Flea market finds

I am keeping my promise and going to show you the lovely treasures I found on Saturday's flea market outing with Melissa. The most colorful find were these two wooden matryoshka figures.

I got a couple of bits of linen, a green and a beige. The most intriguing find was by far this roll of beige vintage linen. It is so unusual, with its roughness and stiffness. It is made at an earlier time as it is a shorter width than usual. Melissa cut it up with her scissors she had brought along and we shared it. Melissa also kindly gave me the large piece of mint green linen underneath.

Oddly enough, there are a couple of spots of blue on the roll. Can anyone tell me about what that is? Isn't the coarse, nubby texture wonderful? Now to decide what to do with it...

I found three large bits of felt that had been some type of costumes previously. They are in perfect condition and there is a lot of it.

I bought these two pieces because of the trim. Melissa spotted it and had the wonderful suggestion that I cut the trim off of the fabric as it was only loosely sewn down.

I actually did buy even more but some is still in the laundry and I hope to show it to you sometime soon.

After making the needle books last night I made something I had been thinking about doing for ages, making a leaf garland.

The creative burst of energy that started yesterday has carried into today too, but that will have to wait until another day as it is time to get some sleep.

Comments

[Andréia Furtado]

I love the leaves, very good taste!

[Michala (kayla coo)]

I love the fabrics and that trim is fab!
M x

[Jade]

The matryoska dolls! What amazing finds at a flea market!!! I wish we had things like that at our flea markets. :O)

[kathryn]

Gret finds Emily. The Matryoshkas are my favourite!! Kathryn.

[Penny]

Hi Emily, what great finds! I have to be honest though, your leaf garland takes the cake. What a fabulous idea and yours turned out great!

[petra]

Vilka fantastiska fynd! Linnetyget är oerhört vackert - det ser japanskt ut. / Petra

[melissa]

gorgeous leaf-garland! love the fabrics you chose for it.

[ingermaaike]

Sublime finds! The linnen has me drooling, and the garland is just wonderful :-)

[antigoni]

Good Morning Raven!
Beautiful post!!!

[Devi]

The garland is perfect as fall home deco! Lucky you have found so many treasures! Love the linen with the blue spots - this roughness.. aaahhhhh!! :)

[panyizsuzsi]

I am jealous. This is cool stuff!

[Heart Felt]

OH Emily! I LOVE the leaf garland, it's beautiful! Those would sell! xx

[nicolette]

What an amazing finds! Love your blog!

[ArtMind]

That linen with the blue spots is amazing - I love it! :) And the two matroyskas are so simple that it makes them truly beautiful.

[Anja]

Great finds, Emily.
And your leaf garland - it amazing. I am so making one for my room :o)

[fleurfatale]

Gorgeous finds :-))))
(me being green with envy :-()
I can imagine you can't wait to create with it!!!!!!!!!!!!

[P8]

great finds Raven ! I absolutely love that course linen. And the idea of those leaf garlands is fab !

[Star of the East]

Such lovely findings, those matryoshka's are wonderful and the linnen beautiful! Your garland looks great!

[méri]

Good shopping!
I love linen, i work a lot with linen...
Your leaves are beautiful, what great idea you had!!

[ana carina]

Amazing fins Raven!

I also like the garland, very Autumn like :)

[Gina]

Some beautiful flea market finds. I especially like the trim on that fabric.

[Jan in nagasaki]

well, i totally covet that linen. and that stuff with the blue spots looks totally Japanese..........

[Stephanie]

More great treasures and I'm loving your leaf garland.

[Jewel]

Wow! I love all the fabric, but my favorites are the dolls.

[dotty]

Wow what great finds!!
I love the flets they are soooo bright.

I also love the leaf garland, mainly because the past couple of days i have been thinking about making one, and you beat me to it :)

[Heather]

wow! what treasures!

[Joanna]

I ove the moustache on the matrioshka doll. Thats wonderful, I would smile at him each day!

[Amy]

About the linen with blue - have you see what "Spirit Cloth" does? She is on flickr & in the blog-o-sphere. (She uses Ikat - that is similar, IMHO.)

[sara]

What wonderful finds, especially the matryoshka dolls! I love the leaf garland. I can't wait to start sewing again...just as soon as I finish unpacking and figure out how to store/organize my fabrics. (This could be weeks from now.)

[Melanie]

What lovely finds you have! The narrow gauge stiff vintage linen might be the sort that old fashioned children's learner-samplers were done on. My aunt has a family one from 1848 on something similar. They didn't want to waste the fine costly linen. If you want to soften it, lots of hair conditioner should do the trick.

What wonderful felt colours! So cheerful. Well done for finding such lovely things.

[lucy]

OK, am besotted with your market finds, especially the linen! How nice to shop with a friend!

[bunches of yarn]

Great finds! About the linen: if it is stiff,has not been washed or used in any way. To supple the texture, washing will do the job, it will also lighten the color evenly. About the blue ikat-reminiscent blue spots: if the linen is very old, it could be an ink stain in the flax/linen yarn. Or it could be a spot of indigo from another piece of linen that was dyed.

Testing to rule out ink: place some drops of milk (whole milk) on the blue, and cover with plastic to keep moist. If it slowly (over a day or so) disappears, it is writing ink. If not, then it must be indigo.
A linen weaver would know more details about it.
Lovely leaf garland, very ingenious.
^__^

[Michele aka Sweet Irie]

I just adore that leaf garland!!! You are just so crafty! :)

[marcela]

a lot treasures Ü!

[Cele]

Oh Lovely leaves

[Jean Zoss]

oooo your leaf garland is delightful.....and your little girl's skirt is so lovely!!!

[bethany]

I was stunned to see these matryoshkas because I have some kokeshi forms that I was thinking of turning into matryoshkas too!! That linen is wonderful. I don't think there's much better fabric than the natural texture of linen... very cool! And your leaf garland is perfect!!! LOVE it!

[Jules]

I love your garden - what a great idea!

[Jules]

uh, I meant to say garland...

[Gabreial]

Your garland is lovely as well as your finds!