I live in Northern CAlifornia and there is a wonderful couple who pick up all the designer samples from the show rooms in SF. They then get us together we sort and stack and have a free fabric days here once a month. The designer show rooms throw the old samples in the LAND FILL. I know there has been a group who is starting this on the east coast too. Perhaps there is someone who wants to check out your showrooms and see if you can do the same? The local area here throws between 2 and 3 TONS of fabric away every month. Imagine all the things you could make with that.. my stash is growing and growing.
Check out what they do and maybe you can inspire someone in your area too:
http://www.fabmo.org/fabmo/Home.html

The second listing is one that shows a piece of a quilt I made out of the scraps. Its the yellow Toile prints.. it was made completely with throw away fabric.

http://www.paloaltoonline.com/weekly...w.section2.pdf

Wow, this is a really, really awesome idea. I'm in SoCal, so your group is too far away from me for me to take advantage of it. But there are so many designer showrooms here in OC and LA -- it really seems like it would be possible to get something started down here. I'm going to do some more research, and talk to the folks at Fabmo and see what suggestions they have.

WOW!!! I wish that I lived closer to a big city!! How awesome for you and what a difference it makes for the environment, too :D :D :D

Wow! Thanks for posting I have never heard of this. Is it primarily home decorator fabrics or is there fabric suitable for quilting too?

There is everything from cottons to blends to silks.. some are small like only 8" square and some 1 yrd and a bunch are 3 yrd curtain sized panels. Its the fabric you would make curtains, couch covers, matching throw pillows etc. You know if you go into a store and you can take home a sample to see if you want to order it? I pick only the cottons some people go NUTS for the linens (I hate linen..awk.. IRONING!). If you check out what people are making on the website I posted you would be amazed. The variety is endless...plus with about 300 regulars who go to pick up fabric each month we bring in extra from projects we decided not to do, or fabric from project left over and soon there is a quilt fabric stash on the side also. I scored about 8 yards of holiday fabric (VIP) last time. Yahoo!!!

ps check out the quilt in the second website I sent, crazy quilt of toile fabric.. its all cotton from the throw away bin..

I just wanted to bump this up again, specifically to ask if anyone in SoCal (preferably OC or LA) is interested in helping me organize a local group. I've started a meetup group on meetup.com as well as on Craigslist, and people are slowly starting to join, but no one wants to help with initial planning ;) If you're interested, please send me a PM.

I would love to join, unfortunately, I'm a long way from you and there is no way I would be able to help. What a great idea though. Hope you get a lot of interest and help.

my sister and i are coming out to san francisco around march 15. how do you sign up for this and where do you find out the dates. thanks

I just sent a email to get an appointment for the Feb 5 event. Any tips for a first timer? I'm mostly looking for cottons for quilts or anything suitable for children's clothes.