Three Items I Look for when Thrifting

I love incorporating beautiful things into my home that add uniqueness and history to our colonial farmhouse. However antiques are often expensive and easily out of my price range. Thrifting is a great way to source beautiful items for your home. Here is a list of three things I always look out for when thrifting.

1. Ironstone

What is ironstone china or ware?

It is an earthenware pottery made in the United Kingdom in the early 19th century. Each piece is beautifully crafted, often times by hand and adds a special pleasure to setting the table for dinner.

Ironstone is not made out of iron but clay and feldspar ( which is a group of rock forming minerals.)

What to look for?

When I’m thrifting I will turn the dish over and read the label on the bottom. This is the quickest way and helps you spot the difference between an original and a reproduction piece.

The first label I look for is: Made in England. If it doesn’t say Made in England, then it goes back on the shelf. The second thing I look at is the manufacturer of the ironstone.

Here is a list of some popular ironstone manufacturers:

• Staffordshire
• Burslem
• Edge
• Malkin
• Spode
• Waterloo
• Woodville
• Hartshome
• Hill Top
• Rawdon

The second item I look for when thrifting is:

2. Vintage Linens

There was once a time when quality needlework and stitching was important. Now due to the mass production, inflation and low costs the quality of much home goods has gone down.

*As a side note, if you follow the influence of the Bible through history then you would see a direct correlation between rich economic societies producing quality craftsmanship and the makers seeking to produce works of art for the glory of Christ who saved them.

What to Look for when Thrifting Vintage Linens:

• Hand stitching. Quality hand stitched linens are definitely masterpieces from the past. Look for single threaded work with minor variations. Machine stitched linens won’t have the same character and each stitch will look like a clone of the previous one
• Natural Fabrics. Linen, cotton, silk, etc. Once you feel the difference between real linen and polyester you will quickly be able to identify natural, organic fabrics from synthetics. There usually won’t be any labels on vintage pieces especially if the linen you are looking at is an antique and handcrafted by someone.
• Embroidered Pillowcases. Can you just stop for a moment and think about all the time and care put into a beautiful hand embroidered pillowcase? I have yet to come across one when thrifting but when I do you can be sure it’ll be in my cart immediately.
• Lace. Antique linens often feature lace which was added by hand. Examine the piece and look for signs of tie knots which were made by the crafter to attach the lace to the fabric

What Specific Linens to Look for?

I look for antique table cloths, aprons, vintage pillowcases with hand stitching or lace and quilts. Linens are definitely not easy to find thrifting but look anyways. You never know when you’ll spot one to add to your home.

3. Vintage Art: Oil Paintings, Watercolors, Charcoal

You can quickly add warmth to your decor with quality art. Easily create the European farmhouse look with vintage art. There are a lot of Etsy sellers that sell digitally enhanced versions of antique artwork, but how much fun is it to find an actual original!

Oil paintings have a textured surface and warm deep hues.

Watercolors have more muted tones and draw your eye in by their whimsical, imaginative impression of life.

Charcoals are more rare to find but paired with an antique frame can instantly add character to any room.

This is not an exhaustive list of the items I look for when thrifting. If you would like me to share another post on more items, please leave a comment below or share your favourite item to thrift!

Tips for Thrifting

Keep a list in your purse of items that you are on the look out for so that when you’re thrifting you can whip it out and keep yourself from brain overload at the thrift store.

Try to go once a month and scan the shops and shelves where the items you are looking for are found. Some days you will come back empty handed and at other times you will be delighted by your haul.

Limit yourself to only shop within your budget. Thrifting can quickly become addictive so stay within your budget and only spend money that you already have set aside for it.

Three Items I Thrift for a European Farmhouse Style

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