Impressed with freecycle
 

Since I'm new to quilting, and I know how expensive fabric is...I posted on my local freecycle board looking for anyone willing to part with scraps for me to practice on. One lady offered me a bag of her "scraps" and when I picked it up off her porch, I was pleasantly surprised to see that it wasn't just scraps. I must have walked away with 20+ yards of different fabrics. Some only a a few inches, but others had a few yards. Not all of them are patterns I would have chosen myself, but hey...it was free and it's for practice!

Just had to share!:p

Great for you................

Great! I love recycling of any kind. My two neighbors and I recycle clothes among or kids (7 altogether) and all are different sizes. It is not unusual that one jacket gets worn by three kids. When the biggest grows out of it goes to the next in line.

I once got a large bag of batting "scraps" from freecycle. The pieces were really quite large... enough so that only four were needed for a lap quilt.
You did well !!!

I just quit my freecycle. I had a lot of no shows. I like the idea of freecycle but some ruin it for others.

I lurk on freecyles here locally.. usually it hasnt' been too good of pickings... I try to be specific of what I am seeking ( heck I even use blends and knits) sheets or scrpas are fine....but say up front I can NOT use clothing 4-5 times I've ended up with junk clothing that I would not even take to Good will......
I have used freecycle in other ares with grand results..... you just never know what your gonna get...

I recycle anything and eveything I can....

reuse
make do
buy less

I am mostly "offering" on Freecycle and am amazed at how many people try to get you to deliver your "Free" items to them. Um, no. if you want it come and get it.

WTG on getting a great deal with that bag of scraps!!

That's great! I haven't done freecycle but have thought about it.

Congrats.
OUr Freecycle went under. No one to monitor it.

congrats on a great stash to practice on

Congrats on your great find!

Just checked-------------our Freecycle has returned. Had to re-register, however.

A few years ago a lady posted on Freecycle that she was moving and downsizing her quilting stash. Apparently I was the only person to show up and what a generous soul! About 20 yards of first quality fabrics including lovely batiks, and a large bag of quilting books. I've almost used up the fabrics on donation projects- pillowcases and pillowcase dresses. Still makes me smile when I see the scraps. I've given away some of my stash to others making the same projects, and it's a good feeling.

I get emails from Freecycle. I've picked up fabric scraps, a singer 238, and picking shears. I love the idea of Freecycle. I am just worried about all the creeps in the world, and afraid of getting into jeopardy. I take the dog with me, but I feel uncomfortable going up to a house.

I just joined our local last night after reading this post. I had tried to join before and was rejected??? Who knows. Anyway, they accepted me this time. So far I have seen mostly a lot of junk and requests for a lot of non-junk (furniture and appliances.) For safety, I would take DH with me. He's a BIG guy with a booming voice and wouldn't dream of letting me go alone. That said, my 15-year-old son is a big guy with a booming voice and still invincible. Either way. I put up a request for fabric or batting scraps.

I need to recheck our freecycle site again. I seldom see fabric but you just never know.

I always ask people to leave things on the porch. And do the same for pick ups. I tell them "I'll be in and out all day", whether that is true or not.

I helped a newbie quilter through freecycle with fabric, patterns and beginning quilting books.

I got a Morse sewing machine (circa 1950) on freecycle. It works really well.

Hi Justamom,
Welcome to the QB, you will love it.
As for your fabric find, I'm doing the HAPPY DANCE for you.
You talked about some of the patterns on the fabric are not things you would have picked, you will find that as you start making blocks with your new finds you might change your mind. I've found that some of the fabric I thought was more to my grandmothers taste, ended up making some of the best looking quilts. Remember after it's cut up and then put back together with other fabrics, it becomes something else.
Good luck and have fun, fun, fun.
Snooks

Your pic is really cute!!!

bluteddi, you're my kind of people! During the depression, in the 30's, people said, "Use it up, Wear it out, Make it do, Or do without." We need to do more of that. I use scraps that most people wouldn't think of saving. It just has to be a nice color and decent fabric.

Well, hmm I had never heard of "Freecycle" and sure enough we do have one in Phoenix, am browsing thru it now.

Good find! I used to use freecycle quite a bit. Found some really helpful things. Got an Xray box that was in a dr. office and it makes a great light box for tracing. One lady gave me a big bunch of quilt magazines. Lucked out on a bag of ultra suede one time. Went for a bag of scraps and fabric one time and it ended up being mostly junk but guess you get a lemon every now and then. It's a great idea but there are weirdos out there. My dd got involved with one of them. Lady wanted a vase dd had posted and it was already gone. She kept emailing and wanting "her" vase. Finally had to report her. But I've met some really nice people too.

I use freecycle often! I have received many wonderful donations of fabric for my Linus Projects.
In turn I have put up quilting magazines, books, fabrics that I wouldn't use in quilting. I got rid of yard chairs and picked up a great leaf blower for my son who had just bought a house.

I will not open the door to anyone- I just leave the items on the front steps
Also there are some neighborhoods I would not go into to pick things up.
One has to be very careful these days- Sad isn't It?
Evelyn

What a good idea you had. Good for you.

I had a lot of scraps and yardage that I wasn't going to use and posted on freecycle. Met a very nice woman (I'm her husbands best friend, she very seldom goes to JoAnn's anymore). I always send her an email to give her first dibs on anything fabric related, she along with other women from her church make a lot of charity quilts. We keep in touch by email very often now too, even about other things.

I have received many useful things also, 13 unopened bags of queen size batting sold at JoAnn's, thicker batting on the rolls, lots of fabric, books, templates, a pvc frame (which I gave to a friend who hand quilts) one of the craft tables sold at JoAnn's just to name a few.

Thanks to the generous lady that gave them to you.

Good for you. There are some very nice people out there and so many willing to help.

never heard of freecycle

Glad you had a good experience with freecycle, but like hheelleenn, I had a disappointing experience. I offered a motorcycle sidecar. A guy came to pick it up and told my husband that he was planning on selling it. If I had wanted it sold, I would have sold it myself. Unfortunately, I was at work when he picked it up, or I would not have given it to him.

The moderaters said that the point of freecycle was to keep things out of landfills, but I still felt as if I had been used, I had thought it was going to help someone. I quit freecycle because of this.

I'm a little 'put out' with the Freecycle around here. It seems all there is now is someone ..."The baby is due tomorrow and I need..crib, clothes, diapers, etc." They had NINE months to get all of this. When I was having my children, that was the fun of finding just the right 'thing' for when the baby arrived. And don't get me started on people that want you to firnish their house, apartment, or tent in the back yard.
Sorry for the rant, but as one said..some people just spoil it for everyone.

SUPER !! way to go for sure !!

good for you, happy practice-ing( I know that isn't spelled right but hey its late and I have been sick)

Congrats on your find.:thumbup:

I have been on freecycle for about 5 years. Only got a couple bad offers and some offers so fantastic I am amazed. It does take people a while to come get stuff and that is a pet peeve of mine. Best yhing I got on Freecycle is my Great Dane and my Boston Terrier. Take care.

My local freecycle doen't allow pet listings. It used to be a great list, I received lots of donations of fabric, sewing machines and craft supplies over the past few years but recently it's gone down hill drastically. It's mostly "wanted" posts now, and it's not simple things. It's expensive items. "wanted, ipad, kindle, nook etc"
I posted quilting scraps and crumbs complete with a link to what a crumb is once and received the strangest emails. One man wanted to pick it up for his daughter who doesn't sew. and another kept talking about how she wanted to make clothes for her children.
I got tired of tracking down people's homes to find they had forgotten to put the item out, or didn't tell me the door they meant was the storage shed in back. Obviously, why didn't I think of that? And some of the things I picked up should have gone into the trash instead.

Yay on the great find!
And so cool that you found your group again too.
I do more knitting as I am really new to quiltiing and I have gotten all sorts of yarn. Some only good for practice and some really nice. Never could have started out trying to quilt with out others scraps.