It's funny you use the phrase about "calling your name", I use that and I swear sometimes the stores call me. One time I got this message to "go to XX goodwill" in my head. I went and on my list at that time was a metal Post Office box to replace the plastic one I had. There it was, at the goodwill, perfect condition and had my house number already on it! My exact 4 digit house number!!

Sewing related, it was years ago but I got not one but two Singer 301s for less than $20 each at the Goodwill. One I kept, one I sent to a friend who just started going to classes and needed something lighter. The 301 has become more popular and the pricers at the Goodwill know that and it won't happen again!

In the last year I got a hand-pieced top of tiny hexagons Grandmother's Flower Garden for 6.00. One bag of scraps I picked up was so thrilling for me (it was all very top-of-the-line fabrics) I posted a pic here on the board! Although I've joined the Fabric Moratorium this year for new fabric, I have given myself an exemption for thrift store fabric. Last year through Craig's List I bought 50 pounds of smallish pieces from a quilter's estate sale (not scraps exactly, mostly larger than fat quarters but smaller than 2-3 yards), my last big purchase. I think I spent $2 a pound. A lot of that has been shared.

One of my best scores though was a couple of years ago and involved my dishes, Yorktowne by Pfaltzgraff. Someone had cleared out their china cabinet and had all sorts of serving dishes I didn't have... cake stands and baking dishes and on and one. I bought $60 worth of dishes at one time, and then had to go out and buy a hutch to put them in. Hutch I got from Craig's List.

sewbizgirl

I found both of my 301s at estate sales. Paid $50 for one and $20 for the other. They were both black shortbeds in beautiful cabinets. One had the bench too, stuffed full of accessories and sewing notions.

Onebyone

My best quilting find at a yard sale was unopened boxes of pre filled bobbins. Each box held 72 bobbins of class 15 Superior Sew Fine and cotton Super Bobs. I got boxes of white and lots of colors. I bought ten boxes for $10. The young woman who had the yard sale said they were in a box of miscellaneous items she bought at an auction. One box sells for $65 now. I shared with my quilting friends.

bearisgray

I got a Singer 404 for $1.00, a Necchi Mira in a cabinet for $10.00 and Necchi BU for $20.00. But that was all over ten years ago.

I did get Singer 66-18 for $10.00, but I gave that away.

I have not been fortunate enough to get piles of fabric at yard sales for little or nothing.

Then there was my Mom's stuff that got away before I signed up for this board. Sigh.

Blackberry

We went to a thrift store and noticed what look like a regular Singer cabinet. We raised the top and inside was a centennial Singer 15-91 in near new condition. We asked the sales clerk about the price as there was none listed on the desk. We told her about the sewing machine inside and she said she could not sell electric items but she could sell us the cabinet for $20 so we jumped at the chance. The machine wound up being free and $20 for the cabinet which was also in excellent shape. Very happy with purchase.

Blackberry

We went to a thrift store and noticed what look like a regular Singer cabinet. We raised the top and inside was a centennial Singer 15-91 in near new condition. We asked the sales clerk about the price as there was none listed on the desk. We told her about the sewing machine inside and she said she could not sell electric items but she could sell us the cabinet for $20 so we jumped at the chance. The machine wound up being free and $20 for the cabinet which was also in excellent shape. Very happy with purchase. We also lucked out on a Centennial Singer 201 for $10.

humbird

A few years ago, I bought a large box of quality fabric at a yard sale for $4.00. The gentleman's wife had passed and this was her stash. My biggest find was probably 45 or so years ago at an auction. There was a beautiful King treadle sewing machine, with the "owners manual" and several attachments. I don't remember what they started the bidding at, but no one bid on it, so I brazenly raised my hand and said $3.00. No one else raised my bid. Fortunately, my neighbor was at the same auction. He loaded it in his truck and delivered it to my house. Still beautiful, however, I have gifted it to my daughter when I moved and downsized. Don't do much "hunting" now days. Don't want to "downsize" again! I used to love auctions and went almost weekly in the summer time. Got so many wonderful things.