Recent acquisitions

This may be a bit contradictory of me, but I am a collector of all manner of things, including stashes that other people seem to no longer want. I ask myself quite frequently how comfortably that sits with my fear of consumer society and excess - when I got the charity shop there are all the signs that even the craft world is subject to consumer fantasies of things to be that never really happen - unused craft tools and materials, pottery from long-forgotten evening classes, and even older books on embroidery and table linen left behind by mothers and grandmothers.

Yesterday at my Guild meeting a woman visited who was clearing out some of her stash - she was an embroiderer and was giving away for free(!) bits of white fabric (including good pieces of silk), and selling very cheaply, rayons, fabric pieces and various crafts materials. Needless to say this was a wonderful source of new stuff and I took quite a bit of fabric which I intend to dye, coloured fabric swatches and a few softsculpt pieces which I haven't used before, so thought I might try out.

 

These fabrics will do well in the Dylon cold water dyes that I recently got (yellows, blues, purples, and grey), although I am wondering whether one should wait until a particular project comes along, but then I enjoy dyeing for the sake of it as well.

 

Here are the coloured swatches rolled up - some of these bits will come in very useful in the future.

She also had these vintage silk bobbins that look very beautiful. I am planning to hang these up as decoration.

And oh, I also got some kid mohair which I washed and then had to dry for days on the kitchen floor.