The Accidental Thrifter
I dropped Eamonn off at preschool this morning and decided to take action and do something about my desperate hair situation. My bangs were down past the tip of my nose and I’ve been grousing for a month. I went someplace different than my usual, and on the way home I passed the Salvation Army Store. Well, technically, I didn’t pass it. I pulled into the parking lot, took a space, got out of the car, and went shopping. Why? Beats me. I just gave 5 bags of clothes to this very store, and the last thing I need is more stuff. Still, in I went.
I had forgotten Wednesday is half-price day, and it turns out it was also my lucky day. I came home with a hooded cardigan sweater (something I’d been wanting) and a pair of black boots (something I’d really been wanting). And each of them only cost me $3. Wow. I also picked up a pillowcase for 50 cents.
I remembered seeing somewhere online that you could make skirts from pillowcases, and a google search turned up this post. I wish I had a pillowcase as spectacular as the one she used, and now that I know that I didn’t pork-up so much this summer that I can’t fit into a pillowcase, I will have to be on the lookout for more interesting ones.
So here’s my new outfit. The whole thing (minus the t-shirt that I’ve had forever) cost me $6.50 and about 1/2-hour of sewing. Woo hoo!
I still felt like sewing after I finished the skirt, so I made a table thingy I’ve been thinking about for the living room coffee table. I guess it’s a table runner, but it feels weird to call it a “runner” when it doesn’t actually run the length of the table. Is there another name for this? Anyway, it’s reversible. This side is for the fall, with its leaves and pumpkins, and on the other side, I just used dots that coordinate with the walls of the room. That will be appropriate for all other times of the year. On both sides I used fabrics left over from my fall napkin-making. Wait, I don’t think I actually showed you my fall napkins, did I??
Well, here they are. Eamonn loved watching me make these, and I enjoyed having a little groupie who could help with folding and setting up the photo shoot. I still have one set of napkins in me – I need a Christmas set! Once I find a kitschy Christmas fabric collection that will do, I’ll try to score some of it cheaply and get to work on them. Then I’ll be done. I’ll have made a set for summer, fall, Christmas, and every other time of year. I just love using these – they’re so soft, fun, and ecologically sound. I can’t imagine wanting to buy paper napkins ever again. Which is a good thing because all of these napkins I’m making won’t pay for themselves until about 2011 
It was nice to take the afternoon “off” from processing orders and catching up on email, but I’m going to have to put my nose back to the grindstone this evening. After I take Aidan to his religious ed class, start dinner, pick Aidan up, complete dinner, eat dinner, clean up dinner, get everybody’s stuff ready for tomorrow morning, and get myself into my comfy pj’s, that is. Oh, and of course there will have to be pre-bedtime snuggles, stories, and songs with my little men. A mother’s work is never done 
This day in blog history:
- Viral cleanliness - 2008
This topic in blog history:
- I wasn’t going to blog today… - June 2007
- Pillowcase party - April 2009
- Three sheets to the wind - August 2008
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Links to “The Accidental Thrifter”:
- Polka Dot Cottage: Balls in the air, balls on the ground
- Polka Dot Cottage: Seasonal Napkin Disorder
Ah, how I long for the days when I could fit into a pillow case.
I see what you mean about collecting fabric. Lol! Very cool outfit there, my dear. I love second hand and homemade clothes.
I surprised myself by fitting, actually. The summer of elastic-waist skirts (and, let’s face it, Dr. Pepper) hasn’t been kind to my wasitline… Now I want to hit *all* of the local thrift shops in search of funky pillowcases, LOL!
What GREAT thrifty finds and I just love that pillowcase skirt!!!!
Your napkins are amazing too!
Thanks! I’m loving the napkins, and I really lucked out on the thrifting. I don’t usually have such a useful haul.
Fine boots, lady!
I am right now wearing a Salvation Army skirt (tiered, orange fading up into a paler orange, with red paisley print and red lace trim with sparkles), and a black cotton shirt I got on the street in Rome when my luggage was delayed. (Turns out I really like the shirt, so it wasn’t just a desperation garment.)
I’m absolutely certain that I haven’t been able to fit my butt into any kind of pillowcase since age 12.
Yeah, I was impressed by the boots, too! They are a bit scuffed-up in the back, but nothing that a little creativity can’t fix.
Your skirt sounds a lot like one that I nearly picked up today, although it was green. I resisted when I stopped to think and realized that I already had three other skirts that same color…
When I met you last summer I didn’t get the impression that your butt was bigger than my butt. And my butt has put on at least 10 lbs since then. I’ve been a bit of a piggy. I was really surprised that the pillowcase fit!
Your pillowcase skirt is really lovely and your boots are a great find. I love the napkins and am reminded I need to make some more myself.
Thanks!
hey partner loving the new goodies, skirt looks amazing as does hair cut.
I am gonna email you back been busy myself, lets say quick I understand and will email you later
No panic
Kara
***HUGS***
nice to see you smiling
Kara
xx
Think nothing of it – I’m not panicked in the least, LOL! Get to it when you can.
nice boots!
and i love all the napkins. i don’t know if i could ever go back to paper.
Thanks! And me neither – cloth just feels nicer, especially the quilters cotton that gets softer with each wash.
Great thrifty shopping, Lisa!!! And I love your new napkins! Such pretty fabrics….I love fabric!!!!! Thank you for your kind comment! I saw PCD first thing Wednesday morning and just about fell off my chair!!!! Too cool!!!!
blessings, ZudaGay
It’s fun to see your name pop up somewhere popular like that, isn’t it? I felt the same way when I saw my canes on Polymer Clay Notes a few months ago.
I wonder what my soon to be hubbie would say if I told him my new weight loss goal was “to fit in a pillow case”…that is the cutest skirt eva’!
Heh, yeah, I’m not sure the men “get” it
6.50 is a rockin’ price for an outfit.
now I am wondering if I would fit into a pillowcase.
Isn’t it, though? You can easily spend more than that for a simple t-shirt! Judging from the comments, I seem to have started something with the pillowcase thing, LOL!
Just had to say how much I love Fall Back in Time. Those colors are yummy! I must get some to make myself some napkins. I’m off toa quilt show today, maybe they’ll have it there.
Yeah, I’m really liking them myself – I’m such a Fall girl. Hope you had luck at the quilt show!
Many, many years ago, I took a class on making jackets from thrift store sweaters that you cut up and pieced back together. Combined with an article about how to boil wool and sew it, I thought I had the perfect solution for all the sweaters I had accidentally shrunk in the wash. Today I have. . .a pile of shrunken sweaters. *sigh* I can’t even wrap my brain around making napkins. You go, girl!
Sounds like an interesting class. And napkin making? If I can do it, you could probably do it blindfolded with one hand behind your back!
Yeah, especially since I have my rolled hem feet. However, my skills are being called for to make washable cat mats for the rescue group I’m in. PetSmart in toms River (plug!!!) just put in a whole new cat area for our kitties so people can see them any time, not just at adopt-a-thons. So I’ll be using up fabric and batting that I already have. . .maybe that’ll make room for some new fabric!