"It takes ages to finish a quilt you're not working on!"

Friday, May 14, 2010

Bought at an antique shop.

On Wednesday, I drove up to Healesville to give a 'show and tell' talk about my tablecloth collection, to the local Arthritis Self Help Group. I presented a talk about my aprons to the same group a year ago, and they invited me back to see more of my embroidered goodies. Next time, I am to bring my tea cosies to show them. They give me money for petrol and a box of chocolates, so it is a worthwhile trip in more ways than one!
While I was up there (Healesville is a 45 minute drive from my home), I decided to check out a new second hand shop in the main street. I thought it was an opshop, but was firmly put right about that - not an opshop! It was really a second-hand goods shop, but could almost be called an antique shop. Anyway, they have some fabulous stuff there; I could have spent a heap more than the $75 I had in my wallet! But this was all I could afford. Sandwich tray cloth embroidered with pansies.
At first glance this is just a dainty supper cloth with little flowers.. But when you have a closer look - WOW! Just look at that gorgeous embroidery!
I think the same person must have embroidered this large centrepiece, as the closeup will show you, similar bullion stitches have been used for the ladies' hair and flowers.
I can't resist the Art Deco look! So these two small cloths had to come home with me.
I found these laces at various opshops in the past week. Pam, they'll be coming your way soon ;-)

1 comment:

Cathy said...

Wow, Gina - what a nice haul you had! I love the embroidered ladies and the pansies. The laces are to die for, too! It's too bad you, me & Pam can't just beam ourselves to each other and go shopping! But mi casa es su casa, so if you're ever in the States, you MUST come visit! Hugs, Cathy