The day I went to craft Heaven

I totally forgot I purchased this fabric for a long summer skirt. Actually I will most likely make two, one for my sister too. =)

Seeing I was up in my craft room yesterday I decided to take some more pictures. Last summer several friends & family members told me of an ad in the newspaper about a FREE pattern giveaway. Ok, hold up....did that just say FREE??? PATTERNS??? In the same sentence? Ok, so that is right up my alley folks. Both Ken & I thought it had to be some sort of joke. We almost didn't go but decided to check it out. If it ended up being a joke we'd chalk it up to a nice mid morning drive. We arrived at the home of the sale. Women were sitting in a 2.5 car garage & there were boxes everywhere. I hopped out of the truck & asked if this was the pattern giveaway place. These women greeted me with a smile, said "yes" quite enthusiastically & handed me a big honkan empty box, asked me what sorts of crafts I do and told me more empty boxes were to the left. I recognized the one gal, I worked with her husband years ago. She went on to tell me to take anything.

Ok, now remember how I said I was in a 2.5 car garage? This garage had boxes stacked, up to my hips, wall to wall...all filled with patterns. Crochet patterns, knitting patterns, sewing patterns, quilting patterns, miniature dollhouse furniture patterns, cross stitch patterns, wooden toy patterns....you name it, there was a pattern for it, in this very garage. There were several tables set up which were sub categorized into specific craft patterns. They even had an area of boxes especially for Christmas patterns. The sew your own teddy bear & and teddy bear clothing pattern section was HUGE. I'm not even kidding. I had died and gone to crafting Heaven. Who could have as much passion for all things crafty as much as I? Apparently these people.

I thumbed through some patterns, asking how much $ they would like. They said, no $. I was like, "seriously?" Surely I had to give them something. It was then the sister of the gal I knew came to me and told me the story of these patterns. They were her mother in laws. Her mother in law had a large fetish that pretty much was out of control. This out of control activity was, purchasing patterns. For anything, and everything. Now it made sense why there was soooo much. The mother in law sadly passed away a year or so before this pattern giveaway. It had taken the daughter in law and her sister & Mom a whole year to get all the patterns organized enough to hold this giveaway event. She stated that her Mother in law was an amazing woman and she loved those patterns, even though she never used them. She collected them. The daughter in law stated that she just wanted to see the patterns go to a new home, someone who would cherish these patterns, and use them to make things for their loved ones. She was so sincere and she wanted me to TAKE, for FREE all the patterns I could possibly fit into my truck. She could tell I was an avid crafter & would give these patterns a loving home. Ken & I spent a good few hours at the giveaway, scouring boxes, laughing, talking, sometimes I had tears in my eyes while the family of this woman told us stories of her. They kept the boxes coming. If a box started to become half full I would turn around and another box would be ready for me.

I think by the time we left there I had 6 boxes of patterns. Sewing patterns, crochet patterns, plastic canvas patterns, dollhouse furniture patterns, knitting, etc. We left with a smile and new friends. We exchanged phone numbers and the daughter in law gave me her phone number and email address.

I have organized all of the patterns on bookcases and in two large file cabinets. You know, the ones human size? They are categorized and then subcategorized, and subcategorized again for easy access. I can get an idea of crocheting baby booties and go to the crochet category, then the baby crochet, then to the hats & booties section. I'd like to think these patterns have a lovely home.

Christmas craft books, crochet magazines and other crafty books take residence on this shelf.

This is actually a drawer that contains Nana's old patterns. I am going to categorize them but leave them in their own drawer. Is it odd that I do not want to mix Nana's patterns with the free ones?

This is the other drawer of Nana's crafting supplies which were given to me after she passed.

One of the many drawers of organized, readily accessible patterns just waiting to be used. I am not an avid knitter. Nana taught me how to knit but I never really got a nac for it. I'm hoping to learn again though. I will take some of these books with us when we go camping this summer.

Those who know me, know that I am a HUGE Christmas fanatic. A whole drawer of Christmas yuletide joy is what you see here!! =)

Friends, if you need a pattern, ask me before you go purchase one. Chances are, I could hook you up. No pun intended.

I am ready to hop back onto my sewing machine & fire up Nana's machine. I just know that these patterns will come in handy. Friends, please don't be surprised if you see me and I have fragments of thread in my hair, on my clothing or on the bottom of my socks.

Happy crafting, friends