Antiquing Finds

On my recent trip to Massachusetts and Connecticut, I visited two antique centers in Sturbridge and one one in Putnam, Connecticut, and the pre-Brimfield textile show.  I also spent some time at the huge Brimfield Antiques Show.  How much fun!!  I always enjoy looking for special treasures, and I have fun even if I don't find anything on an outing.

One of the Sturbridge antique shops was very nice, and the other was a disappointment.  I did't come home with any goodies from either other than some photos. 

The antique center in Putnam was very nice.  I had been there years ago with friends when we were in the area to take a needlework class.  Both times I found some goodies--this time an old needlework book and a shaker sewing box.  Although the pre-Brimfield textile show mainly had fabrics and vintage clothing, I found a couple of things at the very first booth I visited--two cute sewing cases, a strawberry emery with a silver cap, and a disk pincushion.  I'll try to remember to take some photos later.   

I was thrilled to be able to go to the BIG Brimfield Antiques Show also. This was my first time there.   I knew that the show would be enormous, and indeed it was.  I think you could spend a week there and not see everything.  This show is outside, and it was very, very hot, so a few hours turned out to be more than enough.  I saw some lovely quilts, lots of old wooden spools and bobbins, and a couple of samplers.  I even bought a couple of thread quills that will look nice displayed in one of the Amish baskets I bought in Millerburg, Ohio earlier this year.  I also finally got a glass flower frog that I know many of you use to display your scissors.  I was disappointed that I didn't see more textiles at the show, but I now know the layout.  If I ever make it back to the show, I'll have a definite plan rather than roaming around aimlessly.

I thought you might enjoy seeing photos of some of the "goodies" I saw.

I don't know how old this small hooked rug is, but I sure liked it.  It's so whimsical with the large bird on the tree.

This table is from the Willimantic Thread Company.  Perhaps you may remember a similar one from my photos a few days ago from the Textile Museum.  I would have loved to have it, if I had room for it.

I thought this was pretty with the embroidery and the lace.  Sorry it is not a better photo, but the piece was in a glass showcase.

After having visited the National Coverlet Museum in Bedford, Pennsylvania earlier this year, I have a new appreciation for coverlets.

I saw lots of lots of beautiful quilts.  These were at the Brimfield Antiques Show.

These are some of the yarn quills I found at the Brimfield Antiques Show.  These are slightly larger than the ones I already have and were very reasonably priced.

This thread cabinet was not in particularly good shape, but I thought you would enjoy seeing it anyway.





Here are some more goodies I saw during my antiquing outings.

Then there were some samplers.  Unfortunately, they were hard to photograph because of the glass and the lights in the shops.

When visiting antique shops, two things make me very sad: seeing old family photos that no one wants, and textiles that have been cut up and repurposed.   I remember one time hearing a needlework teacher say she feared that one day there might no longer be quilts intact because so many were being cut up and made into teddy bears and bunnies.

Look at this poor coverlet made into a brick cover to be used as a doorstop.

How about cutting up a coverlet to make into a pillow?

Or how about cutting up quilts and coverlets to make into potholders?  How VERY sad!

And  here is the weirdest thing I saw....a very large wishbone that had a crocheted covering and turned into a thimble holder!  Yikes!

Thank you to all of you who take time out of your busy day to visit my blog. What a delight it has been to read the comments that some of you all have left about my recent blog posts regarding in particular the items I saw at Old Sturbridge Village and also the Frog Bridge and the War of Frogs.   I love hearing from you!