I recently visited an antique shop which is closing down and had a 50% off sale – my sort of sale! Mark and I have quite a haul, but here are my sewing related purchases. First up is this Vulcan Junior sewing machine. This is a child’s toy and yes, I had one as a child. The shop had several things that I used to have as a child, but I only bought the sewing machine, and to be honest, I don’t really need yet another antique sewing machine, but this one is tiny so doesn’t take up much space.
To my joy, it still sewed with absolutely no adjustments. I think these machines were made in the 1950s, and mine is missing the table clamp and instruction book. I don’t think the instructions are necessary, I still remembered how to thread it, and I think I’ve got a clamp squirrelled away somewhere.
This is a thick piece of denim and the trusty Vulcan didn’t even hesitate.
This sewing machine doesn’t have a bobbin, instead creating a chain stitch on the underside of the fabric. 
Next up is a Singer buttonholer. I already have one (or two – oops!) of these, but this one has all the bits, including the instruction book, and some other random pieces of paper which are advertisements, and they are fascinating. I have to say that these little gadgets make outstanding buttonholes when they’ve been mastered. 
Then I discovered some textiles. This doily (I think it’s a doily) is fascinating. It’s on an organza backing with embroidery, cut velvet and amazing edgings. 
I also found this lace which appears to be from the 1920s. It is stunning, but I have no idea how I will ever be brave enough to use it.
This large piece of fabric was hiding on a chair. I think it’s fairly old as it’s quite narrow. There are metres of fabric here and it is glorious. Not sure what I’ll make with it though – something long, full and glamorous?
I found these two thimbles, which were a couple of dollars each. I suspect they are seconds, but they are so appealing. I think everyone will recognise Mickey Mouse, but the other character is Olive Oyl from the Popeye cartoons (you have to be a slightly older person to know about Popeye and his on/off girlfriend, Olive Oyl. Interestingly, Olive was the prime character initially, but Popeye was more popular, so he was recast as the hero. Poor Olive… Olive had a brother called Castor Oyl, which always amused me. Sorry about my camera lens, I had to use it to stop the thimbles rolling around.
Down the road from the antique shop is my most favourite op-shop (thrift shop). They were packing up for the day, but this table cloth literally fell off a shelf into my arms. It is large and quite perfect, and cost $2. Nothing in this shop costs more than $2!
Just before the tablecloth fell into my arms, I had spied these two beauties and at 50c each, I could not leave them behind. 
All in all, I had the best hour of shopping.