STOCK UP YOUR STASH

I wanted to do just two things this week outside. Number one was to wash and dry all of the lovely fabrics I bought at the fairs and no. 2 was to get my husband cementing the wall in the garden.
It is so typical of the English weather, whenever you want to work outside it rains and rains and rains.

So the new fabrics are still drying inside and hopefully I will be able to get a few scrap bags cut for you tomorrow.
I've listed some more scrap bags that I had completed before the fairs and some large fabrics that were in my stash.
Hope you enjoy looking at the new items I am listing. I shall be listing every day this week.

KEEP LOOKING HERE
and stock up for your Autumnal and Winter crafting activities.

Many old fabrics rescued.

RAG RESCUE SHOP OPENS AGAIN.

I was very pleased with the fabrics I found at the fairs. It took a lot of leg work and a great more haggling than usual but I managed to buy antique and vintage fabrics from France, Belgium, Germany and the UK at a reasonable price. Gone are the days when there were tables upon tables of old fabrics. Most have either been sent along for recycling and made into rags or they have been shipped abroad.
Of course some dealers are on a different planet to the rest of us. I picked out a square of French fabric around 20 inches square and the price being asked for it was £46. It wasn't in perfect condition and I would only have got two scrap bags out of it. Well I suppose that dealer will be keeping her fabrics for a very long time.
Unfortunately my normal dealer wasn't at the fairs so I will have to wait until October for the really cheaper pieces.

Now the washing and ironing marathon begins.

RAG RESCUE WEBSITE CLOSED - discounts at the fairs.

Swinderby Antiques and Home show.

PLEASE BE AWARE THAT BOTH 'RAG RESCUE' AND 'ODDITIES ANTIQUES' WEBSITES ARE NOW CLOSED UNTIL THE 10TH AUGUST.

I am going to the fairs, therefore please do not pay for any orders as the items you would like may already have been sold at the fairs.
If you would like to order, then please email me and my house sitter will print out the orders for me and I will contact you when I return.

WHY NOT COME AND SEE ME AT

SWINDERBY ANTIQUE AND HOME SHOW MARQUEE 'B' - STALL 35/36
ON 5TH/6TH AUG. (WEDNESDAY IS FREE ADMITTANCE )

OR

AT NEWARK ANTIQUES FAIR. SIR GEORGE STEPHENSON BUILDING - STALL F38 ON 7TH/8TH AUG.

Website details and links to the fairs can be seen on the post below.

PRINT OFF THIS PAGE AND I WILL GIVE YOU A 10% DISCOUNT.
HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE.

The Japanese ladies love Rag Rescue fabrics..

A few weeks ago a lovely Japanese lady from Japan purchased fabrics from Rag Rescue.
Since then we have been communicating regularly using that wonderful invention the translation widget.
The Japanese love our old fabrics and 'M' is no exception. She has previously made the items you see here using English and French vintage fabrics and I am sure you will agree with me when I say they are so beautiful and incredibly well made. 'M' insists that she is only an amateur, and creates them in her spare time.
A big thank you goes to 'M' for allowing me to show her work.

At the international Antique Fairs, 'Rag Rescue' sells to customers from all over the world and now that we are live on the web, our customers return time and time again.

You will be able to find us next week at the International Antiques and Home Show at Swinderby in the 'B' Marquee and at the Newark International Antiques Fair in the George Stephenson building at the far end.

Come along and have a fun day.

NEW CATEGORIES ON RAG RESCUE WEBSITE

Three new categories were added to the website yesterday.

1. Vintage books and patterns

2.Stash bags.

3. Crafted items.

I managed to place 15 items in the 'Vintage books and patterns category' for you. These are great old Needlework booklets and the ideas are so inspirational. I know you will be able to adapt the lovely ideas for any method of working.

Apologises for any inconvenience caused by the problem on the 'Vintage books and patterns' category which we encountered yesterday evening and early this morning.
The problem has now been fixed.

Beautiful ribbon work.

Day 26
Originally uploaded by crazyQstitcher

A favourite of mine is roses either as a design on fabric or in embroidery. Check out 'crazyQstitcher' on Flickr to see her other work. You won't be disappointed.

Using recycled fabric and silks in my felt work.

Cushion centre piece.

I inserted vintage fabric in the centre of the hand made wet felt and the silks were on the whole Victorian. The corner flowers are 19th century crewel work taken from damaged bed covers.

See my 'FELTISSIMO' blog for more information.

Beautiful gold metallic embroidery

I just love the old metallic embroidery. It is so superbly executed. I bought this piece of velvet on eBay, just for the gold work. It was probably originally made for use as a dress bodice front but would look superb incorporated into a larger piece or indeed framed as it is.
I was even more delighted when I turned this piece over, to find that it was Russian as it has a clear stamp. My excitement was because I love all art works Russian as my husbands family comes from Russia.

This piece really cheered me up, as it arrived on the same day as my hospital visit to see the consultant. Still, not too serious, just that my gall bladder has to come out. At least I now have a date for the operation for the 16th September so the sooner that comes along, I can back to normality. The last 6 months have been difficult for me to work at my normal pace, I even had to leave my stall at Newark Antiques fair at the beginning of June and be carried off in an ambulance to Lincoln hospital. So you can see that I won't be shedding any tears over the loss of my gall bladder.

So if I'm not writing as much as promised this is the reason. I will try to keep the Rag Rescue website going as long as I can, so keep sending in your orders. Hopefully, I will manage to get around Newark this time and buy some wonderful French fabrics for you all.
I'm off to do the fairs at Swinderby on 4th - 6th August and Newark on the 7th & 8th August, so if you have any requests, please send them before I set off.

RagRescue

RagRescue
Originally uploaded by jennypepper

Jenny posted this on her blog.

'RagRescue
This was a lovely gift from RagRescue, a great idea selling packs of haberdashery etc for recycling into new work.'

I can't wait to see what she makes with it all.
Thanks Jenny

FREEBIES - Increase your stash.

YES! I'm giving away some freebies as an introduction to a new line - STASH BAGS.

The first three people who leave a comment will get a FREE stash bag with FREE postage.

When these STASH BAGS are introduced on the RAG RESCUE website they will cost £3.50 + postage.

If after the first three comments have been left, you would like to but a Stash Bag then still leave me a comment requesting a purchase.

After you have left a comment then PLEASE contact me via my profile and contact email address, so that I can discuss postage details where necessary.

This is an example of a STASH BAG. It will contain similar items. See the images below and click for a larger version.

Fabric, 2 small pieces of lace, cotton

3 lengths of ribbon, braid, 3 fabric strips

length of sequins, gold coloured braid

Vintage buttons including mother of pearl

3 embroidery silks

2 small quilted squares from an English Victorian quilt.

Obviously colours will vary as this is just an example..
Best of Luck
Sandie

My completed felted woodland floor

See the larger image by clicking.
Just thought I'd show you my completed felted woodland floor. It will be posted off to my son's partner next week for her birthday.

Take a look at the Rag Rescue website for fabrics, embellishments and silks to enhance your work.

Sharon B's - In a minute ago -blog review.

I came across 'Sharon B's' blog whilst searching for embellishments, a while back. It is the most amazing site and well worth a visit.

Sharon has been blogging for 4 years and in that time has built up a whole notable size of resources relating to textiles, both contemporary and historical. Not only does she exhibit her own gorgeous crazy quilting but gives descriptions of the materials and stitches used.

At Sharon's blog you will find superb photographs, a stitch dictionary, projects worked on for charity, challenges and social software sites, to name but a few.

This is a blog we should visited time and time again to increase our skills and gain inspiration from.
.

Online tips, tutorials, resources and ideas.

It always amazes me the amount of talent there is in this world and how willingly people are to share it with others. Blogs carry so much information about crafts that it would take a lifetime to search through them all. I have a list of excellent blogs that I visit regularly and I have decided to share them with you. By writing a quick review of each, I hope that they will inspire and teach you new methods of working with textiles both old and new. I will include a category on the side of this blog for quick access so that you can find the reviews quickly whenever you wish to browse.

Watch this space!

Chinese embroideries.

I just love antique Chinese embroideries. Not only is the embroidery so superbly executed but the fabric on which it is embroidered has wonderful designs on the silk.

This piece of Chinese embroidery is hand worked in fabulous shades of silk thread. The silk on which it is embroidered has a pattern of clouds.
You will find many pieces of these Chinese embroideries on the 'RagRescue' website.
I managed to salvage two old kimono's that had worn badly and were past repair. I saved the best bits of embroideries , as I you all know I can't throw anything away.

Superb as a collection or would look wonderful on a hanging or quilt top.

Felted vintage flowers

My second avoidance strategy.
I wanted to try out something different, so I added these vintage velvet flowers between the layers of wool fibres A few dried leaves and flower stamens at the bottom of the piece will make a good foundation for the woodland floor. A sprinkle of lavender makes it smell so wonderful and gives it texture. All I have to do now is embellish it with embroidery.

Paperwork avoidance strategy

If you read my post yesterday you'll know that I was looking for an avoidance strategy away from doing the company books ready for the tax man. Well I found it. I decided that after 5 hours on the computer I'd spend the rest of the afternoon felting.

I just love wet felting as I find it is great for releasing stress. I had no idea what I wanted to create, but having said that, that's how I work. Having all my bits and pieces together I began to lay layers of fabric on the base and what you see above is the result so far.

Normally I don't lay any fibres on top of the fabric but this time I did as I wanted a textured piece but reasonably flat. I used alpaca wool for the first time, something I'd bought at last years woolfest in Cumbria. Not sure how happy I am with using it as it is very hairy and I had to do a lot of trimming. I can see wonderful images in this piece, great ideas for my embellishing. you will be able to follow this pieces development on my other blog FELTISSIMO

Yet another use for Rag Rescue fabric scrap bags.

Flying dragons

This little motif reminds me of the day my grand-daughter Molly went hunting dragons around the house. She is only two and a half but her imagination is developing so quickly. Of course we had to make sure that she shooed them all away before she went home otherwise at night time it would have been granny who was the dragon.
Well I don't really think I'm going to enjoy my work today. I've timetabled in for the start of doing my books for the tax man, a thing I hate doing. I was hoping that I could walk down the road to the beach to cheer me up but it looks as if it may be wet again today. Any ideas on an hours respite will be gratefully received.

The return

I'd like to apologise to all of you who regularly read my blog, for the lack of posts. Unfortunately I have been ill and have been struggling with the every day business things that needed doing. When I got around to blogging my energy had gone. Still I'm now on the list for removal of my gall bladder so the quicker that comes the better.

For all of those I have a chat to at the Newark Antiques Fair, I am sorry I missed you and I hope Steve could find what you wanted. I was there at the beginning but had a serious bout at the stall and two wonderful St. Johns ambulance people later, three paramedics and two ambulances dealt with me quickly, whisking me off to the Lincoln hospital where I spent the next few days in somewhat oblivion due to the morphine.

At the moment I'm back on form, missing my chocolate and cheese but healthier and one and a half stone lighter for the new diet. So I'm hoping to post a blog at least every other day to keep you in touch with what is happening with me and of course the Rag Rescue. I have so much stuff to list that I am determined to list new items every week while I can. I've made a new start by listing 30 items of scrap bags, ribbons (some lovely old ones like the picture here) braids and lace. So please take a look.

Ideas for using recyled fabric. No. 1

Books covered with vintage fabric
Originally uploaded by Feltissimo

I thought I'd use some scraps of fabric to cover some books. A vintage button holds the ribbon which can be used to tie the book securely or used as a book mark.
Now on sale in my etsy shop

Original French 1950's gold lame

French 1950's gold lame
Originally uploaded by Feltissimo

I bought this wonderful 1950's gold lame from a dealer friend who lives in France. He has the most amazing stall absolutely full of of French haberdashery, trims and fabric. He had bought out an old haberdashery shop somewhere in the South of France and had boxes of this gold lame and also gold metal thread. His stall is like an Aladins cave, fabric everywhere, boxes and boxes of trims piled on top of each other. this is normally where I salvage my French fabrics from. Long may it continue.

DISASTER IS AROUND THE CORNER WAITING TO HAPPEN.

Bags of texiles at a landfill taken by TRAID

I went to the TRAID website today. If you are concerned about saving the planet then it is worth a look.
I love textiles as you probably know and am trying to do my bit by recycling as many textiles as I can. I buy as many clothes as I can for myself at charity shops and those that I decide aren't me, I cut up for crafting ideas or supplies. I started my website RAG RESCUE in order to give people the opportunity to recycle old fabrics and many of you have discovered that you can re-use these fabrics and trims to make delightful items.

Today I'd like you to stop and think when you go out shopping to buy a new dress or bag. Look at the points below that I have found on TRAID, perhaps after reading you will think twice about buying new and go to such places as ETSY and INDEPUBLIC where you will find superb individual designs that have been created out of recycled fabrics.

For those of you that already dress themselves in these wonderful recycled products or indeed make them , please send me photo's or links and I will show them on my website.

Just take a minute of your time to read these HORRORS:

The fashion industry is producing new styles at a frantic rate
2.15 million tonnes of new clothing are purchased in the UK each year.
Virgin resources are being used faster than they can be produced.

This creates the following serious problems:

900,000 million items of clothing are thrown away to landfill in this country as new one are replaced
*The Man-made fibres do not decompose.
*The Woollens compose but produce methane.
*Toxic pesticides and other chemicals are being used to grow cotton
*Energy is being used to transport products around the globe.
*The grasslands of the Alashan Plateau in China have been turned into a dustbowl due to over grazing of goats for cashmere.
*In Uzbekistan, 85% of the Aral Sea has disappeared as a result of drainage for cotton production.

All this contributes to global warming and climate change and changes our planet forever.

BUY RECYCLED ITEMS PLEASE

Lots of squares just listed

I've just listed a large number of Vintage English and French fabric squares. Amongst them are a large quantity of Vintage Laura Ashley fabrics which have never been used before.

Take a look at Rag Rescue Website in the 'New Products' section so see all the new sqaures.

4inch square only 40p
5" inch squares only 50p and
6" inch squares only 60p.

Please read the previous post if you wish to contact me about anything.

CONTACT FOR RAG RESCUE & ODDITIES ANTIQUES WEBSITES

COMPUTERS, COMPUTERS, COMPUTERS

Due to my computer breaking down and a new one being installed I haven't yet been able to set up my email link on the

Rag Rescue website
or my
Oddities Antiques website

So please, don't send a comment to me on these sites BUT
CLICK ON MY PROFILE TO GET MY EMAIL

Hopefully I will get the website emails sorted in a couple of weeks when my administrater can sort it out for me.

NEW LISTING TODAY ON RAG RESCUE WEBSITE

I am able, however to take orders.

Thank you for your patience.

Scrap bag ideas for children at Easter

This is a card made by my grand-daughter Molly for her mummy who was ill. I used fabric from the scrapbags I sell and cut out the shapes. She had such fun choosing the the shapes and sticking them on the card. I thought it was a good attempt for a little one who is only 2years and3 months old. Another budding artist in the making.

Days busy with eBaying

eBay 200203671934

First I must apologise for letting down my customers who have been waiting for me to list new items on Rag Rescue
The reason for the delay is that my husband is going into hospital tomorrow for an operation, poor thing. This has meant that we have had to cancel all of our Antique fairs until June. As this is our only source of income along with the websites it has meant that I am having to go to auctions and list items on eBay everyday in order to survive this period. I will get around to putting new things on Rag rescue but I ask you to bear with me for a week or two until I can get into a routine. i do have lots of items to add, sewing patterns, knitting patterns, silks, cotton reels etc but as you all probably know it takes time.
In the meantime you may find something on my ebay site ID - tall2000
If you would like me to email you when items have been listed on the Rag Rescue site then please go to the site and send me an email and then you can get the pick. There will be lots of rosy fabrics, checks and other large pieces.
So up at 6am tomorrow to get to the hospital for 7.30am, get him settled and drive for an hour to an auction view. AT least I won't get bored.

One of my favourite quilters

Once a week I look at my favourite blogs. This week I found that 'Gunnels' had sold one of the wonderful quilts that she had made. I think that this work is spectacular and especially as the subject matter 'Near the Sea' is very close to my heart as my home is only a stones throw away from the sea.

Just look at the workmanship on this quilt, it is an inspiration to us all.

My website has been reviewed

The following is a copy of a review of my Rag Rescue website that was placed on Sew Swanks blog by the kind Gracie Kerr.

Thank you Gracie.

Go and have a look at her blog Sew Swank she has lots of reviews and ideas on vintage clothing sewing.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Rag Rescue

I found Rag Rescue via a link in a post the owner made on Indie Public. What she does is salvage whatever she can from vintage garments and then resells it to you, the public! Great way to recycle would-be garbage back into the crafting world. Great Idea!

She offers up some nice laces, pieces of fabric and some great pieces of embroidery. I think she is mainly geared toward quilters, but I've found a few things there when I looked that your average sewer like me could make good use of. If you like a little vintage touch here and there swing on over there and check her out!

at 12:19 AM

Embellishing at its best.

Lorenza's block (10/2007)
Originally uploaded by brodanni

I've just found this lady's superb work. Just go to Flickr and see her other masterpieces.

Good use of scraps by Micki270

notepad-turquoise patchwork
Originally uploaded by Micki270

This trifold holder notepad shows so well how scraps of fabric can be put to good use.

What a find

I came across this wonderful old piece of fabric at the beginning of December. It is one of a number from the same hanging. I think they are European in origin and quite early as the design is woven into the fabric. Unfortunately some of the pieces have begun to shred in places but there is still sufficient to frame.
If anyone is interested, can enlighten me more or would like further photographs please contact me through the Rag Rescue website.

I'd just like to thank everyone who have kick started the New Year by buying from the Rag Rescue website. I think Google is now picking up the site as I have had orders from America as well as the UK.

I've finally managed to get over 50 new scrap bags ready for the website and I'll be listing them tomorrow morning - 3rd January.
Rag Rescue website

I now have the gruelling task of sorting out my stock room. I'm rather excited really as I never know what I'll find. So watch this
SPACE.