eBay

rockyroadtradingpost · ‎03-30-2024

Went thrifting today with a friend.

My friend was thrilled to find two beautiful handmade quilts, each bearing a sewn-in fabric tag stating in detail that it was made by Grandma for her grandchildren and for what occasion.

The tags stated their names and the dates of the boy's birthday a few years ago and the girl's graduation in June 2023 -- not even a full year ago.

They were both colorful and very detailed. Imagine the time and love put into each of these!

The lady who worked there said the quilts had been dropped off earlier that day by a mother and the two grandchildren in question. When she saw what they were dropping off, she was shocked and questioned them about why they would discard such precious items handmade by their Grandma. They just shrugged. She told us she felt the children were being raised to have no soul.

I hope Grandma never visits and sees that the quilts are missing. Something tells me she probably isn't ever invited.

trainup027 · ‎04-02-2024

As a quilt lover, from a line of quilt lovers, it's clear to me that there are people who appreciate the fiber arts, and people who have no clue! They really don't realize it's art, it's craft, it's personal and handmade. They literally just see a blanket, and how much value does a blanket have? They can buy a clean, new one for a few bucks, and why wouldn't they? It needs to fit their (probably horrible, lol) color scheme for this season!

I got a beautiful quilt one time on Mercari. A lady was selling quilts of all different types of quality that had been donated to an animal shelter for the dogs. Some were pretty ratty, but a few were simply gorgeous! Obviously, there was a lot more value in selling the quilts and donating the money than using some beautiful pieces of art for dogs to lay on! I thought that was kind of her, and I was really glad to get such a beautiful piece for such a reasonable price.

The people donating likely literally thought, "old blankets for the dogs." We don't live in a society where many people understand or appreciate the fiber arts unless they are involved in some way. People can be completely without malice or thought other than "this doesn't fit the color scheme this season, out with the old, in with the new."

rockyroadtradingpost · ‎04-02-2024

How great that the woman rescued those quilts!

And yes -- the thought did occur to me that maybe the quilts were not appreciated because they didn't match the decor. So many people in my city are into the neutral minimalist look now. One was a very complicated pattern, like something that might win a prize at the state fair.

rockyroadtradingpost · ‎04-02-2024

So great that you cherish what she made and passed it on.

I bought a 1880's schoolhouse bell the other day. It was hidden on a shelf behind some junk and bears a label with the date it was used and the owner's name. Just thinking about how and when it was used ... these things are part of history. I love ebay for this reason -- we all can rescue things and share them with others.

rockyroadtradingpost · ‎04-02-2024

Love that!!

mam98031 · ‎04-02-2024

@farmalljr wrote:
No need to apologize. I did not take any offense.

If your co workers can't afford a $11 sandwich once a week, maybe they need to rethink their spending priorities. I eat a ribeye steak twice a week. But I do not dine out either. The cost of two people eating out exceeds 50 bucks. Two fat steaks cost under 30 bucks. I can't eat steak for less than 50 bucks a plate, when dining out.

Now you are making me hungry. We buy our meet from a local butcher than is very well known in our area. Some of the best beef and pork I've personally ever had. We buy in bulk and just stock the freezer, it is so much less expensive that way. Yummy!

mam98031 • Volunteer Community Member • Buyer/Seller since 1999

luckythewinner · ‎04-03-2024

@isaiah53-57 wrote:
@luckythewinner wrote:
she was shocked and questioned them about why they would discard such precious items handmade by their Grandma. They just shrugged

Maybe grandma was evil or abusive and it was none of the employees business.

Hey there's a novel idea..

Sadly it's not novel at all.

I know a grandma who disowned and disinherited a grandchild because they came out as gay.

And then disowned and disinherited her own child for supporting the grandchild.

redlinear · ‎04-03-2024

We have quite a few handmade quilts that were made for us when were small by our grandmothers and aunts.
Some were not made for us, but made FOR our grandmothers by their grandmothers, mothers, etc.
And passed on to us.
Can't use them. That's not really their purpose and they sure don't match any our decor.
They take up a whole lot of space and are always something else to move out of the way and deal with later, then move them again, and again, and again.
No children to pass them down to and grace them with what is almost punishment.
I do understand the time, labor, love. But at the time, it was like receiving underwear for Christmas.
Quilts and Blankets are just not something I've been "into"...ever

SO, the last time we handled them, we decided we should sell them or donate them so that somebody that likes that sort of thing could enjoy them.
Haven't done that yet, but it's on the list.
The older you get, the LESS you want "stuff", and the MORE you want less stuff.
I'm almost to the point that I don't want it if I can't spend it, eat it, or drink it.
Maybe that's what's going on with the OP's post?

policequilts · ‎04-03-2024

@luckythewinner wrote:
@isaiah53-57 wrote:
@luckythewinner wrote:
she was shocked and questioned them about why they would discard such precious items handmade by their Grandma. They just shrugged

Maybe grandma was evil or abusive and it was none of the employees business.

Hey there's a novel idea..
Sadly it's not novel at all.
I know a grandma who disowned and disinherited a grandchild because they came out as gay.
And then disowned and disinherited her own child for supporting the grandchild.

I have a novel . . .

* My mom was a wonderful quilter and sewer of clothes.

* When her mom die, she received a batch of grandma's quilt tops.

* Mom finished all the quilts and each of us kids received 2 of them.

* My mom was ahead of her times. There were 2 drunkard trails. One in bubblegum pink and white and the other was turkey red and white. When she hand quilted them, she stitched the white in either "pink" or "red" and the pink and red were stitched in white thread. ( at the time it was unheard doing that )

* I loved the quilts because of the love of my mom's hand quilting.

* It wasn't until the last 2 years of my mom's life that mom broke down. We found out grandma had a boyfriend that molester her and her sister. Grandpa found out and killed him.

* I was funny that all these years, none of us kids could stand grandma and we finally figured out that she must of had a bad vibe.

* I'm the youngest and met grandma 3 times. Twice at our home and once we went to Minnesota to visit her. Boy I was mad being there. I injured my leg on the old rope bed. You know the ones with all those pegs on the side. Being a small kid trying to get into that bed was hard to do.

a-lotta-stuff · ‎04-03-2024

With us not quilts but photos.

Customer of store who found out we sold photos on ebay, brings us seven books of mounted photos with notes - all taken over five years in Alaska from 1952-7 when his parents when there as prospectors for Kennecott mining. This is - was a mining town.

Bad part - He was nine at the time and was sent to 'some' aunt. Didn't see parents till they came by and sent him to military school, eight years after they left. Never saw/spoke to them again. He hated them and everything about them.

'Good' part - we made 6k plus selling those photos to mostly people in Alaska.

psfhobbies · ‎04-03-2024

As a frequent auction goer I always see stuff marked "Best Dad" or "to my beautiful wife..." Etc..engraved on a watch or Christmas cards some never opened.. Some auctioneers tell me once in a while they get a adult child who could care less about preserving their parents memories they just say "Sell it all" photo's keepsakes etc...BUT one needs to understand kids grow up and no one can keep everything all the time that was handmade in kindergarten. I'm sure most item like this have been well loved and appreciated.I have a lot of my kids stuff they made me still.. I'm not a senior yet but getting there.

tools* · ‎04-03-2024

@silverstatetreasureboxes wrote:
@rockyroadtradingpost
I work in a thrift shop and have for 10 years. Things like what you described are very common. In my area there are a lot of older residents from other states who left their families and bought homes here when prices were reasonably priced.
Now they are dying off and the homes are worth on the average of half a million. The families donate everything they can grab and place in cars. They want the money from the house, maybe some jewelry and they want out of here.
I have received 3 cremated remains, samplers from the early 1800s, countless photo albums with pictures, purses with personal items, military awards and casket flags and grandmother's quilts as well.
Everyone has a story and a reason for donating, I never ask questions, I just take it, clean it and price it, but I do often think to myself " why on earth would they donate this, didn't they care?"

Yeah, there's a lot of trash in Nevada.

movieman630 · ‎04-03-2024

@rockyroadtradingpost wrote:
So great that you cherish what she made and passed it on.
I bought a 1880's schoolhouse bell the other day. It was hidden on a shelf behind some junk and bears a label with the date it was used and the owner's name. Just thinking about how and when it was used ... these things are part of history. I love ebay for this reason -- we all can rescue things and share them with others.

I got a really ornate silver plate lot at an auction once. One Thanksgiving I decided to use some of it, when I opened the coffee pot lid there was a slip of paper inside that had names and "Wedding Gift From..." It had a date on it with the year 1866.

I also have a box where I keep little things that I find in auction lots that have peoples names on them, dog tags, cards, personal things that nobody thought to keep. It's my "Box of the forgotten".

rockyroadtradingpost · ‎04-03-2024

WOW -- What a neat story. I love that you keep those little momentos.

rockyroadtradingpost · ‎04-03-2024

I guess I come from a culture where we're very connected with family and ancestors, so it's hard for me to relate. But I get that some people just want to be rid of "stuff."