Do any of you buy clothes or sheets at the thrift store to use in quilts?
 

I did on my last quilt. It would have been far too expensive if I didn't.

I used three cream colored bedsheets in my last quilt. I only paid a few dollars

I bought a dust ruffle and a crib sized duvet cover thing to add to pink fabrics for my daughter's quilt that I'm planning.

I struck out on black bedsheets though. Maybe they'll turn up after I get caught up on chores. I got a little behind schedule trying to finish a bed set...

All the time. I am currently working on a baby quilt for my grandson, the basis of which is a large size, unworn, batik shirt. It has elephants on it, the rest (yellow and white) is from my stash. The only thing I purchased new was batting. Most of my quilts/waggas are made from 'found' fabrics, offcuts or items of clothing (clothes which are too 'out there' or damaged to donate to charity). I even found a use for 'high visibility yellow' from my husband's old work shirts.

I buy both white, ivory and black sheets for quilt backs at the thrift store whenever I can find them. They are soft and work great!

I saw some really wild fabrics in the mens shirts today. If I wasn't already working on a couple of small projects or planning the next quilt I would have bought them

I have mainly done mine from yard sales - same concept. Lol!

I have used shirts and sheets for backings. Even have used a heavy flannel sheet and a mattress pad to use for a light batting. Gotta save somewhere!!

Yes - suitable fabric is good fabric!

I do a lot with sheets and various repurposed fabrics. I love to use a flannel sheet as the backing on a quilt, it's so cozy.

Yes, I bought a few pairs of old jeans and made my DGD's tote bags to take to school. They came out great and very sturdy.

Yep I sure do. I put a stitch in anything that will take one! Some people seem to forget that quilt fabric manufactures tell you should only use designer quilt fabric because... it's what they sell. It's called marketing strategy. Some say they've had trouble quilting sheets. That just tells me that they haven't done enough research to see what needle and thread would work best for a higher count fabric. Someone put a seam in that sheet before selling it so you should be able to sew it too! However I will say that I try to stay around 300 thread count or less. My LQS sold extra wide designer backing fabric that was 300 count. So why do most designer fabric manufactures say that their 80-90 count is the best? I think some quilters just want to say what they paid for the fabric or that it's designer. And what about the gorgeous silk quilts you see at the quilt shows? Are they 80-90 count and made by one of the major quilt fabric manufacturers? I don't think so. But that's ok, the more quilters that don't buy sheets or clothing from Thrift shops the better, it leaves more for me! Now I'm not saying I don't buy designer fabric because there's one designer that just rocks my quilty world. However due to her outrageous prices I buy very little. I usually buy a bundle and mix in my thrift fabrics to make as many quilts as I can with one bundle.

I would, but the thrift store closest to me is so overpriced, that I can find new stuff at Walmart cheaper!

Yes. I made an Hawaiian theme quilt from men's shirts I bought at the thrift store. I use flannel sheets for the middle and back of rag quilts, it is better quality than I can buy by the yard. I buy from yard sales and thrift stores, but I wash them in hot water and dry on high as soon as I get them home. If I can't get to it right away I leave them outside in a trash bag to bake.

No, I have never used clothing or bed sheet. I was taught by Harriet Hargrave to use the best fabrics that you can afford. I want my quilts to be on Antique Roadshow in the year 2075!!

I buy wherever I see something that would be great in a quilt. Stores, thrift stores, garage sale, blankets (batting), sheets, pillowcases, men's shirts, etc. This list goes on! When flannel sheets go on sale in the late winter I buy for backings. Love flannel for quilt backs. :)

Yes! I buy sheets at the thrift stores to use as backing, or to cut up for scrappy quilts. One time, I went to the GW and found half a set of beautiful, floral sheets, so I bought them. Then, I went to the other thrift store and wouldn't you know it, there was the other half of the floral sheet set. Now I have the full set, which I didn't cut up for quilting. Instead, I use them on our guest bed.

Occasionally, I'll buy other items, s/a shirts and skirts at the GW, but they're way too expensive these days to make it worth while.

~ Cindy

I to thrift stores, estate sales and discount dollar stores. Don't forget clearance racks. I needed some corduroy and got 3 large men's pairs of pants. $10.00 then 50% off. 3 for $5. Those are my resources for "odd" fabric. I always prewash in hot water and throw in a hot dryer.

[QUOTE=ManiacQuilter2;7142824]No, I have never used clothing or bed sheet. I was taught by Harriet Hargrave to use the best fabrics that you can afford. I want my quilts to be on Antique Roadshow in the year 2075!![/QUOTE

Perhaps "used" is the best one can afford.

As far as I can tell - good/suitable fabric is still good/suitable fabric - even after it has been made into a garment or bedding - and regardless of where one acquired it - or how much one paid for it.

As an aside - some of the most expensive cotton fabric I ever purchased was for a baptismal gown. A very thin (sheer), tightly woven fabric - very unsuitable for a quilt - but so soft!

what makes some think that items purchased at a store are cleaner or more sanitary than items purchased at a yard sale or thrift store?

Especially items located at young children level?

( I do look around and consider the general condition of everything)

My point - if one is a germaphobe - perhaps EVERYTHING brought home should be sanitized -regardless of where it comes from?!

I have bought men's cotton shirts to use in quilts. I use to try to find the cheapest way possible to quilt but then realized DH wasn't looking for the cheapest bullets to use in his hunting guns or the cheapest tools. If something I want is on sale great but if not that's okay too.

Too funny even if that's what I was taught by reading her book and I do most of the time... that would be nice to be around to watch the show in 60 years from now lolll

but lately, I started to cheat and I use new sheet that were "sleeping" in my linen cabinet and sort of practice new technics like FMQ with them, or made a scrap quilt or two just for the fun of trying something different and...... I gave them to 2 people who felt in love with them. so. whatever I want to do with the project I am working on is fine for me!

I just thought to add one of the best things about using sheets in quilts. When I want sashings or borders, I can simply rip a sheet the long way and I get long long pieces of fabric without any piecing. I love when I run into black sheets too, they are so versatile. I try to get 100% cotton, but I'll use blends too if the color is right.

Occasionally, I'll buy other items, s/a shirts and skirts at the GW, but they're way too expensive these days to make it worth while.

~ Cindy[/QUOTE]

Yes GW is too expensive! But...I did find two beautiful 100% cotton flat sheets fro them that were worth the price. They were from India and soft and look very nice in my latest quilt.

I bought a couple of sheets from the thrift store intending to use them for backings, but I made pillowcases and a elastic waist skirt instead. I think it's a good idea to use sheets as backings or buying shirts to cut up for tops.

I just watched a show that talked about using odd fabrics for quilts. So I headed off to the thrift store and looked in the tablecloth section and bought some not usually quilt fabrics. I also looked on the remnant table and bought some brocade and suede. We ll see how it sews up. Can you machine quilt with a sheet as the backing?

Don't forget that there are shirts that are made by fabric designers....Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren etc....I love buying these at thrift store knowing that I am getting designer fabric

I have mentioned this before, but I thought I would remind all of you to check out the curtain section of the thrift store. I have found some brand new cotton toile curtains there, along with many other cotton fabrics. Of course some are obviously faded, but others were lined and very useable, others new. Some people like to change their décor often. :o)

Here is a quilt I recently finished. The blocks were made using mens' shirts that I bought at the SA.

I use sheets all the time for backings and sometimes even for blocks.

"Use the best quality quilting fabric that you can afford" By who's definition? I'm sure that the quilt I saw on The Antique Road show that was made out of cigar wrappers was the best quality quilt fabric she could find. It was appraised higher than any other quilt I've seen on the show. The antiques quilts we see today that hang in museums weren't washed as much as we wash and they aren't made with good quality quilting fabric. Again don't get me wrong I love designer fabric but to say only designer fabric quilts be the ones that last is simply Hogwash. I guess those Gee's Bend ladies worked with the top of the line fabrics also...HUH?

I wash everything I bring home that is washable, new or used (this includes cloth). All new items have sizing and who knows what else in it. Other countries do not have the laws against chemicals we do here. I wash everything used, not for dirt, but for bugs. Bed bugs cannot tolerate really hot or really cold. So somethings I put in the deep freeze for a few days. I only buy used furniture when the weather will be below freezing or really hot and clear, because nothing comes in before a sauna treatment, the longer the better.

Old Linen tablecloths make great dishtowels. No lint! I have some smaller ones I keep for cleaning eye glasses.

i've used many non-LQS fabrics in my quilts...sometimes the right color is not available on the cotton fabric shelf.

I like to use cotton men's shirts in my scrappy quilts.
I get some really great plaid ones all the time.
It's actually some of my favorite fabric.:)

I love this idea, but the Goodwill and Salvation Army near me have their shirts marked up too high. It is hard to find a bargain close to where I live. I Think when the "chain" thrift stores find out decorators, artists, crafters, quilters, etc. are trying to save money, they mark the good stuff up.

Please, ladies, wash it before you spend your time on it....especially since most of the garment industry has been outsourced...years ago i worked in a garment factory as an inspector...well, i found out the brown stains on the garments were from the [sacred]cows walking down the aisle in the factory....what i really found astonishing was the label of the company that was retailing these garments-- a "high end" retailer that is still in business today with way overpriced and over stated quality garments!!

The best quilt I had when growing up was made out of men's suits for the top, old wool blankets for the batting and flannel on the back. That was the warmest quilt to cuddle up in. It's over 50 years old now and my brother has it now and still cuddles up with it.

I shop at thrift stores in the linens department. I look for 100% cotton and hold it up to the light to make sure it's
not too thin. If I like the feel of the hand and it's a color I want, it comes home with me.

My great-grandmother had a rather large supply of calvary wool blankets (not sure why but it was around 1895) and she used them as batting in quilts. Those quilts were heavy - but oh, so warm. Not sure what happened to them - knowing my Grandmother, when the covers were warn she got rid of them. I still have one of the calvary blankets because my mom had taken it to college with her and kept it after she got married.

I'm in the middle of tying a quilt made from mens shirts I bought from the thrift store. It would have been difficult to find the variety if I had tried to purchase new fabric. This has worked out so well that I bought 3 shirts last week and again today.