Does anyone recommend how I should cut up clothes, (shirts, jeans), for their material? Is it worth taking out the seams for the extra material?

same here, I cut jeans off at top of legs and rest along seams, split arms on shirts........I collected some nice plaids :D

I cut right along the seams, no picking that stuff out. I do enough of that with making the blocks. ( :oops: ) I think it's worth the effort to give a piece the look of olden days quilting.

You'll know which is the bias and which is straight of grain. You've been at the fabric stuff awhile, right?

Hugs,
Sharon

I cut along the seams too, there is not that much waste compared to the time and work involved. Good luck.

Rita S

do you think if you picked out the seam that the fabric that is revealed might be a different shade. things fade from everyday use and washing and the seam being protected might look quite different from that which was exposed to wear. just a thought.

That's a good question - to open up the seams. I also agree that I haven't found fabric that valuable, unless I need just a smiggin on one side to make the block piece big enough. But my question on this same line, does anyone have a pattern or photo of using up plaid from mens shirts? I remember a fish block, but nothing else is coming to my mind. I have a stack of shirts from my son, in mostly blue plaids. He needs a quilt (and a wife, if anyone wants to donate one). Sara

Thanks all!

I have been trying to pick the seams and wondered if it was worth it or not! :mrgreen:

Celeste,
A while back I made a double wedding ring quilt where I made the first rings it out of clothing worn by all my brothers and sisters, parents and grandparents. On the second ring it was made from clothing of all my hubbys side of the family. It really turned out neat and everyone in the family(s) want one now! It is on our bed and wraps us in love each and every day :) I will try to post a pic soon.
I did this after reading a book about a lady in love with quilting...where it told how quilting began or came about.
I can't remember the book as I checked it out at the library...I will do some researching and find out what book it was :)

I have taken seams out before but never could get them to iron flat they had super folds!

butterly - What a super way to use clothes! I'll just bet everyone else wants one now! I wonder if they realize the kind of work you put into that? And Please post a photo soon. The books name would be great too.

kathy- I didn't consider that! It makes total sense, though, now that I think on that! The first item I took apart was a 100% wool shirt. I saw something on Simply Quilts (and they just replayed it Tuesday), and had vague ideas about doing something like that. I thought wool is so expensive, I was determined to get all I could out of that. (The shirt was a thrift store find.)

I dont throw anything away if it can be used again to make quilts....and I find quite a lot of stuff in charity shops...especially pillow cases! Theyre great for quilts!

Karen

We don't seem to wear out clothes that are suitable for quilts, so I wait for $1 bag day at the thrift stores to buy my scrappy clothes quilt fabric. There are a lot of practically new clothes there.

$1 a bag? And I thought I was doing good to have the days where items with tags of a certain color were 99 cents!

Yes we have a place here that does it also, $1 a bag. I haven't done it yet, but now will. May have a new thing.. Woo hooo.

Rita

Soooooooooooooo glad to hear that you guys reuse and recycle. I have picked out the seams in jeans, but it's not worth it........fold lines and are a different color, but I started throwing all my tiny scraps, seams and strings into a bag...will stuff a doggie or kitty pillow when I get enough.

I remember a long time ago, that my aunt saved the trimmings from her quilting, tied them together and crocheted them into little throw rugs that looked like the braided rugs.

Has anyone heard from Sharon about her husband since he had the stroke?

New question - - what size do you usually cut up the shirts and jeans?

I've got a pile of little boy's jeans now. I hope to be able to get enough 6-1/2 inch blocks to make the twin's mother a rag purse. Sewn with a 1/2 inch seam, that would give 5-1/2" blocks.

Thank you! :mrgreen:

OTG
I would use the boy's pockets as pockets on the purse :)
Do you have a pattern for the purse your talking about? cause I have lots of jeans that do not fit anymore that I could do that with! :)