Story Donated By Kirsty
Photo donated by Fazen on Flickr
I rescued two gorgeous, bright blue sheets from an Age Concern shop in Mablethorpe. Originally I’d bought them to go to a fancy dress party but they also came in handy for loads of other things. My sheets have been reincarnated as a throw for the sofa, a tablecloth and, most important of all, as the major foundation in the construction of my nephews’ play den.
Kirsty
Story Donated By Jenny Hall
I collect antique textiles. I love table cloths, doylies, cushions and clothes but the one thing I have never found in a charity shop or flea market is a handmade quilt. One day I was browsing through the 20p basket in my Samaritans charity shop when I overheard the volunteers discussing an antique quilt that had been donated and sold that very morning, mere minutes before I had come in! I was heartbroken to discover that my dream charity shop buy had just passed me by.
Jenny Hall
Story Donated By Wendy Young
In the summer of 2007 whilst on holiday Canada my cousin and I visited an ‘Antique Barn’at Niagra-On-The Lake in Ontario. There was so much to look at but as soon as we went upstairs my eyes latched onto a large 1930’s-40’s quilt entirely made of Suffolk Puffs (in the US they call them Yo-Yos). As if this wasn’t enough excitement there was a 40% off sale on all textiles!
My intention was to take it apart and re-use the vintage puffs in other design work but the more I looked at it the more I grew to love and appreciate the love and history that had been involved in putting it together and as a result I couldn’t bear to dismantle it.
This year I decided to make my own version and, as an artist working primarily in denim, I themed my design around the influence of denim in society from its humble origins to its current designer status. My new quilt is made from over 300 puffs embellished with reclaimed buttons collected from charity shops.
Wendy Young
Story Donated By Sarah Howells
A few years ago, to the delight of my son, I bought all new matching bed linen, a first for me in my whole life. However, my inner junk junkie was never far away and it just didn’t feel right. The knitters of Armley Helping Hands have eased my discomfort with their gorgeous squares blankets, picked up for £5 at I Heart West Leeds or Charming Armley Cake Competition.
The flowery pillow slips are from St Vincent de Paul (20p the pair, that’s 10p each!), the disgust/incomprehension of work colleagues when I return to the office with them makes it doubly worth it. The iron bedstead was found in the overgrown back garden of a house in France, brought to London and given to my sister, after 10 years she gave it to me to make way for Ikea bunk beds for the kids, her loss my definite gain. One piece was badly bent, but I happen to have a friend who is a blacksmith so problem solved. The rage/disappointment of my puritanical 16 year old bounces off me, I’m shielded by a forcefield created by my version of shabby chic.
Sarah Howells
