The Bag Sale

One of my favorite ways to get materials for my craft business is to go to bag sales. You can find a lot of treasures lying on tables, hanging on racks and sitting quietly in out of the way corners. I always have an idea of what I'm looking for but the unexpected finds are sometimes more fun. This past weekend beautiful wool, softly worn materials, random bits of silverware and vintage ribbons found their way into my bags. I also was able to talk and laugh with interesting people. One conversation I overheard has stayed in my mind all week.

As my husband was returning a hanger from an exceptionally beautiful orange wool coat to the church ladies manning the checkout table, I overheard them tell him "That was Gloria's coat". I have no idea who Gloria was. But I do know her coat is beautiful. As I cut it apart this week to add to my material stash I admired the color and softness of the material. I could envision it as a colorful strand plaited through a rug. Or reshaped into a soft pumpkin. Or sown into an accessory for a primitive doll. A second life for an ordinary orange wool coat.

Those items in my bags are treasures. There is no substitution for using the bits and pieces of the old to form something new. The worn edges, the soft fibers and faded colors are magic pieces from other people's lives that I borrow to form my crafts. Random, unexpected and interesting. Thanks Gloria.