Stashoholism Confessional: Goodwill Edition

So I am always reading about other people finding awesome vintage fabric and huge caches of amazing patterns at the Goodwill. The Goodwills in the greater DC area are a little too fancy. They go for a "boutique" concept, so the prices are a little higher and there is a LOT less merchandise on the floor, and nothing out of date. I check every time I drop stuff off, but I have never seen any patterns or fabric.

So when I read in the paper that the Goodwill was doing a traveling trunk show 11 blocks from my house and the paper specifically mentioned vintage fabric and buttons, I was so there!



There wasn't much by way of fabric--this was actually the only large piece I saw. Tons and tons of old linens, doilies, tablecloths, placemats, etc, but I'm stocked up on those. I think the fabric would be cute as a shift dress. I don't have enough shank buttons so I chose all the cute shank buttons I could find. I also picked up a bag of ribbon. Unfortunately, they're fairly short lengths--not long enough to go around the hem, but sufficient for a waistband or belt. They're really gorgeous, though. I also got some elastic (not pictured) and an all-metal eyelet setter. I have a Dritz eyelet setter and it is pretty much crap, but seriously doubt the all-metal eyelet setter will be any kind of advantage. I think the issue is with the eyelets and not the setter.

I ended up waaaaay overpaying for this stuff. The girl ringing it up was very confused and didn't really pay attention to the pricing structure. Buttons were supposed to be 99 cents "per set" and beads $1.99. But I think she charged me $1.99 for the buttons, including the card that has only one button on it. The total came out to $46. But I didn't want to be that person who haggles with the Goodwill, ya know? The money goes to a good cause.



To make myself feel better, I checked out eBay to see how much my nicer buttons would go for. I particularly love the glass flowers. They are probably pressed glass rather than cut glass, but they're really beautiful. I searched for "vintage czech glass buttons." eBay did not make me feel better because all the listings for similar buttons were $0.99! Oh well.



================================

I other news, my Knip Mode arrived already! Postage was expensive because they don't have non-express mail as an option for overseas mail from the Netherlands anymore, but it got to me in just a few days. Thank you, Geertje!









(click on the photos to enlarge)

Knip Mode was celebrating 40 years with 40 dresses in this issue! There aren't really 40 dresses as many are variations, but there are lots of cute dresses! In addition to the Martin Grant dress, I LOVE the other designer copy (#14, in yellow on the bottom row of the photo page) and the yoked raglan sleeve slightly trench-ish design (#7). I love a good trench dress, but I cannot wear any variation of khaki because of my coloring. Cidell and I were discussing this and she suggested navy. I don't wear a lot of navy, but I am kind of intrigued by the idea of a navy trench dress. But would the details show up at all? Anyway, that dress might be cute in navy.

Of course I have a million projects ahead of it! I need to do another project list, although I've only finished one from the most recent collage and have two remaining from the one before that. I keep going rogue and making things that aren't on the list. I've made three projects from my NYC fabric haul and this weekend was an unscheduled blouse of fabric purchased in March. But all of them were soooooo cute and so insistent that they be made RIGHT NOW that I had to do it. Fabric addiction is a demanding mistress.