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Tuesday 11 March 2014

A vintage find

Haven't we had some lovely weather the last few days?  My garden is positively erupting into colour.  Gorgeous.
Ah, but this post is not about the weather. No. But I did need the sunshine for the photos.
After visiting my lovely friend and her beautiful little baby daughter yesterday I did a spot of charity shop perusing in my local town centre.  Just as I went into one shop an assistant was placing 'new to the shop' items on a previously empty table and I was so delighted to find that they were crafty things.  Of course I immediately pounced on the table to see what treasure lay there...
I found this...

I didn't open the bag until this morning when I went over to my arty crafty room.
Can you tell what it is? It's not yarn, but is something rather exciting if you like fabric and even more so if you like vintage fabric.
The bag is full of paper pieced hexagons, many of which date back to the 1950's.  How do I know, I hear you say... well, take a look at these....

"By Appointment to the Late King George VI"
and there he is on the stamp!
Hmm...I know... the card and stamp don't necessarily make the fabric the same age and I am not a textile historian but isn't it nice to think so...?  I do.
Perhaps you want to see some more...







and here is a view of the 'right' side...


I believe these hexagons were made over many years as some of the backing cards are much younger and the fabrics a little more familiar.  For example, several could be from the seventies as they remind me of fabrics that my mum used in making clothes for my younger sister.

Below is a not so brilliant photo but here they are all laid out together.



There's also some smaller hexies in the bag, some of which are sewn together and a pile that are loose...


It's hard to date these ones but they are not so old.  The black lumpy things are my slippered feet.

The thing is, I now have a bit of a dilemma as I was going to use the fabric (goodness knows what for at the moment) but now I am thinking that I shouldn't spoil the connection between the backing card and the fabric.  Wouldn't the biggy wigs in some quilting association want it documented?  Am I being silly? 
What would you do?
The hexies are not well constructed in that they are all odd shaped.  To sew them together would not be fun at all as some sides are longer and others short.  However the tiny stitches of the sewn hexi flowers are lovely and neat.

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While I was out in my arty crafty room I took a few photos to give you an idea of the lovely space I have to work in.



...and a couple of close ups of yarny stashy goodness... 



Thank you so much for your comments, they really do brighten my day :)

ttfn xx

9 comments:

  1. Wow, look at that wonderful snippet of history in amongst those hexies! I'm afraid I've got no idea what you should do with them but it would be nice to use them somehow, to finish a project someone else began decades ago. x

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  2. Thanks for your thoughts Gillian xx

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  3. What a great find! I don't know what you should do with them, but I agree with Gillian that it would be lovely to finish something that was started so long ago xx

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  4. Thanks for your reply Elisabeth... yes I have to do something with them even if they are difficult to sew (due to the varying lengths of the edges). I've wondered about making smaller objects with them.... hmm....I shall continue mulling it over and do a Pinterest search too. Xx

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  5. Welcome to blogland Tracey.

    What a fabulous find. You must make somthing with the hexies as they are part of crafting history, and the time it must have taken to produce them. Take your time and I am sure you will come up with an idea.

    luv
    irene
    xxxx

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    1. Thanks Irene :-) Yes I think you are right in that I should take my time thinking about the hexies. I'm so glad you said that.
      Tracey xx

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  6. Oh, what neat finds! I love the hexies and their historical cards as well. I could see some of the flower shaped ones as applique on something so you don't have to mess with the different sizes not matching up. Love your yarn, too, what happy colors!! ~Angela~

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    1. Hmm...I think that is really worth considering, thanks Angela :-)
      I'm not likely to find a large piece of vintage fabric that would be suitable but I could applique on to patchworked squares of vintage fabric finds or similar... maybe an old embroidered tablecloth... my brain is really whirring away now.
      Tracey xx

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  7. All your comments have been so helpful, thank you all so very much :-)
    Love Tracey xxxxx

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