Vintage Fabric Haul

The Charity Shop Gods have been smiling down on me this year and I've found some lovely vintage fabric and table linen recently.  This week, I popped into my local and there were 2 large bin bags filled with fabric remnants from a lady who must have been a great crafter, once upon a time; I had a good old rummage through and found some nice bits.  Don't you just love the word 'rummage'?!  In the old days before vintage became sexy, there were Jumble Sales; for the uninitiated, these were sales of donated second-hand gubbins, that was untidily piled up on trestle tables for people to 'rummage' through.  There was always a lot of elbowing and shoving from ladies keen to grab a bargain and often the clothes were grubby and smelled a bit funky.

Anyway, I digress.  Among my favourite finds has been this lovely vintage table cloth; it's Madeira cut-work linen and the original label that's still attached states that it is hand embroidered.  The original price is in dollars so somehow she has managed to find her way over the pond to her final resting place in Kent.  She is in perfect condition;  spotlessly white and crisp and the quality of the linen is gorgeous.  I regularly use my vintage table cloths but I couldn't bear to see this one spoilt with tea stains and smears of chocolate cake, so pristine is she.  This photo doesn't do her justice I'm afraid.

Another pretty little table cloth that warms my heart with it's  delicate features. It reminds me of an old lady I knew called Cressida; she was very refined and quite fragile. but sweetly charming.  She probably knew Miss Marple in the old days and helped her with her sleuthing over a cup of Darjeeling.  She would probably have bothered to iron her table cloths before taking photographs of them, unlike slovenly old me!

This fabric was labelled as being of American in origin and I love the groovy print;  it's a lovely vintage cotton fabric that started life as a table cloth, I think.  It would be easy to re-purpose this into a nice pinny or tea towels.  

Included in a little bundle that cost a couple of quid, there were some good sized pieces of vintage cotton lace and a couple of metres of rayon print fabric.  

In amongst the bin bags I told you about earlier was this green lace fabric; it has a slight stretch to it and is unashamedly kitsch.  There's a good couple of metres here and it had a lingering smell of' 'granny vintage'; not unpleasant just a bit musty.  I put this through the washing machine with some white vinegar for a soak and it came up smelling sweeter.  I have no idea what I would do with it but it reminds me of something Yootha Joyce would wear in George and Mildred! 

Can you see me in a green version of Mildred's nighty?!  Such fun.

I hope you enjoyed a rummage through my vintage goodies and I shall bid you TTFN, all you lovers of granny chic.

Galx