Hi,

For some insane reason I am the proud owner of many many many large rubbermaid totes of high quality fleece scraps. I think I got them from a business because my quilting group was going to make quilts and donate them but never did.

I have all sizes, lengths, and colors. Any ideas what I could do with these? I want my totes and storage space back!

What about using them as backs for quilts? You would not need any batting because they are warm enough. You could also make a “scrap” blanket; if you have a serger and use a decorative thread it can make something beautiful; you do not mention the pieces sizes, what about some baby quilts? Some hospitals accept really small quilts to use on the maternity ward; some mothers loose their babies – fetus in reality – that are formed enough for mothers to hold them; instead of having the fetus wrapped in gauze or cotton, they can use something nicer; even 12”blocks with just a back can do; obviously they do not need batting... Hope you do not think of this as a cruel way to “talk” about such a sensitive subject because it is not my intention. But any 10” to 12” square of baby colors would do.
If I try, I probably can find a few more ideas…
Lucia

Ahhh! Quilt backs! I have a baby quilt front and have had the *worst* time basting it....maybe I just need to piece the pieces....thanks for the thought. I welcome any and all ideas! Keep thinking!

No - I do not think your idea about preemie blankets was insensitive. I had a good friend who lost twins at 4 months and had to go through that process....it would be a wonderful way to do something out of love.

"Preemie" is the word I was trying to remember. Sorry, but English is -- or trying to be -- my second language!
Glad I could help.
Lucia

Today is really cold in CT and I just thought of scarves; 12” or 10” by 60” are a great size; you only need the rotary cut to have strait edges and if you want to be fancy they can have fringe at the end by cutting 1/2” wide by 5” or 6”; or sew a square piece over the ends to make pockets to warm up cold hands. If you want something fancier cut the fringe ¼” wide and stretch it; you will make a curly fringe and they look really cute. Just be careful while you stretch it or it will come out. I am sure you can bring them to a shelter or soup kitchen. And at this time of the year, hats are a good thing for people going through chemo therapy. Carol Duval Show --HGTV.com-- has the instructions for an adorable red scarf that has at one end Santa’s face and at the other a pom-pom as the tip of Santa’s hat. Great gift for younger people; if you can not find it let me know and I will look for the address. I guess this is enough to keep you going until the containers are empty!
Good luck.
Lucia

i saw a really great idea at my local fabric store. they used the fleece as the back of a country quilt with the raw edges showing. it's stiched WITH the blocks - one step! start with fleece blocks slightly smaller than the front. they may need a little extra trimming after they're stitched, but that's easy enough. when the quilt is washed, the fleece disappears within the frayed edges. fast and easy!

Great idea. Thanks for sharing it.
Lucia

Hi Gr8ch4u:
Our quilt group helped make 1000 pull on hats out of fleece for our health dept. to give out to mom's who brought their babies in for their shots. These hats also went to Dr.'s offices so the babies and toddlers could have them when the doctor gave them their well baby shots. The hats were about 19 inch long by about 12 inches wide. Sew the short ends together, make a fold or cuff about 2 inches wide in the hat that will go around the face then pull the other side of the short end up and tie it off in a tassel or can cut the tails into floppy fringe. For the health dept. we had about 4 darts in the top of the the hats so the hats didn't have a tassel affair on top. They were very functional and cute. Best of all, easy and quick to make.

Our group also makes quilts for foster kids and the fleece does make wonderful, cuddly blankets. Some of the kids brought in are taken into care because their parents are running a meth lab in the house...the chemicals are so awful that they don't even take clothes out of the houses so the kids come into care with NOTHING! We had 3 that came in who were wearing nothing but diapers (2 kids) and I think one of the policemen took his t-shirt off for the other child to wear. Blankets, quilts, sweats, jammies are all needed. Contact your local Dept. Human Resources Welfare/Protective Services Division to see if they need any of these.

I make "hood-type" hats and muffler combination with 60 inch long, 12 inch wide fleece. Fold the fleece in half and right in the middle lengthwise, run a seam from the fold to the edge (short side or width) on ONLY HALF of the muffler. That seam makes the "hood" put it on your head and wrap the tail of the left side around your neck to the right side, the right side to the left side. This is a GREAT headcover for beach walking or walking in the wind and rain as the back of the muffler keeps the rain off your neck while the front top of the muffler (which is the hood part) covers your head.

I also have made LOTS of pairs of slippers with fleece and the white non-skid traction fabric for the soles. Great gifts, easy and fun to make. There is a pattern for these that I'll attache. I saved it from my old computer in Corel 8 Word Perfect. I hope you can open it.

Good luck...we're almost neighbors
Keep on Sewing, Quilting and creating!
Randy

Lets try this again...I managed to send you 2 copies of page 3 of the fleece slipper pattern and no page 1. Here is page 1.

This pattern came from a book I bought through Rondell Press or some other book club about 30 years ago. Don't know where the book is or who to give credit to for the pattern anymore. Randy

My SIL makes large blankets or throws with big pieces of fleece. She cuts all the way around two big pieces and ties them together. Use two different patterns for reverse...no need to quilt it, either.
You could sew several squares together to make the larger pieces....??

Also...you could sew several squares together for scarves. You could leave a larger seam allowance where each square is sewn together and fringe it after sewing.
Fringe the ends.

I read on here, but cannot remember the name of the quilt. Was it scrap quilt, fringe quilt, fray quilt??? You could use the fleece for the squares and I think it would be absolutely amazing!!!!!!!