Quilter's Estate Liquidation Sale

A few months back I wrote about our dear friend, Janet, a member of the Sunday Sew and Sews who passed away suddenly in February. Read about her distinguished life here: A Tribute

Recently, Janet's daughter had the BIG SALE of all of Janet's quilting stuff. The Sunday Sew and Sews had received a huge donation of yardage months ago, to thank them for their work finishing 50 small charity quilts she had started. Read about that here: A Quilter's Legacy

Her many sewing machines have found new homes. Lots of fabric was also donated to the North Alabama Mask Makers for face masks. So, what could be left?  

There was quite a lot. The stuff we worked on to prepare for the sale, just a few photos:

There are hundreds of completed quilt tops, priced from $10-50. Janet was an excellent piecer with eclectic taste so there is a wide variety of sizes, styles and colors: 

Staging in the master bedroom once they are priced, just a small view: 

More to take to the garage for sale: 

More: 

Many mats and  rulers, boxes of scissors and cutters, more stuff: 

In time of COVID 19, things are a bit different than normal for such a sale. Not open to the public, invitations went out to two local quilt guilds, about 400 people, and the NA Mask Makers. Anyone wanting to attend had to make an appointment for 1 hour of shopping time, and masks were required. Only 8 people were permitted to shop the double car garage at once.  All 8 hours for the first day had 8 people signed up. 

Here is what the garage looked like as the the first shoppers arrived:

"Parking Lot" for each person's stuff--we kept their hands open so they could really look:

Photos of some of the 381 completed quilt tops Janet made--almost all were sold:

There was little left by the second day so, all in all, the sale was a great success. Janet's daughter, Nancy, got to meet many of the nice quilters who were giving her mother's beloved possessions a new home. And  money was raised to pay the bills that continue for our estate, even after we're gone--like mortgage payments, utilities, etc. The quilters were thrilled to get "new to them" quilt tops to practice quilting, or to finish as gifts that are needed now, not later, or just because they loved the quilts they bought and now don't have to make the top. 

I certainly felt that way about the one top I bought, a house quilt so popular right now as most of us are spending lots of time in our homes. This one just makes me smile with it's cheerful little houses and fun forest of trees. While putting out all the tops we discovered a SECOND one of these and someone else took home another happy house top: 

What we learned about Janet from this experience: she had eclectic tastes, from wild, bright fabrics to soft two-color quilts, like pink/green, yellow/blue, desert colors, gray/taupe--any combination of color and fabrics caught her eye. And she was an excellent piecer, from the simple nine-patch blocks, to complex, intricate blocks. One shopper said "It is hard to believe this is the work of just ONE person".

We miss Janet, but are happy the work of her hands and her heart can live on in new homes, with new families. 

Many shoppers also said "My kids will have to deal with all this some day". That's right. Part of me wants  to de-stash a lot, and part of me says "just keep on making quilts for someone to love."

Let's quilt,

Barbara