Monday 11 May 2015

Charity Shop Scores: Bexhill and Eastbourne


You know me, if I can't make an item of clothing (or can't be bothered to make it), then I try to get it second hand. That means I'm often found 'hunting' in charity shops with eyes a'peeled! Here's a recent haul that was acquired in two locations within a few days. This particular batch features a rare inclusion: stuff for Pat (Mr So Zo)! I often feel guilty about how little I focus on sewing or charity shopping for him these days now that we have a daughter. These two garments won't exactly redress the balance, but they have provided him with much-needed clothing for his new teacher's wardrobe. He even started a Pinterest board to work out what to wear! Can you guess which pin I added in there for a laugh whilst he wasn't looking?! 

Above:

Wool jumper, 50p
Spotty shirt, £4.45



Jojo Maman Bebe Breton top, £2.45
Fleece top, 99p

Back to my usual charity shop fodder: things for Dolores. I was chatting to the mum of a two-and-a-half-year old and she was saying how useful lots of tops can be for busy, messy little peops. I plan to make Dolores lots and lots of tops, of course, but a few nice second-hand additions may prevent me from being chained to the sewing machine following a growth spurt! Although I must admit, the challenge of having to make everything she wears does appeal to me, but would possibly break me in real life.

I particularly like these two pictured above because the breton top is excellent quality (and it's a breton top!), and the other is a sweet, cosy style that is quite different to anything I'd be likely to make myself. Also, I don't have any fleece in my stash and although I think it's a great fabric for children's wear, second hand fleece garments in charity shops (that I would buy as a source of fabric) often look a bit ropey. 



Anchor print jacket, 99p

That's a lot of anchors for less than a quid, isn't it?! This spring jacket is fleece lined and Dolores has  worn it heaps this week once the weather perked up. As a 'bonus', it instantly turns whatever else she is wearing into, what Pat and I call, a ''How old is he?' outfit'! I really don't care if people assume she's a boy upon first sight, and I imagine a lot of the assumptions come from the fact she has very little/short hair, but I find it interesting that even though her shoes or wellies, reins and bits of her pushchair are pink, it's always assumed she's a boy in this jacket.



Stripy tops, blue tracksuit & mint sweatshirt: between 50p - £1.25 each

This pile of crazy was all bought for the fabric, I promise. I don't plan to be rocking a size 22 cornflower blue tracksuit with embroidered roses any time soon. This Bexhill charity shop was having a massive sale on everything and the staff were more or less making up the prices when you brought stuff to the counter. When I found that out I got all squinty-eyed to try and block out what the actual garments on the rails looked like and rummaged through to find lovely quality fabric instead. 



Spotty vests/onesies, 99p each

Thanks to my previous subscription to Ottobre magazine, I do actually have patterns to make these things. But life is too damn short IMO, when you can swipe them from a charity shop for very little. 

How about you? Any decent charity/thrift/op-shop scores recently? Tell me tell me tell me...

8 comments:

Fabric Tragic said...

2 metres of beautiful red washed for $3! Coming up very soon on the blog as a cape lining. I'm not ashamed to say that I'm pretty sure I squealed when I found it...

Jane said...

The bit about Dolores being mistaken for a boy made me laugh - I had it the other way round with Louis, people always thought he was a girl! One woman actually said, "are you sure?" !!!!! Fantastic haul and please wear the track suit, we won't judge you! x

Knitlass said...

Ha! My littlest one is always being mistaken for a girl - despite all the clothing clues, a head full of blonde curls will clearly mean only one thing - it must be a girl! Someone asked 'her' name at the weekend, to which the reply is a firm 'Joseph'!

Got a great haul of kids stuff just before Easter - two superman tops (one long sleeve, one short sleeve) for my eldest (aged 8) both 99p, a dress, and three t-shirts/tops for my daughter (aged 5) all in the 49-149p price range, and a new M&S t-shirt with cute crocodile applique for the nipper (2 later this week!) that was a whopping 1.29 I think.

Apart from the M&S one, all the other t-shirts/tops were supermarket brands, but practically new. It was a Salvation Army shop - and I have had lots of childrens clothes bargains there in the past, but not so much luck with the adult stuff...


MelBee said...

What a fab haul for you and yours! I was going to raid the local charity shops...but when searching in airing cupboard for double quilt cover (for new quilt for my 13 yr old....suddenly so tall singles are no good...feet stick out!!!;-)) I found 3 single quilt covers surplus to requirements....hurray! Is that a bit sad?!? Don't care! Ha! So new summer skirts for me and cotton jammie bottoms for boys! PS laughed a pin board! ...might send it to my hubs! 😉

Christals Creations said...

I have only ventured into one of our charity shops once so far, I was quite quick too as I had a meeting to make but I usually have small girl with me and she is a bugger for pulling things off rails, hangers, shelves etc so I am always a little wary of where to take her when we are out. I need to find some cardigans now it's getting more springlike and most of mine are too big so I might venture out again one afternoon specifically to charity browse. :)

Mother of Reinvention said...

Lovely spotty shirt and a great haul. I love that little Breton top. So cute! The charity shops are not great for clothes here and you rarely find fabric or sewing patterns but they are fab for books. My local one sell 3 for a quid. We are inundated. :) Xx

Kathryn said...

What a great haul! I love that wee jacket! I haven't had much luck recently, except with children's books. I'm going to Rye this weekend with friends though so might get a chance for some charity shop hunting!

Laura said...

I picked up some wadding for £2.49 from a local charity shop which has recently launched a haberdashery section (Age UK on George Street when you're next in Hove). My mum tells me this is a bargain!

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