The day was lax in the brain department for “working” (mornings are dedicated to my dog photography business, so not really work) with a filter of hazy that matched the morning.
A quilters’ garage sale 15 mins away was enticing (with mention to patterns, the quest of late) and the morning off began.
No finds as quilting isn’t the jam, nor is fabric in yardage less than 3 or 4. Meandered towards home, stopping at a scattering of other garage sales, none fruitful in finds.
An estate sale… intriguing.
A longish driveway led to a pair of garages squatting on a slight downhill, a call from the upper driveway to make an offer as most hadn’t been marked for the vastness of items.
Outside the lower garages, a rack of garments set outside. Floral patterns in 70s palette, both in color and fabric, lured the eye, the musty and mothball smells assaulting the nose.
The blouses transitioned into skirts, years of creation and sizing mysterious. The skirts flowed into a clutch of dresses.
Amidst the bold patterning of 70s & 60s florals was a black dress with smooshed collar, its hip lines reminiscent of the gowns of 30s. A dusty blue dress with buttons on the skirt with 40s/50s lineage (wing cuffs!), a bold red shirtdress with a side zipper and faux ties in the back with a fuller skirt were in close proximity, with most of the others carrying the mod looks or colors of later generations.
The musty smell carried into the lower garages, an odd astringent sweetness around piles of fabrics and very vintage vinyl tablecloths. Lingering wasn’t a novel idea.
The blue grey dress pulled the attention, was plucked from the rack to the upper garage. The upper garage wore the same musty smell like a garish perfume.
At the end of one of the multiple tables was cuts of fabric. The jaguar animal print jumped out boasting multiple yards and marred by a hand sized stain of something that had been burnt or peed upon it. It only went through two layers, rendering the rest of the fabric highly usable.
Underneath the leopard was a less yardage swatch of a nearly turquoise fabric, with the same corduroy hand as the leopard. Mild inspection consented that this fabric should be in fair shape for use. The two were added to the dress, along with a white disk necklace (there’s a square “chicklet” one already in the collection).
Grand total: $7
Now to deal with the musty musty smell. And celebrate that is merely musty and not moth balls!
Everything has been washed. The fabrics popped into the dryer, their wet smell carrying the musk of musty, the dress hung outside to air out, it also still holding the musty smell and wrinkles like a lover.
If the smell doesn’t dissipate, Google has lent a few ideas:
– Vinegar
– Baking Soda
– Vodka (anyone up for Moscow mules following?)
A fellow sewist suggested cedar or lavender for a stretch of time.
First air drying.
Love the description of the estate sale! Sounds wonderful. Id loooooooove to see the fabrics!