Sunday, November 11, 2012

Chicken Scratch...aprons?



I go to an auction almost EVERY Saturday night out in the country and I mean OUT in the country about 15 miles from our house. It is in an old tobacco pack house that the owners enclosed and it has a wonderful front porch. You enter by the old wooden door that has a wooden latch!! You park yourself on the grass area  and the men gather outside, kinda like the olden days!!As you enter you write your name on a pad and get out number and walk around and see what goodies are up for auction.  There is a regular group there and then there are some new folks, young and old, babies, children and teens too. It is a gathering place for this community and has been for years as I understand it. The owner/auctioneer's wife serves hot dogs with chili, freshly popped pop corn, candy, chips, BIG pickles and canned drinks in a screened in area with an old screen door...I have actually seen people come and get hot dogs and go home and NOT stay!!


I usually bid on something I do not need but that I just want...dolls, wicker doll furniture, a baby cradle, and they even have fresh produce in the summer... squash, potatoes, okra, tomatoes, cucumbers, and this week pointed head cabbage. You get this at the beginning and the middle of the auction, oh,even home made peanut brittle and pork skins too.

I did not know anyone there the first time Cliff and I went and now after about 5 months, I have several buddies and we chat, eat and bid...

It is soooo fun.

Well, this week I had been there about 2 hours and was starting to yawn when I noticed green and blue aprons coming up for bid....yes, chicken scratch ones....so I asked one of the helper guys to bring it up for me and he did....the bidding went down to $2.00 and I was the only one to place a bid and got them for $4.00!!!!


 
I could hardly wait to get home and look at them real good.
I was surprised to discover that they were not aprons at all but full gatherer skirts with zippers and buttons!!




Can't you just see two little teen girls wearing these with great pride after their mother OR grand made them especially for them...probably from the 60's by the zippers...one is metal and one plastic.

I plan on making the green one into an apron for me to wear for Christmas and perhaps a little girl apron with the extra fabric for our new little great niece...

Anyone know what these patterns are? I do not know much about chicken scratch embroidery but have always loved it...






I will keep you updated...I also got an old wooden & metal piece that was used for mule plowing..$2.00 for that too...almost got two wool carding paddles, but quit bidding because I could tell the lady bidding really wanted them and I could pay more than I planned...she paid $8.00. I think!!! oh well, next time.


Blessings all,
Kathy

9 comments:

  1. I don't know much about it. I have seen patterns before to make things but have never done it. Very pretty! Enjoy and post pictures of your new apron! Nancy

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  2. It's fun finding 'new to you' things, isn't it? :)

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  3. your auction really sounds fun! I would go too.

    I found to dresses similar to your skirts at a yard sale a few summers ago, one of mine is yellow and the other black. They are really pretty but so tiny . They have gathered waists on to the shirt bodice. I't thought about using them to make aprons or maybe peasant type blouses for me.

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  4. Oh my gosh...what a steal. I am so glad they were picked up by someone who will appreciate the work.

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  5. I don't know much about them either, but they sure are cute!!

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  6. Those are so special! You could tun them into about anything, pillow tops too, but I do like the apron idea. Lucky you ~
    :-}pokey

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  7. Hi Kathy! what a wonderful out-in-the-country place to be...your auction night sounds like fun to me! I'd love to go with you! Looks like you got a couple of treasures!

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  8. What is the name of the auction company. Lem and I went once with friends and would love to go again. I purchased several things for the house there............

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  9. Love the chicken scratch skirts. What a find! Sweet of you to let the other lady have the paddles. I love old barns. When we lived in eastern NC we had a packhouse in my back yard. I never thought of it as anything special back then, but now realize what a treasure we had. My husband still talks about that old barn and we've been gone for almost 16 years!

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