jjs56

First, I'll say I'm retired and have way too much time on my hands! Yesterday, the birds were trying to gather nest making materials from some twine I used to tie up some plants, so, I went into my sewing room trash basket and and dug out some fabric scraps, selvages and what not, and tossed them onto the lawn. They were all gone this morning! How's that for recycling!

Kathy T.

Excellent contribution to make a cozy nest!

cjsews

Sweet. The baby birds will have scrap quilts

ManiacQuilter2

I use to pass on my empty Mettler thread spool to a friend who let the birds have them. Great recycling!!

Prism99

Actually, fabric scraps are not good for birds. Fabric holds on to water too long, keeping the nest damp and causing the baby birds to get sick. It is much better for birds to build nests out of natural materials, such as grasses and sticks, because these shed water rapidly. I believe batting scraps are bad for birds for the same reason. Thread is not good because it can become twisted around legs and cut off circulation. I also suspect the chemicals in unwashed fabric and unwashed batting is probably not good for them.

lynnie

i too, heard that the fabric doesn't dry quickly enough and the babysies can get pneumonia

jjs56

Do a google search. Like everything else in our world today, there's no consensus on leaving fabric or not laving fabric out for birds to use for nest. I've seen nests with plastic and all manner of things.

Prism99

The way I learned this was on the QB when an ornithologist who quilts pleaded with us not to put fabric scraps out for birds. As for plastic, at least it sheds water and does not keep the nest damp.

jjs56

And there are plenty of other experts who say differently. In fact, one said he walks in the woods with fabric scraps and leaves them for the birds. Just saying, experts don't agree either.

quiltsRfun

And another round of controversy begins.