Thrifting I

So I've decided to start posting about thrift finds, since I love seeing what everyone else discovers, and I have pretty much given up buying new.  Mena does Friday fabric finds, Casey does thrifting videos, Tanit-Isis is a Value Village junkie like me, and Debi always finds the best woolens in Scotland op-shops.

We were all up early this morning for an estate sale near our 'burb.  Living outside of downtown Montreal and having two little ones mean that we don't often make it to estate sales until later in the day (or sometimes the day after opening), so we figure we're always missing out on the really good stuff.  Today's sale was only 10 min. away, so we got there as the doors were opening.  And I've got to say, I certainly won't do that again.  People are mean, classless and had no respect for the fact that this was an estate sale for a woman who had recently died.  There was pushing and shoving, yelling at each other, literally pushing my kids aside to get at some hardcover books..... I don't know what to say.  I'm glad the woman's family wasn't around to witness how people were throwing a lifetime's worth of belongings around like so much trash.  I wanted to leave because I was feeling upset and dirty.

Eventually my man took the kids outside to relax and read under the trees while I looked through the sewing supplies.  Luckily, there were no sewing maniacs there and I had that corner of the house to myself to look carefully.  There were a few interesting patterns, notions and tools:

Anne Adams mail order pattern for a romper with skirt cover-up (1963). 

I love how dude is just hanging out in his skivvies/Crescent skirt, smoking. 

A printer's drawer full of threads; mostly Gutterman.  (Two people tried to grab the drawer and dump out the thread when I put it down.  Again, people are classless.)

5.5m of rose-print polished cotton and a large square of paisley silk.  The rose print is a little too twee for my usual taste, but I have a '50s full skirted sundress pattern that I'm going to try, and this seems like an appropriate fabric to use; if I end up not liking it, I'm not out too much $$.

But the real treasure, in my opinion, was this pile of Simplicity pattern books and sales pamphlets from 1967-1970:

This is my favourite era, and I am already pouring over the illustrations and ads.  Again, sorry for the poor quality photos, but I don't have a scanner at home.

 I would love to make either of these above styles,

but especially this one.  I have a pattern with a similar bodice, so it shouldn't be too difficult to draft (famous last words).

 Tablecloth dress?

How to throw a paper dress sewing party!  Instructions include inviting women and men (oh, the hilarity of men sewing!), and surprising your guests with paper table cloths and a matching dress you've whipped up beforehand.  Make sure to have extra scissors, sewing machines and glue on hand!  

And apparently 1969 meant scallops, scallops everywhere:

My girl just woke up from her nap, so I'm back on duty.  Hope you're having as good a weekend as I am, but of course, minus the soul-less vultures that pass for book dealers.