Vintage Fabric and Linens 2013 Round-Up

You may be wondering why I'm doing a 2013 round-up in September? Well, I find most of my vintage fabrics and table linens during the Spring/Summer period in charity shops and carboot's. So, as the summer season is winding down for the year I thought I would check in with you guys to share all the lovely things I've gotten so far!

I know a lot of my readers outside the U.K. will be bemused with my 'carboot' talk so I will get the explanation out the way - carboot sale's or fayre's are an organised event, usually on cricket or rugby pitches etc where people fill up their car's with things they wish to sell (also dealers) and sell it out the back of their car (trunk); which we call a boot in the UK - hence the name ;) It's great fun, and you never know what you're going to find! Over the summer I try to attend two a week in my local area, weather dependent of course. Sometimes it's great and I pick up a whole bunch of fabulous things, other times I walk away with nothing. Though I would have to say this year has been pretty good!

So today I thought I would share with you just the fabric and linens I've acquired. I've got a house full of other bits and bobs, so maybe I'll show you those in a later post ;) above is the actual fabric, mainly cotton but also a couple of silk and my favourite one on the right a bright red 'bri-nylon' (as my mum called it) apparently it was very popular in the 60s and 70s. I think it would make such a cute dress, so I've been saving it for just the right pattern once it comes along.

These are curtains I've come across on my travels. I love them so much! So much so, I won't cut into them. The bottom three I think, are 1940's - unfortunately I shredded the stripe green one in the washing machine :S so not usable for curtains anymore but I did whip up a piped pillow for my living room, phew! The top one is a lovely kitchen inspired print from the 50s and the checkered one is 60's - I'm guessing from the orangy/brown colour palette. 

Not many vintage sheets this year. Although I am getting fussier, and I have left behind 'vintage' one's I already own and other's I would have picked up in the past. I think people are realising how popular they are and holding out to sell them on Ebay perhaps? 

Now for the tablecloths! I've collected pretty tablecloths for a few years, but fully embraced the new collecting hobby this year :) I'm rather impressed with this stack! 32 so far! The cotton and linen printed kind from 50s/60s are my favourite :)

Though I also have a weakness for any with pretty embroidery on! and we don't seem to have a shortage of these in England, well at least in my neck of the woods anyway. I appreciate all the workmanship that goes into creating each one so I think I'm a pretty good home for them.

Did I mention I like checks and stripes too? Yeh, I know ... I'm one pile away from becoming a hoarder!! What do you like to collect? I'm always intrigued. Not that I need any more ideas! ...