Fabric Waste
#31
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: CA & NM
Posts: 1,120
Originally Posted by ptquilts
Between me making mini string quilts and DH making his tiny-piece (5/8" square pieces) quilts, there is not much wasted around here.
#32
Originally Posted by tjradj
I'm going to try to explain what I do to reduce waste but I'll warn you - it sounds backwards.
I buy more than I need.
Yup.
If my pattern calls for 2 1/4 meters (or yards), I round it up.
That way, I know the piece I have over will be big enough for my stash. And I don't worry about the 1/2" strips that end up in the trash.
The cost of my craft I guess.
I buy more than I need.
Yup.
If my pattern calls for 2 1/4 meters (or yards), I round it up.
That way, I know the piece I have over will be big enough for my stash. And I don't worry about the 1/2" strips that end up in the trash.
The cost of my craft I guess.
#33
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 1,152
That heartin your Avatar is very interesting. Is it pieces sewed on a base until the heart is filled?
Originally Posted by Colorful Quilter
Me Me Me, I will pay postage for Any scrap pkgs. of 100% cotten anyone could PM me if you want to de-stash, would love to help you out. too often I find myself buying new fabric to cut into small bits for my quilt tops
#35
I save everything that is an inch or more, bag it up and give it to a friend who does miniatures. She sometimes needs just inches to make a mini block, so my waste goes to her. I would never use it for that, so am just pleased that someone else can make use of my trimmings.
#36
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 647
Most of the pieces that are too small for me to use I donate to the local elementary school to use in their art department. They like that they are already small and odd shapes and colors, It saves the teacher some work in preparing them for her class.
#37
I apologize now if this is already been mentioned but small itsy pieces I have seen used a couple of ways
1)A gal in our guild makes dog beds out of scraps and donates them to the local animal shelter.
2) A friend of mine used to save them and when she had enough would cut them all up very small (randomly with a rotary cutter) and then with a piece of muslin or light colored material sprayed with quilting basting spray lay out the cut piees all over and then lay a piece of wedding vale fabric (sorry can't remember the name of it)over and then sew sometimes in brights or sometimes in plain colors randomly all over. Basically making her own backing fabric, It was pretty and a neat way to use up scraps. I did it one time for a wall hanging so will see if I have a picture( I gave it to my mom so if not, will try and get a picture). My friend also does this with pieces of thread.
1)A gal in our guild makes dog beds out of scraps and donates them to the local animal shelter.
2) A friend of mine used to save them and when she had enough would cut them all up very small (randomly with a rotary cutter) and then with a piece of muslin or light colored material sprayed with quilting basting spray lay out the cut piees all over and then lay a piece of wedding vale fabric (sorry can't remember the name of it)over and then sew sometimes in brights or sometimes in plain colors randomly all over. Basically making her own backing fabric, It was pretty and a neat way to use up scraps. I did it one time for a wall hanging so will see if I have a picture( I gave it to my mom so if not, will try and get a picture). My friend also does this with pieces of thread.
#38
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Central Indiana
Posts: 1,112
To make your small pieces even smaller rather than using a shredder just lay your scraps on the cutting mat and rotary cut from different directions, move the pieces around a bit and cut away again. It doesn't take long to have tiny pieces.
#39
Originally Posted by Edie
I just got to thinking here while I was cutting out fabric for a new quilt - a sampler. When you cut your squares and get it down to 1/8" here and 1/4" there and 1/2" someplace else, after all is said and done, how much fabric does one waste when making a quilt. Suppose you are making a quilt, say 96x124, how much of that is actual waste - I bought four yards of one fabric, four yards of another fabric and three yards of a third fabric. How much of that am I allowed to waste - throw out - less than 1 inch, some pieces being 26/28" long. This is one of the things in quilting I absolutely do not like to think about. But I just got to thinking - Am I going to have enough material? I am making a sampler with three colors only. Every block design has only the three colors. This is not counting the sashing, or border or backing - I always pick that out after all the blocks are made (on this one, there will be 48 - 12" blocks.
My brain doesn't want to work this morning - It is probably turkey stuffed yet.
Thanks for any info you can give me. I would hate to think I was wasting money here at $9.00 a yard Clara Barton Birthplace Museum - Windham fabric. Edie
My brain doesn't want to work this morning - It is probably turkey stuffed yet.
Thanks for any info you can give me. I would hate to think I was wasting money here at $9.00 a yard Clara Barton Birthplace Museum - Windham fabric. Edie
#40
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Bangor North Wales
Posts: 353
Originally Posted by Edie
I just got to thinking here while I was cutting out fabric for a new quilt - a sampler. When you cut your squares and get it down to 1/8" here and 1/4" there and 1/2" someplace else, after all is said and done, how much fabric does one waste when making a quilt. Suppose you are making a quilt, say 96x124, how much of that is actual waste - I bought four yards of one fabric, four yards of another fabric and three yards of a third fabric. How much of that am I allowed to waste - throw out - less than 1 inch, some pieces being 26/28" long. This is one of the things in quilting I absolutely do not like to think about. But I just got to thinking - Am I going to have enough material? I am making a sampler with three colors only. Every block design has only the three colors. This is not counting the sashing, or border or backing - I always pick that out after all the blocks are made (on this one, there will be 48 - 12" blocks.
My brain doesn't want to work this morning - It is probably turkey stuffed yet.
Thanks for any info you can give me. I would hate to think I was wasting money here at $9.00 a yard Clara Barton Birthplace Museum - Windham fabric. Edie
My brain doesn't want to work this morning - It is probably turkey stuffed yet.
Thanks for any info you can give me. I would hate to think I was wasting money here at $9.00 a yard Clara Barton Birthplace Museum - Windham fabric. Edie
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post