Perhaps some of you have had to do this same thing, I'm hoping I can benefit from your experience!

My sweet MIL just passed away a month ago.. She was a professional seamstress and also managed a So-Fro Fabrics for years.. You can only guess at the amount of fabric she has in her house. The cotton yardage isn't a problem.. but the 'silkies', home-dec., canvas, double knits, single knits, corduroy, pre-quilted fabrics and every other kind of fabric you can imagine are! I don't have a clue what I can do with a hundred yards of polyester silkies and knits.

It feels wrong to toss it, it's beautiful and our land fills don't need it.. I would hate to do that, but what do I do with all this fabric that no one is wearing these days??

Call your local schools! Our art department was thrilled when I brought in my MIL's stash that wasn't anything family wanted. (I work in a high school, but I imagine elementary would also use it!) They use it for all kinds of things. Not the original intention (clothing) perhaps, but it's better than going in the landfill.

Call a local quilt guild. Sometimes they will use these fabrics in charity quilts. You could have a yard sale or garage sale and it will find a home that way and bring in some money too.

If you have the 70's polyester, you could cut 5" squares and sew together and use flannel as backing. I have one on my bed now that Mama made years ago. It is made from every color of polyester. Mama quilted each square around the edge and it is beautiful and so warm. I am going to use some of Mama's old polyester dresses and cut them up and make some quilts to donate to needy families. No need for batting as the polyester is heavy anyway.

the pre-quilted and home decor can be used to make purses and/or totes :)

The corduroy can be made into quilts, it's durable but yet so soft.

My grandma made scrappy quilts from recycled polyester clothing. My mom still has one, I wish I did! I have even seen people use upholstery fabric to make crazy quilts or to back a quilt. The quilts could be donated. Knits are awful stretchy though... pick out what you want, have a yard sale, then donate the rest!

Purses, totes, charity quilts, with the upholstry and pre quilted fabrics :D:D:D

Maybe advertise the rest for sale or swap?

You might see if the high school drama dept. would like to have it.

Please don't throw it away. I love the idea of giving it to schools. They can use it in art classes and for costumes for the drama dept.

Wow.. lots of ideas... I've been making up good size lap quilts to take to the rehab/nursing home where Mom spent several months recovering from a terrible infection... They were so good to her. I'm using the double knits as fast as I can make these up... but there may be more than I have the time or energy to use.

I hadn't thought of using the lighter blouse weight for something like that... Perhaps I'll try a few of those too.

The schools are a great idea. Thank you! Someone mentioned the drama departments.. We also have a community theater here.. I'll try them as well..

This is just such a huge job, and so sad for me to have to do.. I'd feel terrible throwing it away. Thank you for your help!

I've already tired the quilt guilds.. they only want the cotton.. boo..

There's always Craigs List - or something similar. Freecycle may be another option.

If you want to donate/give it away - there's always someone willing to take it.

If you want to recover some $ - that's another story.

Craig's List and Freecycle are also good options.. I think I'll wait until I've done everything I possibly can with it first.. Thank you for reminding me of those organizations.

I'm not as concerned with making money as I am with it being used one way or another..

Maybe you can sell (or give away) some here in the classified section - have the person getting it pay postage.

That's another good idea.. thank you Christine. a lot of it would be too expensive to ship.. double knits weigh a ton. I'm still in the process of separating it in piles of like kind fabrics.. makes it seem bigger and bigger.

I do costumes for community theater.We are all volunteer and non-profit as are most community theaters.We will take any and all fabric for costumes and I am sure most theaters would.

Theatrical groups love donations of fabric.

Use for applique....banners, blocks...dishtowels....never through away!

Judie, You have a wonderful chance to sell your Mom's fabric on this Board. The Home-dec and canvas can be used for totes, the knits can be used for the Chemo Caps. (There are many ladies who'd love to have the knits to make their donated Chemo Caps), Corduroys can be used to make jumpers for girls and the pre-quilted can be used for large quilt bags, etc. Everyone would enjoy seeing what you have. Eiltcoq.

One of our churches in South Dakota use the polyester knits to make charity quilts for overseas. It is a Lutheran Church.

Good Will Store would be thrilled to sell these fabrics for their cause. I brought some to them recently and they couldn't thank me enough.

Some of those fabrics are suitable for use for making bags to attach to walkers for those who need assistance walking. I love the idea of the knits for chemo caps! Corduroy makes nice sofa or floor pillows, too.

I was going to say purses and handbags, totes.....
Its probaly fun to see all the neat fabrics, I am sure schools would LOVE it!

If you wanted to, you could try to sell yardage here. Home-dec and canvas would be great for making purses an I know that a lot of people here are making purses. Also great for doing pillows and upholstering furniture.

You quilters are great.. Wonderful ideas.. I feel more confident that I can do good things with all this fabric.

I think my next move is to get it all put into separate piles of like fabrics and see how much of what I really have...

Thank you for your responses, each one of you were encouraging and helpful. I know Mom would be happy that her treasure will be spread far and wide to help those who will use it!

I've made pillow cases with the "silkies" for my daughter when she was little. Kids love that feeling.

I make pillowcases out of silkies.. they are great and don't mess with your hair as bad as cotton ones do.. Good idea.. thanks.

the pillows don't slide out of these "housewife pillow cases"

http://www.alternative-windows.com/pillow-cases.htm

Send a note to surrounding states guilds. I'm sure there are other guilds that would accept polyester for charity quilts. I think in Iowa we would. Good luck!

I just finished a rag throw with flannel on one side and corduroy on the other. Of the quilts I've made, this one is my husbands favorite.

I just finished a rag throw with flannel on one side and corduroy on the other. Of the quilts I've made, this one is my husbands favorite.

I make rag quilts with corduroy and flannel. I use almost anything as a lightweight batting if I feel I must bat! I just finished one and used a very heavy sheet from goodwill for batting.

All good ideas.. Just wish I had 3 lifetimes to make things from all this fabric.. That's a part of the problem, I could sew everything I ever make from now on using her fabric. Which might be good, but I'd have to keep her house to store it all in!!

I love flannel/corduroy throws.. cozy and comfy.

Nursing homes and senior citizens centers would probably love to have some of it. I donated yarn to a nursing home not long ago. They were thrilled.

check the local theater costume shop... they will love it.
Also, if there are groups that sew clothes for children to have new clothes for school and Easter time...

I'd contact the college in Springfield.. I'll bet the arts department could use it for textile classes, theatre and all sorts of things.

You have given me lots of great ideas.. thank you everyone for your good thoughts and quick responses... I'm sure a lot of people will have some of it. IT will go to good use and not fill up our landfill, I just couldn't do that!!
Next thing to do is get it all separated so I know just what's there and start calling some people.

Thank you again.. You've encouraged me.

I suggest you find someone who wants to do quits for the homeless. Polyester double knits are very durable and work well for quilts made with larger pieces and knotted. Single knits work well for backings. Canvas and home dec fabrics make great tote bags for school children. Our women's group made totes and filled them with school supplies for an orphan school in Ghana. This can be done for any area in need. Hope these ideas are of help to you.

Thanks Rahaube, Those were excellent suggestions. I will be making a lot of calls in no time at all.. I'm making a lot of the double knits into lap quilts for a near-by nursing/rehab center.. I know how much they will use them!There are always lots of needy that can use a nice warm blanket to wrap up in.