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!!!!!!!

OH, yes! I found the directions for the quilt I was talking about. If you look at the instructions you will understand better what I was saying...or TRYING to say!


http://quilting.about.com/od/quiltpatternsprojects/ss/rag_quilt.htm

Randy, it may just be me but I couldn't open the file. I would really like to try the slippers, any suggestions?

Kathy

I cannot open the file either. My windows “want” to know what type of program is it. Nosy… :twisted: :twisted:
Computers! Cannot live with them … cannot live without them! :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:
Lucia

yes, I tried adobe because that usually works

Hi Guys:
I'm not too computer savvy so I can't tell you how to open the slipper file. I think I must have scanned it into my computer and saved it. (I just went through my quilt guild files and found the pattern that was indeed xerox'd from what looks like one of those freeby leaflet instructions that you get in fabric stores. I don't know what program it might have been saved in. I'm STILL trying to re-locate it on my new/old computers. I'll keep looking and if I come up with what program I'll let you all know. I do have several graphic programs which I normally use alot...Print Shop Deluxe, American Greeting Card Create-a-card Plus 3 graphic programs and Corel 8 Word Perfect programs and I've have Adobe, too. MAYBE SOME OF OUR CREATIVE QUILTERS WHO ARE ALSO COMPUTER LITERATE CAN TELL ALL OF US HOW THIS PROGRAM MIGHT BE OPENED. I'm sorry for the confusion? The other alternative is I can type out all the instructions and post it but you wouldn't have the pictures or diagrams.

Sorry,
Randy

Randy, do you have a scanner? Maybe you can print, scan,and upload on here?

Hi Kathy:
Thanks for the suggestion...I'll go to work on that right now. Hopefully I'll have that done and posted in a few minutes...pray that it'll work. Randy

OK Everyone...here is another stab at getting you the instructions for the Fleece slippers. They are saved in JPEG. I really hope everyone can open the files this time. Thank you, Kathy for your suggestion on how to get them re-copied, scanned and uploaded in JPEG. Randy

I make preemie blankets for the "nic U" in a local hospital. The fleece makes a nice backing. The blankets only need to be 15x18. A lot of these babies go home to nothing except these blankets.

Judyjo

when I tried to download the last one, which should be the first page, it says it is a Corel WordPerfect Document. Says it is a word processing document.
I don't have the Corel WordPerfect, as many of you do not.

It says software and information available at Corel WordPerfect.
Maybe you can download it there.
HTH!

Hi Buttercreamcakeartist:
Interesting name...bet you make cakes, too. I tried that and loved it but didn't think I was good enough to give up my day job to do cakes!

I re-sent the slipper pattern in a JPEG format. I think it's downloadable now. Yes, I know Corel is a dead computer language but it's the only program I ever learned to operate so I'm resistent to let it go.

Merry Christmas! Randy

Randy,
Yes, I do make cakes! LOL! I'm pretty good at it! ;) I just make them in my "spare" time, really. I made my first wedding cake just last month!!!!!!!! The wedding cake was for my BIL and SIL. It was time-consuming!!!!!!!!

I was going to suggest printing the document, scanning, then uploading it, but by the time I came back in today, it was already done and uploaded! Awesome! Thanks to you and all the ppl that helped on that one. I love this idea, and my mom will go crazy over it.

Happy Holidays to all!

Hello All--I'm new to the forum but have thoroughly enjoyed all the tips and help that you ladies give. I have a daughter who works in Neo-Natal unit at the local hospital and she says they like the fleece blankets to put under the preemies for warmth. No tying--and about a yd. square. About all you would have to add is a binding if you want. Be sure to wash before you donate although they will probably be rewashed and sanitised.

I tried opening the fleece slipper pattern, but couldn't either. You need the "Corel Word Perfect" program from what my computer is telling me. Oh, well, I was just curious what it was like, cause I already make fleece socks to sell at my craft shows.

The procedure to convert WordPerfect to Word is pretty simple – you change the file association like this:
Download WP File
Right click on icon
Choose - PROPERTIES (Last on menu list)
Under type of file, you will see OPENS WITH, and a button that says CHANGE
Click on the CHANGE button and choose Word. I usually open the file, and then do a SAVE AS to make sure it is on my system as a Word doc.

Give me a little time and I will upload the Word files. This really looks easy to make!

Here they are as Word files

randy,
i use both corel and microsoft and can assure you that if you know one, you can use the other. word functions pretty much the same, but corel has some features that make more sense. they used to be able to read and save either file, but as i've had both for the past ...well, let's not go there! in any case, i'm not sure if they can still read the other file. (obviously not if she couldn't open the file.) but if you have a problem in the future, i can convert a file for you.
kdt

Triciasquilt:
The first download was in Corel but I later (in Dec) downloaded in JPEG program so try again as I think you can probably get the directions for the fleece slippers now.

Randy

77Mercedes:
thank you for the offer. I will take you up on it as needed. I'm so far removed from computer "geekdom" that I can't believe it. I struggle but somehow manage to get things done by hook or crook!

Randy

Randy, Thanks for letting me know. I will try again.

Tricia

I opened it using Word Perfect.

This may not be just exactly what you are looking for, and if you have a large amount of fleece, I'm sure you wouldn't want to use it all this way but, I have discovered an awesome way to use up small scraps of fleece. I have two dogs and thus lots of hair to contend with at certain times of the year. I have found that if you attach a piece of fleece to your Swiffer, it makes the best duster I've ever used! I also make fleece mits to dust with. They work great for those times when you are just doing a quickie dust and the dust clings to them like a magnet!!

These are completely recycleable, just shake them out a bit and toss them in the washer. You save money, reduce waste, they do a great job!

LadyB