My intention going in was to look for dyepots, storage racks, do a run through the fabric/sheets/curtains to see if there was any fabric Mom would want for her rug weaving, and my usual poke through the book section. Found two great dyepots, one with a strainer insert, which is a bonus for any dyebaths involving chopped plants. Spent a while in the books and movies, emerging with a nice little pile. We poked at all the yarns and craft supplies, and went through the fabric and bedding throughly. No sheets or cotton of the type Mom likes, but I found a couple things for me instead. In the fabrics was a 2.5 yard piece of what I'm sure is raw silk. Heavy and drapey and oatmeal-colored. It may turn into a skirt. At any rate, we couldn't leave it there!
So what's the dark piece on top of the silk? Just across the aisle was a section with shawls and scarves. I saw one which was a green wool with what, at first glance, looked like an embroidered ribbon trim. A second look revealed the trim was embroidered on directly, and looks like hand embroidery. Either that or they've come up with a machine that has the same irregularities and finishing techniques as a human.
The embroidered trim makes a band all the way around a pashmina-sized area. The patience and time it would have required! And here it was in the second-hand store. The ends need to be hemmed, but that is a comparatively small job. One of those things where you almost wish you knew the story behind it. Who made it? Why did it end up being given away, when it was so nearly finished? Where did the embroiderer get the pattern, so dense and flowing and rich?
That's the thing with the second-hand places. Some days you find very little, and other days you find treasures, and it's always an adventure.
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