Another auction trip and lots of new stock.

This weekend I have been down to Yorkshire to a dedicated textiles sale. I managed to buy a whole stash of linens, furnishings  and costume items. Everything from sheets and pillowcases to tapestries, bell pulls, hand embroidery, costume accessories, shawls and lace. The "piece de resistance" of the sale was a length of Honiton lace.

I didn't buy this but it did soar well past it's estimate of £150 - £250 to reach a height of over £700!

I did buy a large quantity of Irish linen sheets - many with decorative top edges - embroidery and lace.

I also bought a good lot of hand embroidered tablecloth and other table linen. All executed by a skilled needlewoman.

And amongst several other boxes I have acquired shawls, tapestries, lace pieces, quilts, bedspreads, huge Irish linen damask tablecloths and table napkins. One of the cloths is 18ft long and another is 13ft long so perfect for wedding tables or banquets.

So now just the lengthy task of exploring the boxes (there may be other treasures hidden inside).
                                                   
                   First sorting the linens and checking for damage (if I had this team is would be easy)

then washing (fortunately my laundry appliances are more up to date than these ones)

then the killer....... IRONING!  I'm really not looking forward to that 18ft damask cloth

So look out for lots more to buy in the next few weeks.