I don't know about you, but quilting has brought out the most frugal part of myself. I've begun to hoard things related to sewing and I'm about to turn my sewing room into a "path room" with all this stuff. Anyway . . . I read something recently that will help me to get rid of my little crumbs, tiny slivers of fabric that I cut off the edges of yardage, and my thread throw-aways.

I can't remember where I heard about this, and so I apologize if it was here and I'm double posting. I got a hanging moss pot at Home Depot to save this stuff in all year. Then in spring, I'll hang it out under one of the big trees and let the birdies knock themselves out. I throw my thread into empty kleenex boxes and when I clean them out, I just cut through the tangle of thread with my scissors to shorten things up and then toss them into the basket. Can't wait to see how they'll like it.

http://www.thepracticalherbalist.com...al-basket.html

I'm going to post pictures on my blog if you want to see what I'm talking about. Not there yet, but later today.

Neat idea. Thanks for sharing it.

I LOVE YOUR IDEA!! We love watching "our birds"!

I try to cut my thread into short lengths so that in case the birds swallow it that it won't get stuck in their guts.

I wonder if this is necessary?

Wow !! I love this idea!! Im gonna set some out hopefully they can insulate their nests for the winter...

Great idea! I put out snips of my (natural fiber) yarn leftovers and they disappear FAST. I just "sprinkle" them under some azaleas in my side yard (because I see birds picking at the ground there all the time-there must be some good bugs!). I like the idea of the basket--especially where I could watch!

I love to go out and see my birdhouses full of my b pretty threads. I use a lot of varigated so colorful. My DH loves to build me bird houses of all kinds so there are plenty hanging around here. Love the country.

I read somewhere that a gal used the lint from her dryer for the birds as well. Sounded like a great idea to me.
Also I don't think that the birds will swallow the threads that you leave out for them, no matter how long they are. Since they are looking for nesting material and not feeding, they'll know the difference. :D
:XD:

The article says to cut things into three-inch lengths. I'm cutting them a little shorter, just to be sure. I just take the wad of thread and cut, cut, cut. No measuring required. Kind of like chopping vegetables.

Yes, I'm putting my dryer lint in there as well. Different materials for different birds.

That is a great idea, but I could not do that, as I have to many wild cats around here, of course I make sure they get food, I just can't stand to see something or someone go hungry. thank you and God bless.

Great idea for the fabric bits, but be careful with the length of thread. I never thought about the danger to birds, until once I saw a little house finch hanging from a tree branch. It must have been trying to weave it into its nest and it got wrapped around its neck. The poor thing strangled. :cry:

I love that idea. Need to start doing that here.

The website says to clip your threads to 3" in length so they don't harm the birds.

Yes, please do cut the thread into short lengths. I have zebra finches, and it's soooo easy for them to get thread wrapped around their tiny feet. I used to give them tiny fabric scraps for their nests, which they LOVED, but I stopped giving it to them the day one's toenail got hung up in the threads. Luckily it managed to free itself, but I was >thisclose< to having to capture it and untangle its foot. :shock:

What a brilliant idea - thank you

Yes it is necessary, not because it may get stuck in their gut, they don't swallow it, they carry it in their beaks, but because if it's too long their feet get tangled in it, and baby cbirds especially, often lose toes and feet. Thus affecting their survival rate.

Very good idea!

we used to have a cotton hammock outside and the chickadees would pull tufts out for their nests, cute.

Birds really are such industrious little critters, and looking at how perfectly formed their nests are always fills me with awe. How can they do that without hands?

My male zebra finches work sooo hard on every little scrap of nesting material that I give them. They'll put it in the nest box "just so", and then a few minutes later, they'll come back and rearrange it. Sometimes the male will put it where HE wants it, then the female will come along and move it to where SHE wants it. It's hilarious and amazing to watch. :lol:

I used to have finches. I had two owl finches, two Gouldians, two strawberries, and two that were sort of tan with a pink breast and red beak. I never did learn the variety. Our Gouldians actually raised a clutch. They both had red heads, but their clutch of three birds each ended up with a different color head: red, copper, and black. So interesting. They were fun. When we moved, we gave them away. We were tired of cleaning their big flight cage.

I used to do that, but later read that the materials for their nests should be waterproof so they stay dry when it rains.. I was worried I was doing them a disservice.. Guess I should do some more research as I generate lots of snippits and would love to see them put to good use.

I use a mesh onion bag to put mine in. I save my little snippets of thread and fabric, then chop it into little pieces and drop into the bag. Hang it under my deck so I can see them come and go. Don't include anything that has fabric softener in it, not good for the little ones.

I love the idea of the onion bag. That way, you can hang it out in a tree and the birds can just pick out what they want. It's a new item on my "to do" list.

Oh my goodness I love it ,I do hate to throw anything away ,sometimes I worry about myself, but now I wont!!

Thankyou!

Rae

what a wonderful idea. I did toss out some string this past spring and it dissappeared, but I like "your" idea better. Thank you for sharing.

Great idea - I will start collecting

Another great use for leftover or scraps is to collect them in an old sturdy pillow case sew the top closed and take to the local animal shelter. They are able to use them for beds, all sizes are needed. This works well with scraps of batting also. :-D

Check with your local quilt store, mine makes beds for the shelter and they have a box where you can donate scraps. I have a bag next to my machine and once its filled, I will take it in.

Awesome ideas ladies :thumbup:

Great idea. I have a feeling I'll have plenty to do both.

That's a great idea. An onion bag would be perfect. I suppose I can put the onion bag in my basket and do it that way.

Hm. I wonder about that. I'm sure birds pick up feathers and stuff they find on the ground. I doubt everything they put in their nests is waterproof. Maybe that's the solution. If they're using sticks and other stuff, a few threads shouldn't weaken the nest.

I took a behavioral psychology class in college. I learned about a certain variety of bird where the male builds a sort of house to impress the females. They've been known to use the tops of Bic pens. And if the female comes along and doesn't like the house, she tears it apart. So there!

I think the females of many varieties of birds choose their mates depending on how well they build their nest. A lot of energy goes into producing an egg and a chick. She wants a good man. Don't we all?

- BEWARE - the thin threads can get tangled around the birds feet. There is nothing worst than to see a suffering bird hopping around on one foot because the other was so swollen from being tangled with thread. I am sure she didn't live much longer. Scraps of fabric can do the same thing. One inch yarn pieces would be better than the thin threads from fabric or sewing thread.

I also make all my scraps & batting scraps into dog/cat beds for the animal shelter. And of course I also make many scrap quilts for family/friends/charity, scrap quilts are my favorite.

What a fantastic idea! We have so many birds each year. This will surely help them out. ( They don't seem to like the dog hair! lol )

I have made beds for my dogs like this, and they seem to like them. I made a pillow to sit on at my computer chair, too. MUCH cheaper than fiberfill.

I had some old towels and blankets suitable for an animal shelter, but where I live is far from any shelter. Someone suggested an animal hospital, and sure enough they were glad to get them.
Hate to throw anything away!! esp. if someone, somewhere, can use it.

Love this idea! I'll hang one right outside my classroom this spring so the kids can watch! And I'll cut my threads short - or let the kids do it!