The Teenager and I went for a walk, Downtown, on Friday. A more perfectly warm, breezy afternoon is not to be found anywhere. And truly a blessing at the end of September. We were out to scout the local thrift stores (there are three within a fifteen minute walk from home), and to indulge in lunch out. Our most interesting stop was the local Salvation Army Thrift Store. My Teenager always finds something good in there. Me? It's kind of hit-or-miss.
Well. Friday, it was definitely a hit.
See, I always go to these places, looking for yarn, because I always hear about how someone scored fifteen thousand yards of pure silk laceweight, for $1.25. I never find anything, except white or pink or mint green acrylic. (It bothers me to think how many dinosaurs died so that I could knit with imitation wool.) So I don't look for yarn much, anymore. But, this time? This time, I rounded a corner in the store and saw a little filing cabinet, with a magic marker label on it, that read, "Knitting and Sewing Patterns". Now I have been in this corner of the shop a hundred times, I'm certain. And I can tell you, I have NEVER seen this filing cabinet. And, yet, there it sat. Like it had been hiding behind the crock pots and coffee makers since before Noah scolded the elephant for sitting on the tea kettle.
Well. What would you do? I looked in the drawers.
At first, there was a sea of dubious 80's era sweater patterns. Definitely not to my taste. But, then. Hiding behind the image of a sultry, curly-haired siren wearing a deep teal, broad shouldered, short waisted, bulky weight, number, I spied something that whispered, "Vintage!" After a good fifteen minute rummage, I came up with these seven pattern books. Enough socks, sweaters, mittens and accessories to keep anyone knitting for months. Maybe, even years.
Joy!
The Teenager is very good-natured about my knitting habit. She just grinned and shook her head, when I showed her what I found. She, in turn, showed me the beautiful Chinese brocade top she found for $2 over in the ladies' wear department. Total expenditure? $3.75. Canadian. 25¢ each for hard to find knitting books, ranging in age from 50 to 70 years. We left, feeling like truly intrepid bargain-hunters.
Our next stop was lunch, at one of the Teenager's favourite restaurants. The Olympia. This is one of those old-fashioned, family owned establishments that is short on decor, and long on good, plain food and lots of it.
For the record? She finished that.
My mother had a stash of these around the house, when I was younger. I don't know where they all went, but your image brings back fond memories of sitting beside her and watching her knit for hours. I often wondered how she had the patience. She may have even held on to a few of them from the 50's or 60's.. I'll have to ask her tonight.
Great blog Gwen!
Posted by: Gtennant | 09/27/2010 at 10:12 PM
Another dinosaur dies for the cause. That it HUGE!
Posted by: Karin Apfel | 09/27/2010 at 11:55 AM