Portland Antique Expo

Like Anja, I headed out to the Portland Antique Expo this weekend. I wasn’t sure if I was going to make it since I am in the midst of a lot of sewing, but I decided I should take a break and I’m so glad I did.


Oh, the dresses. So many pretty ones.

This illustration is amazing. A flapper, a bat, a lap dog, and an evil kitty. What could be better?


Most of my purchases were sewing-related, because (a) I eat that stuff up and (b) I find it really easy to justify. The lady with the booth above was selling bundles and bundles of fabric, including 40s silks and rayons, which I pounced on.

And these are buttons. Meticulously filed and labeled, there were tons of early plastics to paw through.
And now, here are my purchases! Like I said, I find it all-too-easy to spend money on sewing things.

This is a gorgeous navy silk. It’s 4 or 5 yards and was only $10 because it’s cut in multiple pieces. I will make good use of it though! I love large scale prints.

These are both silk as well.

I buy up those buckle kits whenever I see them. These were $0.25 and $0.50, if you can believe it. And I love the red buttons that look like candy.

This booklet is adorable. I will probably review it on the Colette Patterns blog at some point.

The purple fabric is just a scrap, but I had to have it. And the buttons were in a bin that I had to go through to find matching ones. I’m a sucker for a challenge, I guess.

Knitting magazines, most from the 1940s. $1 a piece! Sorry, I just can’t get over the deals.

And the final and best deal of the day was a powder blue bouclĂ© Lilli Ann coat. It had a spot on the front, so the dealer gave me a very low price. I took it home and got the spot out within 5 minutes. voila! I’ll get a photo of me in it at some point. It is lovely.


I’m so glad you snapped a photo of those amazing floating collars! I loved ‘em.
Aren’t they so cool? I want them in my house!
I love the collar display!
It looks like you made out like a bandit. The navy fabric you found is beautiful.
Yeah, it’s definitely my favorite, and I think there is enough to make a dress! It’s so hard to find big non-busy prints these days, so I was really thrilled.
AArrgghhh stop it stop it torture!!!
I can’t believe there was an ENTIRE TABLE of amazing fabric. That sort of thing is UNHEARD OF in Australia. I am seething with envy!
Not faaaiiiirrrr!!
Haha, well I can’t say this is the sort of thing I come across every day! But I feel your pain. You should keep an eye on Etsy, I’ve been picking up some beautiful fabric there lately!
Oh, I am jealous. I mistook those buttons for chocolates at first glance – says a lot about me. Can’t wait to see the coat.
They do look a little bit like chocolates! They’re a lovely rosey-beige color that I think will match many things, and I love how shiny they are.
Oh I’m so jealous! I’m from Toronto, Canada, and once upon a time we had this FANTASTIC bi-annual event called the Old Clothing Show. I got some amazing deals on vintage clothing pieces/accessories and sewing stuff over the years I went.
Alas, it has since evolved into something totally different and un-fun (for me)! I’m glad to hear though that there are still such wonderful places like it!
I love that they called it the “Old Clothing Show” and not something more high-falutin’ like “Antique Clothing Showcase” or something.
There are really good vintage clothing shows in California. I hope I can time a trip down there with one at some point, because I miss them.
Oh my goodness, what incredible finds, I am envious of every single one!
How I wish there were places near me that were like this….
What a great haul!
I remember buying a purple wool boucle at the Lilli Ann outlet in SoMa (pre-gentrification) in the early 1980s. They used to produce domestically, then.
Novice sewer used the thick wool boucle on an unsuitable flared skirt. Ugh! It was a lovely color, though. A wool-mohair blend.
Oh, I’m sooo jealous of your finds! :-)
Im green with envy! I love a good find! I was fortunite to find a 2 large bags of the buckle kits at my local thrift store for a dollar a piece. I walked away with a total of 30 pieces for only 2 bucks! that was a great day…
oh wow i so love those collars!!!
There aren’t many places here in Southern California like that. I indulge in looking at the things you find on your website. I love vintage! When I do find some vintage things, I pick it up in a heartbeat. I love vintage lace and buttons. Looking for some that are small and red for a red blouse I like to wear. I would like to fing a great small button for a black cardigan sweater, that I have. I love vintagey stuff. Also I indulge in bags of broken jewerly, which I fix, or make into new pieces, which I use as gifts or sell at a small cost.
That looks like so much fun! We don’t really have anything like that up in eastern washington. I sure wish we did, though! :)
So glad to know you have another blog here! Looks like you found many treasures at the expo… so many beautiful things!
Love the pictures! That place looks amazing. And also, I just love anything called an expo – it’s like there’s excitement built right into the name!
love love love the blue tiered dress
whoa, what a haul. how did i miss this? i’ll have to make sure to get there next year–thanks for the heads up. your buttons and buckle kit finds are the best!
xo
kittee
You are so good in photography. I could never take such beautiful pictures. Keep up the good work!