From Small Things: Episode 1: Fabric Sale Acquisitions

[@AnnBehney]

So glad I found your channel! Your content is what I like to do - work with scraps, and, you are a breath of fresh air. You're not trying to sell us anything. Your quilts are gorgeous!!

[@fromsmallthings509]

Thanks for joining me! Instead of trying to sell things, I hope to give some little tips to help people avoid buying more things.

[@bjoyp7463]

Oh my goodness, love all of your treasures! You have a good eye and a heart for saving beautiful handiwork that I can totally relate to.

[@fromsmallthings509]

Oh yes, it makes me so happy when those old blocks can be rescued.

[@barbaraz3065]

I’ve been catching up with your videos and love your channel. I love scrappy quilting too and especially love repurposing orphan blocks and vintage linens. I can’t wait to see some of your quilts using your orphans. 😁

[@fromsmallthings509]

Thank you! I just realized that my orphan block boxes are overflowing and it's time to do something with them. The next quilt top I piece should probably be another orphan block quilt... or two!

[@pamchurch63]

Oh I am so glad to have found you! Thank you so much for sharing.

[@fromsmallthings509]

Thank you for joining me!

[@kathyrussell1877]

I love scrappy quilts and really enjoy watching your channel 😊

[@fromsmallthings509]

I'm so glad!

[@wkowa1089]

Thank you for the lovely video. It was such fun to see all of the beautifully made blocks which really are priceless when you think about the time and love that were put into each and every one of them. I appreciate anything that is handmade.

[@fromsmallthings509]

I feel the same. I feel the need to rescue all of them, and the rescue isn't complete until the blocks are in a finished quilt. I love to think about all the different people who spent hours and hours making those blocks, in so many different times.

[@katieheidinger4635]

Wow what a deal you got on everything. I can’t help but think how much time & talent was put into those orphans and they sold them only for a quarter!!!

[@fromsmallthings509]

I feel the same! To me it feels like rescuing them, knowing they will finally make it into a quilt.

[@yolandasager5307]

I enjoyed watching your video! I love seeing all your soon-to-be projects and fabric hauls. 😊❤

[@fromsmallthings509]

Gotta love the fabric hauls! I'll be going to the next 25 cent sale this weekend!

[@sandycopeland790]

Love love love the orphan blocks you picked up!

[@leswilliams4022]

Enjoyed listening to you and your content. I love striped bindings too!

[@nancyshaner8548]

that was very interesting. I love those kind of sales.

[@DanaBarbieri]

Those blocks are awesome! What an amazing find and so affordable!

[@brish57]

Loved your video can’t wait to see more.

[@cindytenis7275]

I loved seeing your acquisitions. Following.

[@sandyvotel3484]

Love watching your channel. You take the time to explain and show your finds. Thank you

[@RozennaSimmons]

I think you’re absolutely wonderful. I enjoyed watching you and will continue to do so.

[@fromsmallthings509]

Thank you so much!

[@soSEW-COB]

Hi Sue, ur channel just came up on my feed and I’m so glad it did! Around 5:10 in this video you mention Pennsylvania Dutch . Years ago my mother told me her family was English, Irish & Pennsylvania Dutch. You mentioning that was surprising and made me smile. Just a nice memory of her My mother taught me how to sew. Thank you Sue for ur videos… I’m watching them all ! They are very helpful & inspiring Chris, Ontario 🇨🇦 👋

[@fromsmallthings509]

That's lovely, I wonder how close by her family was to where I live... When I was growing up, the Pennsylvania accent was prevalent around here, but not so much anymore, and I miss it. But there are still fastnachts and quilts, and lots of German names.

[@soSEW-COB]

@ my mom never mentioned where her PD part of her ancestry lived. Silly me I didn’t think to ask. She just passed Dec 15/23. . wow almost a year 😢 I just found it cool that you mentioned Pennsylvania Dutch - never heard anyone say that 🙂 Just an aside. And I totally understand if u’d rather not talk about Tuesday USA results. But, up here, we’re very worried and sad. I’m not wanting to start anything. I’m just a Canadian hoping ur ok. & I’m enjoying your channel 👋

[@papercents]

Hi there! Beautiful acquisitions. Brenda from Conquering Mount Scrapmore sent me. I'll be back to watch some of your other videos. Happy quilting!

[@ruthhill5311]

Love your channel and look forward to your future videos! You are an inspiration! I love scrappy quilts as well. You are so fortunate to have the places you mentioned to fill out your stash!

[@fromsmallthings509]

I feel very lucky to live in this area, and to have found such great resources for scraps.

[@nanigail395]

Wow! Wish I could find a shop that had those kinds of items & fabrics…and the prices are incredible! I’m going to investigate 😊 I too love old, vintage, orphaned…whatever! Thank you for sharing with us…so inspiring ❤️

[@fromsmallthings509]

Yes, if you find a good sale, it's worth going back to year after year.

[@HRHDMKYT]

Susan I would love to see your hand quilting technique, if you ever wonder what kind of content you might want to put out on KZbin. Just a suggestion!

[@fromsmallthings509]

I'll show it in a future episode, but be warned: it's not the "correct" way that would be shown in a book!

[@diannehenningsgard1692]

I loved your video ❤❤❤

[@juliemiller2658]

I love the quilt behind you!

[@fromsmallthings509]

Thank you! The blues are men's shirts, and the red centers are from kid's shorts. I love that 25 cent sale!

[@lynwortmann6088]

Glad to have found your channel. I'm fairly new to quilting but I've sewn for many years. I made myself a dress by the age of 9.

[@fromsmallthings509]

Wow!! That's impressive! I've never been a garment sewist-- my only experience is making Halloween costumes for my kids years and years ago.

[@bbymks5]

Oh man...everything you found is amazing!! I can't believe a quilt top that large was only $24.00!

[@fromsmallthings509]

Believe it or not, that's the most I've ever paid for a quilt top there. The last one I got was around $15!

[@bbymks5]

@fromsmallthings509 oh man...what a steal!!

[@Tbirdcarr1]

Well hello! I’m from upper bucks county Pennsylvania and have had road trips to Lancaster many times to hit quilt store, excited to stitch with you

[@AngelAllis]

Glad I found your little space on the internet! Waving hello, over here in Hershey! Looking forward to catching up on your videos. I was searching for red and white quilt ideas, and your channel popped up.

[@fromsmallthings509]

Hello, I'm waving back to you! We have actually just put together a little trunk show of my red and white quilts-- I don't have too many yet, but maybe you'd want to take a look! That will be episode 11, and I think it should be up tomorrow.

[@eavesdroppin1]

Very interesting and hope you will be able to show the quilted snowball all completed one day!

[@fromsmallthings509]

Thanks! Hopefully it will be quilted by the end of this year.

[@tokyorosa]

Beautiful blocks and fabric! I'm so happy to have found your channel. :D

[@paulamcclellan8436]

The house w. Trees is a heart shape block

[@heidithatcher-miller9512]

I too live in central PA and my parents live outside of Epharta. I think I found the sale, Mennonite Central Committee Quilter's Yard-age Sale. I am going to write a note for next year on my calendar. Looking forward to seeing your quilts and projects!

[@fromsmallthings509]

Yes, that's the one! I look forward to it every fall. It used to be twice a year, but I think it's only once a year now.

[@ShadowMoonFarms]

Thanks Heidi for finding that. I put a note on my calendar also for next year and I live in Central PA also

[@raebragus]

Me too!

[@jaynecarreiro5005]

I found you this week and have started backtracking your videos. I love the orphan blocks and blue and white quilt top. I've been fortunate to find tops, blocks, and finished quilts to add to my own made quilts. Looks like we started quilting around the same time.

[@fromsmallthings509]

That's wonderful! You must have some good quilt shows and fabric sales around you, as well! I just finished quilting a vintage top I bought at the last sale.

[@DanaBarbieri]

Wow! The fabrics are gorgeous!

[@yx6889]

Hi Sue, I'm so envious that you have such a great sale in your area, but those are lovely blocks and the Amish are known to be excellent quilters so I would imagine that there would be some orphan blocks somewhere. I wish there was a great sale like that here near me lol.

[@fromsmallthings509]

Yes, Pennsylvania is a great place to find yourself if you're a quilter! I don't go to many sales, but I'm willing to travel a bit to get to this one. I also use orphan blocks left over from my own projects-- that could be an option for you as well, though it would take time to accumulate some different ones!

[@catherinehall8485]

Omg, we must be related. Same taste exactly. Love love love this.

[@mamalou5316]

Loved your video.

[@fromsmallthings509]

Thank you!

[@sjfuqua]

I would love to see a tutorial on putting your orphan blocks together. I purchased a set of 156 hand sewn star blocks from the 60's. It even has the date and person's name that made them. The blocks are a little wonky though and none of them are squared up. They are matching with half of them in blue and half in pink. I got them all for $20. I was so excited but I'm honestly at a loss on how to go about getting them squared up right in order to put them all together. I'm happy to hear you say losing some of the points is ok because that's what will have to happen with some of mine. I do hope you show how you put them together ❤

[@fromsmallthings509]

What an exciting project you have to work on! There are basically two ways to approach quilt blocks that are not square-- either take them all apart and piece them again, or be ok with some imperfections (missing points). I would definitely go for sacrificing some points. I'm working on another orphan block quilt at the moment, and talked a bit about putting it together-- it should be in episode 7. I hope you have a great time putting it together, and don't feel too stressed about the imperfections. It will look beautiful once it's finished!

[@sjfuqua]

@fromsmallthings509 thanks so much! Oh I won't be taking anything apart lol. I'll watch the episode ❤️

[@pamlacey136]

What fun it would be to attend that sale. You got some really beautiful needlework items. I think the orphan blocks are especially fun. Thanks for sharing.

[@fromsmallthings509]

It's one of my favorite sales to go to. I'm always amazed at what's there, and am so impressed by some people's neatness and precision with embroidery and applique.

[@patstutzman7506]

I loved your sharing your purchased orphan blocks. I have a container full of my own ! I’m from Ephrata also, but in the state of Washington! Pronounced different. Great price for quilt top. Can’t wait to see finished.

[@fromsmallthings509]

Isn't it fun to see what you can do with orphan blocks? Fingers crossed, I'll have the vintage quilt top finished into a quilt by the end of this year.

[@betsylewis9432]

You can make some lovely table mats with those giant applique blocks.

[@fromsmallthings509]

That's a great idea! I think the blocks you mean have already gone into a quilt. Putting together another orphan block quilt now.

[@myhomeonthehillside]

New subscriber here :) Wow! You got some great fabrics and blocks there :) I am so glad I found your channel. I love quilting and am really enjoying seeing what you buy and make :)

[@fromsmallthings509]

Thank you so much!

[@jillmcintyre5933]

Such beautiful quilts! Love your channel!

[@fromsmallthings509]

Thank you!

[@lynnhunger1668]

You can order new clamps from QSnap. When i made a floor frame larger, I needed more clamps. They were reasonable.

[@fromsmallthings509]

I did check out their prices-- but it was nice to find these small ones at a sale, they were an even better deal!

[@betsylewis9432]

Sue I love your video. I lost the sight in my dominant eye 3 years ago so I don’t quilt much h anymore. I use orphan blocks from all types of needlework to make bowl fillers. I fill them with scraps and polyfil and sew them up by hand since I can see upclose with my only sighted eye. It brings me so much joy to finish something someone worked hard on. I made a basket full of 5x7 inch crossstitch Santa’s I purchased for a few dollars into pillow for a Christmas basket. I display it by the tree and my little grandbabies love it. Do you make other things besides quilts for your home?

[@fromsmallthings509]

Doesn't it bring so much joy to bring new life to orphan blocks? I feel it shows respect for the time spent by the person who made the block, and all of their knowledge and craftsmanship. As far as household items, I've made things like curtains, pot holders, tiny quilts for my cat to sleep on, rag rugs...

[@davidhatfield5714]

Oh My! I’m envious! So much fun to get to go to something like this! My son lives just east of Philly so I’m going to do research on this sale❤ thanks for the show, (KH)

[@fromsmallthings509]

Look in to it-- it's always around the same time every year, and I think it's worth the trip.

[@debbyn1267]

Thank you for sharing your wonderful finds!

[@fromsmallthings509]

Thank you, I look forward to the 25 cent sale every month!

[@lorettahenderson8979]

Lovely❤

[@ShadowMoonFarms]

Thanks for sharing

[@leaannebrummett9159]

Wow! You got a good deal on the snowball quilt.

[@fromsmallthings509]

I agree, I was so excited to find it!

[@jeane.2722]

thx

[@karencampbell6030]

enough blue shirts to make that one

[@DanaBarbieri]

Sue, will you be demonstrating any quilting?

[@fromsmallthings509]

There have been a few requests for it, so maybe in the near future.

[@violaqueen2234]

Hi Sue, I love your videos, great content, and no theatrics to get our attention, just great quilts, and great conversation. Thank you, I’m now a subscriber. BTW Sue, do you prewash your fabrics.

[@pbar8439]

I think your "PIE" is figgy pudding. I think the British would steam it and put holly on top.

[@fromsmallthings509]

Aha! That seems right, thank you!

[@jillmcintyre5933]

Could you show in an episode how you cut up shirts to get the most use?

[@fromsmallthings509]

The next 25 cent sale is at the end of this month-- if I pick up some more shirts, I will show how I cut them up.

[@lindapawlak8166]

Hi! I just found your channel and I will be staying around. You are such an inspiration. Can you give me any information on the sale in Ephrata? Thank you!

[@fromsmallthings509]

Thank you! It is called the Mennonite Central Committee's Quilter's Yard-age Sale. It used to be twice a year, but recently they've only held it once a year, in the fall. There is no charge for entry. But get there early, because parking fills up fast!

[@DanaBarbieri]

Do you crawl around on the floor to baste? Sorry for all the questions.😊

[@fromsmallthings509]

Yes! It's harder on my knees as I get older, so sometimes I change up how I sit/lie as I go. I usually spread basting over 2 days or so because it is NOT my favorite part of the process!

[@DanaBarbieri]

​@@fromsmallthings509thank you. I'm making my first quilt but crawling around the floor was terrible.

[@karencampbell6030]

Is there a pattern for the quilt behind you? I think I have enough blue quilts to make that one.

[@fromsmallthings509]

I don't use formal patterns-- I just see a picture of a block somewhere, and do the math to figure them out. It's called a Granny Square block, I'm sure you can find a pattern somewhere!

[@upwards11]

I really like your videos. However, could you film a little closer to your camera? It’s hard to see some of the details on your fabric. Thank you

[@fromsmallthings509]

Thanks for the input! We are brand new to filming, and learning as we go, so we'll definitely take that into consideration. I think the first 3 episodes are also in poorer resolution than the most recent ones-- hopefully the details look clearer in the new ones!

[@francespiquemal8813]

I havae just come across your channel and subscribed. I would have loved to be there too. Thank you very much for sharing.