QUILTS & FABRIC: PAST & PRESENT


Monday, September 1, 2014

Epic Moving Sale

This building is supposed to be my studio
but things have piled up out there.

After 40 years of owning the same house
I am moving.

I am leaving this cute little Victorian cottage
in Lawrence Kansas
("Little" is the significant word)



And having a sale on September 5th & 6th, 2014.


I am putting out lots of quilts even though the market
isn't very good. Buy high, sell low is my motto.

Several have been pictured in my books.

Then there is fabric new and old.

And then there is junk from the attic.
Here Deb is handing me stuff through the pull-down attic stairs.

A precarious trip. She and Georgann were
brave to help me. 


The mover guys told me they were too fat
to go up there so I had to recruit agile women.

We also threw a lot of stuff down the ladder.

What survived I cleaned up and put some price tags on.

There will be many useful items.

I am saving the BEST of my wooden bird collection
and selling the rest.

I am selling the best of my reverse painting on glass
with a quilt theme (I actually only have one and I do not need
this in the new house which has a modern theme.) You may need
it in your house. 

Here's the poster.
Friday, Saturday this week.
500 Louisiana, Lawrence, KS

And here is the new modern house before I junk it up.

I have 2 pieces of advice:
1) Never live anywhere for 40 years. Keep moving.
2) Never put anything in a storage spot when you are 30 that you cannot get out when you are 60.

35 comments:

  1. Best of Luck with your sale and move. I wish I could come to Kansas.

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  2. Sure wish I lived in Kansas! I'm not only drooling over those quilts, but the wooden bird collection is spectacular! Would love to see a post on them one day Barb.

    Best of luck with your move...
    Karen
    Redbird Quilt Co.

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  3. Loved your humor and agile women friends! Barbara, that is such a sweet home, I can see why you stayed so long. But I can also see why you would move - the glimpse of your new place looks wonderful! I too wish I loved close enough to attend your sale. I hope you get some people who really know what they are seeing when it comes to your quilts! Best wishes in your new digs!

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  4. Wanted: Friends with good humor and strong backs. Glad you found these special women. I adore all three of you.

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  5. I can sympathize. I have curated the Bev's Fabric Museum for many years. I have frequently moved and have faithfully carted the museum exhibits with me. Good for you getting rid of some of yours! XO

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  6. We just moved after 25 years in the same house, and it took several hitches to take care of that attic. I've been trying to decide whether to buy even more fabric storage or to keep less fabric. I think your post just answered my question. Best of luck with your move.

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  7. 4340Do you know of Lonnie and Twyla Money from Kentucky? They do fabulous carved and painted wooden birds and other animals,too. My wonderful husband and I bought one of their bird trees for a retirement gift to ourselves.

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  8. 34 years of marriage, 14 moves and I still have too much. I have been here 13 months and spent the last week in July cleaning up and organizing my studio. I am with you less is more at this point in my life. Best wishes on your move.

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  9. I'm at 34 yrs and counting in the same house. My daughter says I'm a hoarder. I say if it's usable by someone (will have to be after I die as I have more than enough UFOs to outlive me) it stays. Maybe I'll get up the courage to do a sale. I admire your doing so. Good luck with the sale; it's probable a good idea I can't get there. Don't be surprised if you have buses or at least small vans.

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  10. I want to come immediately and buy up all your stuff...alas...I am in the same condition. Too much..no longer 30. I asked for 30 again for Christmas...but oh, no I did not get it...So I too have to de-junk...Sad but true. Good luck on your move, and next to your best friend..How lucky r u!!

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  11. Do I misunderstand? You are getting rid of all your antiques because your new house has a modern look????? Well, keep some of those antique quilts so you can make more repro fabric for us, please. No wonder you've been posting modern things at least twice a week! Don't go all "modern" now, OK? You're one of the few left who can inform us about the 19th Century.

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  12. I had no idea you lived over there…I am in Overland Park! I have to work…terrible..I wish I could come to your sale. I love reading your blog and you are so talented. Suzy Rhine

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  13. Great advice! Best wishes with your move. Good thing I can't come to the sale. I keep telling myself I am finished acquiring things. Your new modern looks really nice.

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  14. Hi from Australia.....all the best with your move.....I have One of your books and love it! Wish I could pop over and buy a quilt!

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  15. Loved this post! Haven't commented in quite awhile, but I'm always reading. This made me laugh. Our best 'low volume' houses are behind us after retired from the military and it's frequent moves. Yes, they were a GOOD thing. :-) Now it's been too many years without purging like I used to. I think I'm too old to do it now, so I might as well keep the 'stuff'. :-)

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  16. Best of luck with your sale! Love your quilts and especially your sale poster. Easy to gather over all of those years! Please consider donating any left over fabric from your sale to your state's Quilt of Valor group. No doubt they would be thrilled to receive the fabric to make their quilts to honor & comfort our veterans.

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  17. I need to clean out my house, hate the thought, lol.
    Love your new home, looks like nice open spaces.

    Debbie

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  18. Could you hear a loud cackle and laughter ripple thru out the country as many of us read this and related? Great blog.

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  19. The best of luck with your move, certainly wish I could be at the sale. :)

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  20. Good luck with your move, enjoy your new home. I totally get not putting stuff into the loft. Once it is there, it stays there..... The best moving advice I have ever had, pull out your bottom sheet and fold it over your bedding into a parcel, put it in your car. As soon as your bed is in its new bedroom, make your bed. Then whenever you collapse, your bed is ready and waiting. You need it! lols

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  21. This was really inspiring for me, lived now for 25 years in the same house and will have to move in about 15+ years, because my old, and so much loves home will become to dangerous for me with all its steep stairs.
    Aleady got the promise that the new house will be big enough to be a host for all of his&my stuff. It would brake my heart to not only loose my house but have to miss all my things and toys as well. I am in great awe for you beeing such a strong women.
    Greegings,
    Sylvia

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  22. I moved 5 months ago from a house with a large yard, long driveway, and no one to help me do the outside work... time for a condo! I had moved 20 years ago, after living in another house for 17 years, and moving everything at that time. I had several garage/pre-moving sales, cleaned out a lot, sold quite a bit, gave a lot away.

    I am so happy with my new place, and am finally getting it all organized. I don't miss what I no longer have.

    Like me, you must know the time is now to move. You will love your new place and it will feel just like home in no time at all. It looks beautiful, and you will make it feel cozy.

    Good luck with your sale and move!

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  23. I'm glad to see someone else's studio space isn't pristine and organized. Although, if it is like mine, it is organized in a fashion.

    I wish I could come to your yard sale. Best of luck with the move.

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  24. I saw Deb's recent post, but did not realize it was YOU who she's been helping. If I were closer, I'd be there, maybe even both days! I hope you sell it all, so there's no decisions on what to do with the left-overs.

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  25. Thanks for the advice, just brought a new house yesterday, so need some motivation to chuck out stuff now - even though we are not downsizing! Good luck with the sale and move.

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  26. Wish you the best with moving out and in to the new house. Your new home looks pretty! We have moved many times. I get rid of old stuff with every move yet keep gathering new things.
    Wish I lived closer, I would help you with your move.

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  27. good luck with the moving! wow. Wish I could be there I know I would love to buy your fabrics!
    the birds are wonderful. good luck with the sale. I truly hope the quilts go to good homes.
    Kathie

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  28. Loved your advice! We have downsized two times and thought our little 1,133 sq. ft. home would work. It sold in three days and we are buying a 1,953 sq. ft. more contemporary home. I will have TWO rooms dedicated to quilting--can't wait!!! Hope you have many happy years in your new modern home! (I'm actually surprised at all of us that are making changes at this stage in life--is it the "last hurrah" or just the low interest rates? LOL)

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  29. Thank you for the laugh! I've been in my house for 20, guess I should get packing... Good luck with the sale. A lot of work to be sure, but so worth it not to have to move it all again.

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  30. Cannot wait! I'll be there with bells on! Oh wait, maybe not, because then everyone would follow me there and I don't want that ;)

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  31. What a nice as for your sale. Oh, that I were closer! Best of luck - your house looks charming, and the peek at your new place looks great!

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  32. Great advice Ms. Brackman. I lived in a small home (1000 sq. feet) for 30 years! We have now moved 3 times in 10 years. But moving is much harder in your 60's. I have hurt my back. Good luck with your move.

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  33. GLORIANNA Barbara--- My parent had 2 of those wooden parrots... they had a 4 side little wooden 'basket' to put a potted plant in... each had one! Thanks for the memory!

    Smiles, JulieinTN

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  34. We did this very same thing a year and half ago! We lived in our home for over 30 years, and moved to a new cottage type home. We did it together when we could. It was a lot of work, and we made it a fun event! We love our new digs and found new spots and places for our old treasures, You will too!

    Carolyn

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