It was Friday and I was in Ypsilanti (Michigan, for those out of state). I ended up with a couple of hours before I had to pick up my daughter. Guess how I spent them? If you guessed checking out thrift stores and the only garage sale in Michigan in a snowstorm the 2nd day of March, you win the grand prize (No, it's not actually a real prize, but if there were, you would win it, honest.)!
Total washout at the thrift stores. Nada, zero, zilch. It's always a crap-shoot and usually, unless the Vintage Gods are really smiling on me, you have to go through tons of sometimes icky stuff to find anything good. That's pretty much par for the course, it happens. It doesn't stop the thrill of anticipation that sets my heart racing as I pull into the parking lot though, because, you never know! Although, actually, I can usually tell within a minute or two of walking inside - I just feel it, somehow. Yes, I'm psychic, really, and if you send me hundreds of dollars I will tell your fortune. It may be generic and bland, but it will be true, really.
Anyone can treasure hunt at a thrift store or garage sale, but let me just say, it is helpful to have at least a general idea about styles, fabrics, manufacturers and artisans so you don't end up with just junk you can't do anything with. You need an "eye." Some people have it and some people don't.
Fast forward a bit, I'm driving towards where I'm picking up Krystin in about 45 minutes and I pass A Garage Sale! On March 2nd! Serious early/crazy/insane/desperate birds, considering what Michigan weather is normally like in March. Definitely would not be my idea of fun to sit out in the Garage/Driveway, wrapped in a blanket and sipping a thermos of coffee (at least, I'm guessing it was coffee? Best not to inquire too closely sometimes.).
Did I stop? Are you crazy? Of COURSE I stopped and hit the mother-lode!! Turns out, the woman who was having the sale is getting rid of all the jewelry her mother doesn't want any more. Her parents moved to Florida permanently in November and she got the job of going through the stuff they left behind and getting rid of it.
She had already taken all the jewelry she wanted and just wanted to get rid of the rest. I did a quick look and found a few Sara Coventry 1960's, Early Trifari and Napier and that was all it took. I took almost everything she had. Unfortunately she had already donated all the clothes to a thrift store. I almost cried, but managed to control myself. It was hard, because if her mother's clothing tastes were as good as her tastes in costume jewelry, that is a horrible waste of some perfectly lovely vintage clothing that would have been much happier with me, but I digress.
It was all in a bag and I didn't have a chance to go through it until this morning. Yes, quite a bit of Sarah Coventry, Trifari, a Napier and one Gorgeous 60's Givenchy Piece! Not something you see every day, but very cool. See the photo above for a sneak peek at my score!
I will be photographing, describing and adding some of these lovelies to my website, just as soon as I decide what I can stand to get rid of. This is the hard part, sigh.Also, just FYI, the lace background some of the earrings and brooches are sitting on? Soon to be a pencil skirt for some lucky lady, once I finish making it anyhow. It's lace I pulled from a dress, the top was not salvageable, but the part of bottom half still looked pretty good. It will make a gorgeous pencil skirt!
A couple of other projects I'm working on right now are formals. I've torn apart some things and am currently in the midst of "redeuxing" them. Yes, I just made up that word. I like it and it's staying. Yesterday I had to do some major restoration work on a fabulous piece of white satin brocade, a 1940's lace top and a 1950's taffeta dress, all of which were horribly stained.
After several hours of different attempts at stain removal some of which worked on portions, some of which did not work at all. (caution for do it your-selfer's - do NOT ever put bleach on a vintage item. Do not throw them in the wash either, unless you are absolutely sure what the fabric content is and that it is machine washable, IF they survive it often changes the texture to something weird and/or shrinks them)The step of last resort - actually washing them in water and soap, but carefully.
I lined a big bathtub sized plastic tub with an old sheet,filled it with luke-warm water and a weak Biz solution and gently laid all three items in. Then I just let them soak, checking frequently for signs of dissolving fibers, for about five hours. Next I rinsed them, gently and carefully and repeatedly for about 30 minutes. I should have photographed the whole process, but I didn't think of it until they were drying. Next time, I promise.
Then, I carefully pulled the sheet out, with the wet garments still on it, and put it onto several old but clean towels. I put another couple on top, then gently rolled the whole thing up, carefully not squeezing anything.
After most of the dripping water was absorbed, each piece got it's own towel roll up treatment. Then, once all the excess water is gone, they get draped over yet more towels to dry.
Yes, it is possible to wash vintage, but it is risky with delicate pieces. It doesn't always work (sometimes they fall apart, shrink or disintegrate and on silks, satins and velvets the fiber structure can be altered changing it completely and ruining the fabric) and it is not a quick process. Immersing delicate vintage in water with detergent is a last resort, when the piece won't be useable regardless. I've been doing it for a long time, so I'm pretty successful most of the time, I know what will survive and what won't. Delicate pieces in good shape I use other, gentler cleaning and sterilizing methods on.
I did take a couple of photos of after the washing was done and it worked! The satin brocade is gorgeous!!
Stay posted for results - and check out my store! www.shelleysvintagelife.etsy.com
Total washout at the thrift stores. Nada, zero, zilch. It's always a crap-shoot and usually, unless the Vintage Gods are really smiling on me, you have to go through tons of sometimes icky stuff to find anything good. That's pretty much par for the course, it happens. It doesn't stop the thrill of anticipation that sets my heart racing as I pull into the parking lot though, because, you never know! Although, actually, I can usually tell within a minute or two of walking inside - I just feel it, somehow. Yes, I'm psychic, really, and if you send me hundreds of dollars I will tell your fortune. It may be generic and bland, but it will be true, really.
Anyone can treasure hunt at a thrift store or garage sale, but let me just say, it is helpful to have at least a general idea about styles, fabrics, manufacturers and artisans so you don't end up with just junk you can't do anything with. You need an "eye." Some people have it and some people don't.
Fast forward a bit, I'm driving towards where I'm picking up Krystin in about 45 minutes and I pass A Garage Sale! On March 2nd! Serious early/crazy/insane/desperate birds, considering what Michigan weather is normally like in March. Definitely would not be my idea of fun to sit out in the Garage/Driveway, wrapped in a blanket and sipping a thermos of coffee (at least, I'm guessing it was coffee? Best not to inquire too closely sometimes.).
Did I stop? Are you crazy? Of COURSE I stopped and hit the mother-lode!! Turns out, the woman who was having the sale is getting rid of all the jewelry her mother doesn't want any more. Her parents moved to Florida permanently in November and she got the job of going through the stuff they left behind and getting rid of it.
She had already taken all the jewelry she wanted and just wanted to get rid of the rest. I did a quick look and found a few Sara Coventry 1960's, Early Trifari and Napier and that was all it took. I took almost everything she had. Unfortunately she had already donated all the clothes to a thrift store. I almost cried, but managed to control myself. It was hard, because if her mother's clothing tastes were as good as her tastes in costume jewelry, that is a horrible waste of some perfectly lovely vintage clothing that would have been much happier with me, but I digress.
It was all in a bag and I didn't have a chance to go through it until this morning. Yes, quite a bit of Sarah Coventry, Trifari, a Napier and one Gorgeous 60's Givenchy Piece! Not something you see every day, but very cool. See the photo above for a sneak peek at my score!
I will be photographing, describing and adding some of these lovelies to my website, just as soon as I decide what I can stand to get rid of. This is the hard part, sigh.Also, just FYI, the lace background some of the earrings and brooches are sitting on? Soon to be a pencil skirt for some lucky lady, once I finish making it anyhow. It's lace I pulled from a dress, the top was not salvageable, but the part of bottom half still looked pretty good. It will make a gorgeous pencil skirt!
A couple of other projects I'm working on right now are formals. I've torn apart some things and am currently in the midst of "redeuxing" them. Yes, I just made up that word. I like it and it's staying. Yesterday I had to do some major restoration work on a fabulous piece of white satin brocade, a 1940's lace top and a 1950's taffeta dress, all of which were horribly stained.
After several hours of different attempts at stain removal some of which worked on portions, some of which did not work at all. (caution for do it your-selfer's - do NOT ever put bleach on a vintage item. Do not throw them in the wash either, unless you are absolutely sure what the fabric content is and that it is machine washable, IF they survive it often changes the texture to something weird and/or shrinks them)The step of last resort - actually washing them in water and soap, but carefully.
 | ||
| This is the most beautiful royal blue silk velvet. I'm not sure what I'm doing with it yet, but something interesting! |
I lined a big bathtub sized plastic tub with an old sheet,filled it with luke-warm water and a weak Biz solution and gently laid all three items in. Then I just let them soak, checking frequently for signs of dissolving fibers, for about five hours. Next I rinsed them, gently and carefully and repeatedly for about 30 minutes. I should have photographed the whole process, but I didn't think of it until they were drying. Next time, I promise.
Then, I carefully pulled the sheet out, with the wet garments still on it, and put it onto several old but clean towels. I put another couple on top, then gently rolled the whole thing up, carefully not squeezing anything.
After most of the dripping water was absorbed, each piece got it's own towel roll up treatment. Then, once all the excess water is gone, they get draped over yet more towels to dry.
 |
| The top edge of the white satin brocade - over a couple of towels and the old Sesame Street sheet from when Cody was 4! |
Yes, it is possible to wash vintage, but it is risky with delicate pieces. It doesn't always work (sometimes they fall apart, shrink or disintegrate and on silks, satins and velvets the fiber structure can be altered changing it completely and ruining the fabric) and it is not a quick process. Immersing delicate vintage in water with detergent is a last resort, when the piece won't be useable regardless. I've been doing it for a long time, so I'm pretty successful most of the time, I know what will survive and what won't. Delicate pieces in good shape I use other, gentler cleaning and sterilizing methods on.
 |
| This is going to be part of a formal - found this lavender chiffon something that has the most incredible hand beading & embroidery - it is going to be gorgeous!! |
I did take a couple of photos of after the washing was done and it worked! The satin brocade is gorgeous!!
Stay posted for results - and check out my store! www.shelleysvintagelife.etsy.com
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