Using Up the UGLIES
 

I've been trying to use up all of my ugly fabrics by making scrappy, vintage looking quilts. I just finished a top, using the lover's knot pattern, which has a 1920s, "camp" look to it. It's so ugly, it kinda cute...great for snuggling at the cabin. How do you use up your "uglies?"

~ Cindy

I want to see it. I use mine up in a crazy quilt. I got a box going right now waitng for me to get in gear and put it together.

I have put a few into my braid quilt that's nearly quilted. Mostly if I fall out of love with a fabric, I give it away.

I'll post it when I'm done putting on the back and plaid binding. I'm gonna tie this quilt with long ties to add visual interest.

~ C

Scrap quilts are a great way to use up fabrics that are not your favourites. Bonnie Hunter says, there aren't any ugly fabrics, you just have to cut them small enough.:D

If it's colors I like but just a "bad" pattern I chop it up for scraps.

If it's something I look at and there's nothing about it I appreciate, I set it aside to donate to the guild's annual fabric sale. It's a good thing that people's taste varies so widely!

I put mine in bindings, you're only seeing 3/8" wide

Bonnie Hunter says if you think a fabric is ugly it's because you haven't cut it small enough.

I just don't buy ugly fabric?

Really, the solution is crazy quilts. If it is truly that awful, cover it with another piece of fabric and some fancy stitchin'.

tim in san jose

I recently used one of mine for a backing on a lap quilt and the binding was from another ugly. Turned out cute.

They're just little ugly duckling getting ready to turn into swans! I have some real uglies that I'm working into cat quilt for my DGD. One actually looks almost like her "Nala" who passed a few years ago. You ca turn them into appliques also.

I like bear paw quilts, so I cut the uglies into bear claws. If it's the right color, it blends in and looks great

I cut mine up into 5" squares and use them in Pat Speth's Nickel Quilts. She has patterns and books on her website. You would be amazed how great your "uglies" turn out in one of her scrappy quilts. Her patterns are so fun and easy.

Bonnie Hunter says " cut 'em small". Amazing how those not so pretty fabrics blend in that way.

I too donate fabric that I know I will never use. There is someone out there that will be delighted with finding the fabric I donated.

Here is a scrappy quilt I made. I hated it when I made it. I folded it up, put it away. When I got it out a year later, I loved it.

OR another of her favorite things: "Did you turn it over and look at the back of it - maybe you could use that!" :-)

Marysewfun

True. Here's a pineapple I made with some REALLY ugly fabrics. The logs finished at 1" wide. It turned out gorgeous!

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I am always amazed that what is "ugly" to one person is not for another. So, I believe anything goes.....Scrappy is a wonderful way to use up something you hate! Just remember that someone will love it! Makes it go a lot easier......

Right now I'm working on Scrappy Trips blocks from Bonnie Hunter and intentionally pulled ugly fabric from my stash. Otherwise I knew I would never use it.

Here's an example:


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Jane

Once I think it's ugly ,it usually stays ugly. However, I am sewing together some 2" squares into an eventual scrappy quilty-something-or-other (not sure yet what it will be). Some of them I KNOW I wouldn't choose but since they were given to me that size, I'm adventuring with them as "leaders and enders" so far. But if I have fabric I don't like any more, or am bored with, or can't see ever using, out it goes. If it doesn't bring me up, I don't want it taking up valuable real estate.

There's ugly fabric????

Dog and cat beds/pads for the local shelter. They doggies and kitties do not mind. Potholders, too.

If ugly with "weird" pattern, great for FMQ practice.

That is an amazing quilt! Thanks for sharing!

I cut mine up and put them into the new mystery quilt

I agree with Bonnie Hunter. There is no such thing, but the ones I am not thrilled with I put into scrappy quilts for fun. They always look better when done up.

Brat just closed a side swap of ugly fabric, it went with the March Fat-q swap. I'm curious how it will turn out. So far it's really entertaining.

Nice "ugly fabric quilts" shown here are proof that value, colors, patterns certainly make for "beautiful quilts."

A wise person once said " If your fabric is ugly, you just haven't cut the pieces small enough yet!". I am a believer.

You could always offer it here for the price of postage, or add it to a SS box to share it. That is how I remove any "so done with" fabrics. I just can't throw away useable fabric. I am almost ready to offer another scrap box for postage.....

I plan to remember this...thank you :)

Judy in Phx, AZ

Peggy, that quilt turned out down right adorable! I love the colors!

~ Cindy

I so love this! Beautiful job! A pineapple quilt is definitely on my list and I now have a LOT of ugly scraps to work with. This might be my next project.
~ C

The colors on this are so sweet and pretty! I love it!

Thanks everyone for sharing your pix. They're truly inspiring! My quilt is still ugly, but kinda cute and quaint in its own way. I guess I should have used smaller pieces, but I just wanted to get some of those Gawd awful fabrics out of my stash and into a quilt. It also reminds me of a quilt that we had when my kids were growing up. They fought over that, "TV," quilt all the time. I think that they're gonna like this one.

~ C

I like to think there is no such thing as 'ugly' but a lack of imagination on my part.

To me, ugly fabric is fabric that hasn't been made into a beautiful quilt.

I've just taken some of my strips and made them into strip blocks. I will do some square in a square type blocks with my 2 1/4 and 2 1/2 strips. I also have plans for the 2, 2 1/4 and 2 1/2 squares. Hope to get some of my scraps taken care of before starting over and cutting into yardage. I am amazed at how small of a dent the fabric for a quilt top actually takes.

I cut mine into strips and use for locker hooking, crocheting, rugs, etc.
Or for charity quilts.

There is one piece I inherited from my mother so it dates to late 50's/early 60's - it is so ugly I keep it because it makes me giggle and is a tie to Mom!

Wow - I just looked at the pineapple quilt and the scrappy trails quilt - new ideas for my "uglies"!

uglies seem to give scrap quilts some spark.