Hello all, Mary Ellen here.

We had our annual quilt bucks auction last night. For those of you who are not members of our guild, here’s a quick summary of quilt bucks. To me quilt bucks are like monopoly money (I think that game should be called monotony, but that’s for another day!). We earn them by supporting and/or participating in guild activities throughout the year. For example, our community service committee has a pattern for a particular quilt block each month, generally with a few parameters for colors or methodology. Those members who make one or several of the selected block, and return the completed blocks to the next guild meeting, earn quilt bucks for each block they submit. Those bucks are then saved (they are play money bucks printed on paper) by the member until the next auction. If you are an active member of the guild, you can earn quite a few bucks (hundreds) in the course of a year. The amount of bucks earned per “participation” will vary dependent on the difficulty of the “task”- roughly a buck per hour. When we are getting close to the month of the auction guild members clean out their quilt rooms and closets and donate all kinds of quilty/crafty things to be auctioned off. For example last evening some of the treasures of the evening included a quilt frame, several antique quilt tops, many UFO’s, patterns and books, several completed wall hangings and table toppers. All bidding at this auction is done with quilt bucks; cash is accepted also but why?

I bid on two lots–one had a couple of Creative Grids rulers that I wanted, the other had a complete set of Fasturn tube turners. As always the rest of the stuff in the lot comes along for the ride. This morning I spent some time going through all of the other things in each lot looking for hidden treasures–and I did find a few. Only a few of the items ended up in the trash; quite a few nearly new patterns will be going back to the next guild to be given free to good homes. But let me tell you about the treasures I’ll be keeping.

• a quilter’s magnifier to be worn around the neck while hand stitching. Nearly new, still in the box. Since my current magnifier has a big crack in it I’m counting this as a win.

• an electric sharpener for rotary cutting blades. (The good brand!) It is missing the grinders, but I went online and was able to order replacements. Another win!

•a beautiful nearly new steel T square. A large one which will be great for quilting and my paper crafting.

•an adorable pin cushion which is in the shape of a sewing machine. Comes with a tape measure as well

•a cute Christmas fabric bucket, all completed. Saving it for one of my cookie “trays” for Christmas of 2017

•a small suction type handle for small rotary rulers. I think I’ll use it on my 6.5″ square.

•a small LED light meant for attaching to your sewing machine to brighten up the needle area. In working order. Since one of my Ott lights just burned out earlier in the week, I’m counting this as a win also. No directions were with this light as to how to fasten it to the machine, but you know where I was able to find them!

I also got an assortment of odds and ends which will be made into gifts for my quilting friends as birthdays and other occasions come around.

What surprise treasures have you ever found in auction lots you’ve purchased in the past? Please share in a comment.