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-   -   What do you do with hideous ugly polyester fabric from 1970s??? (https://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1/what-do-you-do-hideous-ugly-polyester-fabric-1970s-t195913.html)

CanoePam 07-27-2012 12:26 PM

I agree with ckcowl about using it for quilts for homeless people. Our church made a bunch of them, and the homeless shelter said they were great. They stand up to harsh environments and yet wash well. Being polyester, they also keep their warmth when wet as long as you use a polyester batt too. They don't have to be pretty, just big pieces.

Pam

Tink's Mom 07-27-2012 12:34 PM

Make some donation quilts...

ptquilts 07-27-2012 01:29 PM


Originally Posted by karen924 (Post 5398893)
Cut it into strips and braid it into a rug for your sewing area. My Mom made a few of them back in the day. The polys are indestructible and wash well. Sorry its not a quilty answer, but that's what I'd do.

We have done this with a lot of poly. Also DH made a garden quilt to cover the frost-sensitive vegs when frost is expected in the fall.
never used any for quilting.

I bet it would be great for pet beds though.

Tartan 07-27-2012 01:51 PM

There are people who can use the fabric if you don't want it. Donate it to the Charity store of your choice. I made my kids poly cotton quilts back in the 70's and they got loved to death. They washed up well, kept their colours and lasted. As long as you put like materials together, you won't have any problems.
You could also make them into pet beds for the shelters. The clothesline fabric bowls are another use for fabric of questionable content. I made a nice basket out of a Rayon blend. You could cut it into strips for crochet rugs and shopping bags. As you can see...lots of things to use it for.

Gramie bj 07-27-2012 01:55 PM

I have used it cut into 41/2 squares and piece randum colors, backing old jeans, no batting, tied with light weight yarn. have had them in trunk of cars, behind truck seats. used for picknick, change tires, laying on under truck for road side repairs, kids naped on them under pine trees, wraped sick pets in on trip to vet, dogs layed on them on the way home from a swim in the ocean, even used one night when a cow gave birth and died shortly after, kept calf safe and dry on the trip to his foster mom. They are indistructable!! Had to retie one but fabric is still going strong!

starshine 07-27-2012 02:19 PM

I had an idea once, that if I could find enough polyester...I thought I would make some lap quilts or robes for the elderly in assisted living facilities. They would hold in the body heat and be light weight, and very durable for the way things get washed in a facility, or if there are family members doing laundry it would stand up to frequent washing and drying.

One design idea I had was to make squares-two squares sewn together leaving an opening, turn inside out, stuff, stitch closed. And sew the squares together like a biscuit quilt. You could even use left over batting to stuff-even thin strips clipped off that are too narrow or small for anything else could be used to stuff.

Cybrarian 07-27-2012 02:19 PM

If someone makes dog beds for shelters seems the poly would be great, wears like iron and I'm sure it will never die! Since anything that goes out into cyberspace lives forever; I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to the archiologists in 3012: "No we don't know what we were thinking in the 1970's, please we beg you, don't let History repeat itself! You, over in the corner, put down that mirror ball!"

starshine 07-27-2012 02:34 PM

Lots of good ideas here --read through the rest of the posts after I posted. Hey if you don't want it want to send it to me?

bluteddi 07-27-2012 02:37 PM

while it is not my favorite for my personal quilts, it's suprising how many of my Veterans love polyester/double knit... so I do use it for quilts for them and I use it as " batting"
it might work for " bowls"

quiltinmom 07-27-2012 02:49 PM

Have you thought of using it in a jean quilt? Some of them would look good (from what I can tell in the pic) with checkerboarded with jean fabric. I dont' know if that has already been suggested....good luck!


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