I must fess up first though. The lovely Julia from little girl quilts had invited me to the Berlin Modern Quilt Guild Meeting (how cool is that logo?!) but my plane was delayed, and it was a long long long way from where I was staying, and I was a little shy about barging in, if truth be told. So I didn’t go.
Julia also recommended a ton of things for me to see and do, most of which I did, and you’ll see pics of later, so really, thank you, Julia, so so much!
On my way from Berlin airport into the city (train wasn’t busy, as you can see!) I spied a little fleamarket at one of the stations … Ostbahnhof …
So, I thought, “What the hell? I’ve got a train ticket that lets me get on and off … I’ll get off.” And reader, I did.
It was a beautifully warm and sunny day, I think the temperature hit about 25 degrees that Sunday … a freak Spring Day just for me … yay!
The market was great - the quality good - and although there were proper dealers there, they weren’t in rip-off mode. I walked past stall upon stall of beautiful porcelain - Meissen and the rest, as well as a lot (and I mean a lot) of wooden pipe racks and fake East German stuff, as well as sheafs of sheet music and records - the Berliners love their vinyl …
A couple of young kids were busking Bach on violins. The smell of grilled bratwurst filled the air. There was colour everywhere.
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I spent a long time deliberating over that little blue tin in the first picture …
I must have gone back to that stall again and again, but then something caught my eye over on the other side ….
… a lovely lady stall holder was waving me over! How did she know?
10 metres for just 10 Euros !!
snippity snip!
It’s a kind of fingernail-snaggy acetate-y faux slub silk lightweight curtain fabric (1970s I’m guessing).
Now, when I say lightweight, obviously that doesn’t apply to 10 metres of the stuff. My dilemma was that I was going to have to fit it into my bag (hand luggage) on the way home … it might seriously limit any further shopping!
At this point I had no inkling of the “you can’t get any cash with that card” thang
Not much of a dilemma really. This was my first hour in Berlin. I was high on
What could I possibly use this for? I hear you ask.
Hah!
Well, howzabout this chair for starters? It’s a mid-1900s number that folds out into a daybed and I’ve never progressed further than the calico covers on the three seat pads. Looks pretty perfect to me?
And, get this … I just got a little quarter of Tamari Garden Sashi Blue this morning from Sew Mama Sew … how psychic was this pairing ?
So, once I’ve worked out how to cover the seat pads (they’re big!) with the minimum of fuss, I’ll then rustle up a little throw cushion in the Tamari Garden, methinks …
Ta-Da! A chair that will always remind me of my trip to Berlin, covered in my own, very special, Flea Market fancy. Bliss.
Hoping your weekends are full of bliss too … tomorrow we’ll meander round Frau Tulpe, promise.
more pics here in my Berlin collection on flickr
