Treasure Hunting
I do not know if this is a thing that is global, or just something that certain countries have a habit of doing. However, for everyone who is living in a place where people put their old/used/unwanted stuff on the drive/lawn/garage and then sell it for dirt cheap, the pleasant weather months mean Treasure Hunting.
In past years it did not occur to me to look through people’s junk for needlework Stuff (patterns, floss, kits, tools..) Yesterday, in a fun “garage sale-ing” expedition, I made a point of looking for additions to my Stash. I didn’t really have the patience to sort through the discarded jewelry or holiday decorations for useful bits & bobs; but I did find a kit stuffed in with some books. For a dollar!
My find? A stamped embroidery kit, unopened, by Sunset Designs. It was made in 1975, and is a design of a Coleus plant. There were other kits published by Sunset according to the paper in the kit, seemingly a whole series of houseplants. (Grape Ivy, Asparagus Fern, and Schefflera) The yarn included with the kit is a “three-ply Persian” wool; and the cloth is a 50%polyester/50%rayon blend. The stitching chart reminds me of “paint-by-number” kits, but is easy to understand. I haven’t stitched with wools, and I like coleus, which means eventually I’ll stitch this. It looks like a fun quick project. :)
Related Stories
POSTED IN: Charts and Kits, Stash, Surface Embroidery
7 opinions for Treasure Hunting
Ternezia
Jun 25, 2006 at 3:26 am
Why, lucky you are to have garage sales yet also -ppl that have something to sell *g* Stash-wise of course. I think such searches can be quite useful as there might be some very rare/discontinued/valued by collectors design.
One never knows what he can find. I remember in one of the UK flea markets, I bought a huge cardbox full of various stuff, for 2 pounds or something. You can see what’s on top but not what is on the bottom. A kind of “mystery-game”. I got some recipe cards, toys and a hair dryer. I am still using it. Not something one can buy for 2 pounds, hehe.
Deb
Jun 25, 2006 at 9:59 am
Oh I love those “grab boxes”! I couldn’t get even a -cheap- hair dryer for that price! We’ve found all kinds of things at these sales over the years. Toys, clothes, tools, furniture, junk… I remember one sale a woman was getting rid of a whole bunch of little glass pots filled with solid perfumes.
Joanne
Jun 27, 2006 at 11:16 am
Deb,
Thanks for the walk down memory lane! Back when I was first introduced to needlework in 1977 by a colleague at work (specifically, crewel stitching) like these Jiffy Stitchery kits, I got addicted big-time and completed all 4 kits you mentioned (store-bought). I gave 2 to my aunt/godmother and 2 to my mother for Mother’s Day the next year, and now my Mom still has all 4 on her wall in a little alcove of the living room. (She inherited the other 2 from my Aunt when she was placed in a home.) I have been hooked on crewel and x-stitch ever since…I call it my “therapy, only much cheaper”!!!! ha,ha! Thanks for sharing this, and reminding me of my love for the craft, and the stroll down memory lane!
Deb
Jun 27, 2006 at 12:12 pm
Hi Joanne, I’m glad you had a fun bit of memory lane :) You’re certainly most welcome.
How fun to have stitched the whole series!
Laura
Jul 31, 2006 at 9:38 pm
Hi,
I’ve picked up a few of these jiffy kits over the years, and I’m trying to find more of them. Do you have any idea where I could find a list of all the kits in the series? I know it went on for several years, and there is the set of smaller 4×5 kits of herbs as well.
Rebecca
Aug 15, 2006 at 8:04 am
I love happening across little treasures. When we first moved into our old dilapidated farmhouse I found some beautiful embroidery work in very old boxes out in the cow sheds. I brought them indoors and they now decorate our dresser and tables. I often wonder who stitched them, and when. After some renovations, we are just a little less dilapidated!
doll
Sep 14, 2006 at 10:59 pm
Where was i when this excellent blog was being written. Happy to find this.
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: