Saturday, January 31, 2009

Saturday Thrift Pillows

I didn't go to one single thrift store last week! Which is probably good cuz I do. not. need one single item more than I already have--unless it's wool sweaters. Those I can't turn down.

So, failing any new purchases, I thought I'd share some old ones with you. I love pillows, though I don't use 'em as much as I once did. This first one I bought in Port Townsend WA last spring. It was four bucks at an uptown antique store. I waffled on buying it, but my friend--gotta love her!--convinced me that it was worth the suitcase space. And it was, and it is. I had to remove all the old stuffing; it was yucky deteriorated foam, and I pulled off the yarn twisted cord; it had seen better days.

But look at the back. I think that worn velvet is cooler'n anything new would be. And the buttons on the corners? They're handmade, also from Port Townsend.

This 'un I made ages ago from a thrifted needlepoint. The fringe, well, I spent a nice penny on that from a cool warehouse in Dallas.

Another thrifted needlepoint turned into a pillow. On this one the fringe was a remnant, so it was cheapish anyway. It's too small to be much of a pillow and like an idjit I had a down pillow form made for it--also from that cool warehouse.

Mostly the pillows in my home are down--except for the Port Townsend ones. The brown needlepoint I used fiberfill, the two below I left as I found them.

These I got at a really neat thrift store in Port Townsend--yep, same trip, same suitcase coming home.

I think they're supposed to be sachets, at least the smaller, but I also think they look cool on my guest bed.


This one I made from a thrifted cross-stitch. Actually I stitched a sampler exactly like it back in the '70s as a gift for a friend. (The design I copied--yep, that's what I said; I copied it--from a $125 pillow I saw at Cowgirls and Lace in Dripping Springs.)

Copied this one too, though I actually stitched the sampler myself. (It was something I started in the early '90s and didn't finish until I saw the original pillow at C&L.)

I found the vintage linen dish towel this was made from at my fave thrift store in Ft. Worth--Thrift Town on Jacksboro Highway. The zipper is hidden on the side/bottom (depending on which way the stripes go).

This needlepoint came from a Plano thrift store, located at Av K and 18th St. (Sorry, can't remember the name.) This is probably from the '70s. I'm not sure how long the green, gold, orange color scheme lasted, but I remember doing bargello as late as '78. The needlepoint was a buck, and I used fabric I already had and a thrifted fringe to make it.

And then there's Raggedy Ann, also probably from the '70s. (I say this because of the orange welting.) It's currently listed in my Etsy shop here.



Raggedy Ann I got in a box lot at auction. Back in Dallas, my best friend from high school--nothing better than old friends--and I tried to visit Miles Autry Auctions weekly. Lots of stuff I coveted there, not much I could afford. But the chair in my office here I also got at Miles'.








This last one was an estate sale linen table runner I embellished with eBay fringe. Of all of these, it was probably the easiest to make (except the ones thrifted as is, of course).


That's all for now. Ta.

3 comments:

Jean said...

I love the pillows. My mom likes to buy pillows too, she has quite a collection. Bye the way I nominated you for an award. Check it out. ly, Jean

Anonymous said...

How lovely those pillows are! And that cross-stitching is amazing, love it!

Oh, and thanks for sending that video on "amazing world/nobody's happy" youtube - that was awesome! That guy was really speaking the truth - and so funny!

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