Man, I love the Wellesley Recycling and Disposal Facility. I stopped by this morning on my way home from preschool drop-off. It's so hard to resist – the dump is literally on the way home. I can't tear myself away. I was walking up and down the aisles at the take-it-or-leave-it and there, stashed under the table, was a big big box of fabric just waiting for me. I hoisted it into the car, which was a bit tricky because Josephine was in the sling and this box was huge, but *somehow* I made it.
Here is the box in the back of my mammoth car (three car seats = huge landship):
I waited until I got home to sort it out. I can always bring stuff back, right? Hmm…probably not, though. Check out this tower composed of about a third of the contents of the box:
There was a whole dress cut out, with the patterns pieces still pinned. I'm sad it never got made. It would have been one funky, 70's polyester dress of fabulousness.
Okay, now for the gems. This one has asked to be made into a reptile:
And these prints are gorgoeous. The one on top is my new favorite piece of fabric of all time.
Sometimes I wonder what is at the dump on the days that I don't get over there. Or what arrives the hour after I've left?
People ask me sometimes if I like living in Wellesley. You know, we've got great public schools, and a walkable town center, and a premier college full of fantastic potential babysitters, and safe pretty streets and all that good stuff. But most of all, we have the dump. And that is reason enough for me to stick around.
“But most of all, we have the dump.”
Clearly, a woman who has her priorities straight!
🙂
You are so lucky to live in a place that allows this – in our area once it’s taken to the dump, it’s garbage and all goes into the landfill. What a waste! Good save, enjoy your swag.
Incredible! I love rescuing perfectly good things from the trash. It makes you feel so good to get free stuff and to do a good thing for the environment at the same time!
Wow, what a haul! Can’t wait to see the reptile!
The way you feel about the dump in Wellesley is the same way I feel about the Goodwill bins here in Portland, Oregon. Exactly the same! Congrats on your awesome find–I love finding vintage fabric–treasure!
What a find…that is the joy…discovery and what it excites…lost, then found! I would feel the same!
Oh Abby sounds like you’ve picked up the dreaded ‘dump fever’ which is similar to ‘op shop fever’, there’s no cure I’m sorry to say.
Symptoms are:- unscheduled visits at all hours of the day, constant thinking and wondering what might be there, worrying that you might miss out on the bargain of the year.
I hope you don’t suffer too much, but congrats on that haul. I’m so glad you found it and we can all enjoy your makes.
Lovin’ that reptile fabric and the florals.
Claire :}
Woman–you are SO lucky. I discovered that our dump does indeed have a leave/take area, but mostly there seems to be nothing but broken press-board furniture. Wah.
What a find! I particularly like the pink/red print in the first photo. We don’t have anything like this where I live in France, but we do have second-hand sales and I do find some treasures there sometimes. Nothing like this though!
wow that is amazing! The stuff people just throw away stuns me sometimes!
You said it. I can’t imagine what goes through some people’s minds, throwing away the things that they do. What gorgeous fabrics…and I don’t even sew! They’re like a candy shop display. We have Goodwill bins and decent thrift stores in my city, but no dump-swap, however Freecycle works pretty well for finding and passing along things. Looking forward to seeing the treasures created from these finds.
How wonderful that your dump has a leave/take area. In these parts we’re relegated to thrifting for fabric finds. I’m looking forward to what you will make with your new treasures.
You’ve inspired me to check out our town dump!
Fabuleux,
I want to be your neighbor.
Amicalement
BĂ©atrice