What is a monkeybox?

When I was a little girl, we had a pet monkey named Amanda. My Dad worked in the produce business, so each night he brought home that days culls in a big box - spotty cucumbers, pithy apples, limp celery, moldy oranges and the like. We called it a monkeybox. It was really just trash, but my Mom would take each piece of fruit and trim it, pare it and cut it up to make a beautiful fruit platter for Amanda. Even though it was deemed trash by one, it still had life left in it and was good for the purpose we needed it. That's how I live my life - thrifting, yard saling, looking for another's trash to be my treasure.

Friday, July 25, 2008

It Was Meant To Be

Yesterday, when I wrote about the big sale with all the cool old vintage things, I didn't tell about the quilt that I left behind. Actually, it was a only a quilt top, but it wasn't an ordinary quilt top. It was a Crazy Quilt - the first one I have ever seen outside "The Antiques Roadshow". This one was jewel tones and earth tones - made from old silk with stitching around each piece of fabric. Some of the silk was deteriorating, but not too badly. It was stuffed in a box under a table. When I pulled it out, the lady commented that it was a "treasure" and told me how old it was and how it was made. The cool thing was, she told me this in a manner that I could tell she knew I understood and appreciated it. Not one of those "Thatsa" salespeople ("That's a rug", "That's a CD player"). She was very nice. After all that discussion and talk about the quilt and it's age and craftsmanship, I was half afraid to ask the price. She quoted $10.00 on it and commented that it was a "steal". And, she was right. It was a steal. And, I really don't know why, but I put it back in it's box under the the table. I guess I was thinking of not spending $10.00 on something I really didn't need and trying to budget my money for other sales. As I was leaving she told me to "Come back tomorrow". Last night, I kept thinking about that darn quilt. My first thought when I woke up this morning was that quilt! (Well, that and I needed coffee.) I left the sale at 10:00 am yesterday and couldn't get back there until about noon today. So, I knew it would be gone.


When I pulled into the sale, the lady said, "You did come back!" I said, "I kept thinking about the quilt top, so I'm sure it's gone". And, she said, "No, it's still waiting for you." Can you believe it? I gathered it up and decided to grab one of the big wooden spools for $2.50. In the end, she told me $10.00 was plenty for everything, and then she gathered up all the linens she had and gave them to me. Free! I thanked for her for the deal and she said she was really happy the quilt was going to a home that appreciated it and loved it. Lady, that's my thing. Take it home and love it. Isn't it divine? There are hundreds of silk swatches, thousands of stitches. I just think it is lovely.
It is quite large, although I haven't measured it. It's at least a full size quilt. I mentioned having it finished, but she recommended, and I agree, that leaving it unfinished, per say, you can see the stitches and had sewing on the backside.
So many interesting fabrics and designs.
The colors are pretty bright considering it's age. Most of the fabrics are silk, but there's old feedsack material in there as well.
Each square is a square, but the designs of each square is different, which is of course, the very meaning of a Crazy Quilt.
Since it's in the picture, this old green chair came home with me from a sale for $1.00 a couple weeks ago. It's holding a 25¢ watering can. The Breadman hates mowing the yard because I have all this junk fabulous stuff sitting all over the yard. Actually, he hates mowing any way you put it, so what's a little junk in his way?
Here are the linens that the lady gave me. Two pink linen napkins, three strawberry embroidered doilies, a small quilted potholder, a sweet embroidered dishtowel and an old sugar sack. Wasn't that sweet?
Here's the spool. It's really tall. I have quite a few of these. Have I ever shown what I do with them? Wait, I'll go take a photo.
(Man, I love modern technology and digital cameras.) I have them all on top of a bookshelf holding blown glass fishing net floats. The roosters are lamps so when they are on, the glass floats glow too. I think it looks interesting. (Love that wooden baby shoe form!)

We stopped at one other sale today and scored this nice glass biscuit jar for $1.25. I have another one chock full of old molds, so now I have another one to fill up with something. The other two items are from yesterday's S.C.T. run. The Bean is interested in cooking and baking, so now he shops the kitchen sections at thrifts instead of the toy section. These were his two finds yesterday. The basket thing is a tortilla bowl fryer basket for taco salads and the other is a Pampered Chef Press and Seal for making small pies and tarts. We tried the tortilla fryer last night and it worked great. Now we just need to make some mini pies!

The weather man just forecasted temperatures at 100 or so until at least August 15th. That, is simply unacceptable. I guess the weatherman didn't get the memo that I HATE SUMMER.

15 comments:

  1. WOW...cannot believe the quilt top was still there the next day! You got lucky, girl! I've let a couple treasures slip away in the past...and kick myself for days...or weeks... :}...the quilt top is beautiful...glad it found a new home. *elaine*

    ReplyDelete
  2. What fabbo finds! Everyone loves to be listened to, I bet you made the day of the lady who told you about the quilt. It really is an incredible find. I need one of those big glass jars for buttons--maybe I'll find one today!

    ReplyDelete
  3. More great finds as always! That quilt is awesome and I love the color of that chair.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Excellent. Be sure not to get that silk wet!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I was reading along, thinking noooo...don't leave a $10 quilt behind. Phew! I'm glad you went back (and can't believe nobody else bought it!)

    ReplyDelete
  6. It was meant to be : )

    And I really like that cute little potholder, too!

    ReplyDelete
  7. That quilt is so beautiful. I can't help but think about where every little piece of fabric came from-A dress? A suit? What did the person do while wearing them?

    Fabulous piece of history.
    I am glad you got it and thanks so much for sharing it!
    lovely!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I couldn't agree more--it was definitely meant to be :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh boy! A thrifty blog!

    I have my own eye open for a Crazy quilt because I want to name my place Crazy Quilt Cottage. Double Wedding Ring quilts are my favorite but this place is all pieced together with so many different materials that it reminds me of a crazy quilt.(For instance, 4 different types of cabinets in the kitchen.)

    Also, did you know that if you say the word "quilt" several times this early in the morning you start to wonder where you are? Ha!

    Have a nifty - thrifty day!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm in love with your glass float / wooden spool display!!! Yesterday at a sale I saw a couple of the wooden spools for the first time, and almost bought them to start my own 8-)

    ReplyDelete
  11. There are some beautiful fabrics in that quilt! How pretty.

    ReplyDelete
  12. It's great that the quilt became yours the following day. I kept thinking about a small wooden sign I saw at a booty this saturday and was thrilled when I saw the same vendor selling her stuff the following day at another sale. I got my sign!
    Nowhere near as lovely as your quilt but isn't it surprising how things play on your mind?

    You always find the best treasures. Keep on finding them and I'll keep on reading your blog to see what comes next!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous11:34 AM

    I am GREEN with envy over your crazy quilt top! HOW BEAUTIFUL!!! I don't know what I would have done on day 1. $10 is a lot to spend on one thing at a sale, BUT it was gorgeous so I don't know if I could have passed it by or not. You're right. It was meant to be. I'm so glad it went to a good home.

    ReplyDelete
  14. The quilt is wonderful! What a great find! You're right, it was meant to be!
    I hate summer too and feel that these triple digit temps are totally and completely unacceptable and WRONG! Unfortunately, we'll be getting them well into September. Blagh!
    Have a great day!

    Jan

    ReplyDelete
  15. Oh I just LOVE Thrifty Karma. :) And you deserve it! That quilt top is amazing! And I love your display of spools and fishing floats. I always hope to run into some floats but no luck so far. I have found some spools though.

    hugs!
    R

    ReplyDelete

I love my comments. I'd love to respond to everyone, but if you don't have an email address tied to your ID, please sign your name so I will know who you are! It makes it nice to know who is saying what. Now, leave a comment! Please? ;o)

I Can See You!



Look at my Visitors!

Fellow Junk Followers