I am in charge of the quilt project at our church, we get fabric from people who quit quilting, estates and I haunt the clearance tables at the stores that sell fabric. I choose the better kind, if I can see through it,I don't buy it. We have used drapery samples for tops and discarded bed sheets from a local motel for backings. We don't use polyester any more, I refuse to sew with it, too hard on the hands and sewing machine. We tie all our quilts and they are taken to Milwaukee to several churches and places where the poor and homeless can come for food and comfort. Word gets around if you mention you can use fabric for quilts at the cutting counter. If I see marked down fabric I buy the whole piece and people always ask, what are you going to make? Our group was mentioned in a synod mission newsletter and we received boxes of fabric from out of state. A 95 year old lady cuts our squares, another lady sews tops, 8 of us tie and two of us hem the outsides. I keep track of everything and call the man who takes the finished quilts to the charities. If there is a fire in town, we donate quilts to the victims or if we hear of someone in need, they get one or two. We sell some now and then and the money is used to buy batts with coupons, another way to save money. We also make baby quilts for the Right to Life Groups in our area. Out of the scraps from cutting squares, I make strip quilt tops so we use it all up. You can do alot with strips two inches wide.
Some places have requirements and the quilts have to be machine or hand stitched, we don't do that. There is another church here that handquilts so we send people to them.
Carol J.