I've been watching some youtube videos and I want to try this bc I have so many scraps. My grandmaw gave me 4 big boxes of fabric and scraps. I'm wondering does it have to be all the same material? I'm mainly using cotton. But you know there's the material I buy and it seems kinda hard, and then there's the kind a shirt is made out of, and it says 100% cotton but is so soft. Whats the difference? And can I use these 2? I have lots of old shirts I'd like to use, but they are alot softer than the other material. Does that make sense?

That's the joy of scrappy - you can use whatever you want..

100% cotton doesnt meen they all have the same thread count. If you still dont understand, go to bed bath and beyond and find a 250 thread count sheet and a 800 thread count sheet, then you'll understand. The higher the number the softer the sheet.

O Ok I see. I've always wondered about that. Yea I understand about the thread count. The lower thread count gets those balls on my sheet when I wash them. Thanks for clearing that up for me, I've wondered about that a lot. I have silk scraps too I might use in it.

just consider how they will all wash when you mix different fabrics together.

No it does not have to be all the same material but good if it is.

I love to do scrappy's and just take pieces and start sewing in all directions. I've done about 5 tops so far and now venturing into sewing scraps and using them in rag quilts. As a matter of fact I'm doing one now and it is turning out very nice.

I also went through my trash bags full of scraps yesterday and I'm going to sew them together and than cut them to size to make fabric goodie bags, pillows and more.

I've also been accumalating colorful fabric pieces to make a crazy quilt or some such crazy thingie one day.

Just do what you want. I love scrappys.

Our Prayer Quilt Group at church uses donated fabric. Our favorite is the Roman Stripe quilt pattern. Or just a 12" muslin block with various 1-1/2 to 2 inch strips sewn diagonally on the muslin. Even up the edges - - put a backing on - - no batting requited. We tie our quilts.

I always thought "how nice it would be to be able to afford 700 thread count sheets" well one day there was a great sale. I got my 700 thread count sheets. Ohhhhhh how soft and comfy.......... for about one year!!!! They ripped so easy because the threads have to be so thin to get the 700 threads in an inch. Doesn't help that my husband sleeps like an alligator in a death roll. My very expensive sheets are now very expensive pillow cases. Give anything you want to use a good stress test first.

I can't stop laughing!

Jen, Have a look around Bonnie Hunter's site. She has lots of tips (on the left side I think) and free patterns links along the right side of her site. I have her books and she is one of the Queens of Scrap!

http://www.quiltville.com/

Scrap quilts and I go together really good. Sometimes I make up my own piecing and do not worry about color placement. (I try to make sure I have red and neutrals in it) Bonnie Hunter has an excellent site, that shows bunches of scrap quilts

Yes -- use what you want......BUT, realize it will be washed!!! My grandmother knitted an afghan in a scrappy pattern and used wool in with the acrylics. The wool shrunk and nothing else did!!!!

Sarah, You and I must have been on the same page, as we both posted about Bonnie Hunter at around the same time!


Oh, and I have son named Connor..who was going to be Sarah because we were told he was a girl!

Not only is thread count a reason for softness/ stiffness, but if it hasn't been washed, it often has sizing on the fabric to make it crisp...not sure why they do this. If you are not sure exactly what you have, why not wash it all first and get the shrinking out of the equation, then you should be just fine :thumbup:

If you do mix up fabrics, I would wash everything first, if possible.

Excellent advice!

Thanks everyone for all the great tips