What do you do with a quilt top you don't want to finish?
 

As part of a challenge, I was given a bag of fabric to make a twin sized quilt top. Some of the fabric was cotton and some polyester. I finished the top but have no desire to spend any more time or my own money on it. I don't really want to throw it in the trash, don't feel anyone would want to buy it since it has polyester in it, and don't know what to do with it. Any ideas?

Fold it in half, put some batting in, tie it, and give it away as a lap quilt.

I have one like that, I backed it with flannel and use it as a bed runner for our little doggies to sleep on.

Some church guilds accept donated tops, which they then finish and donate.

many senior quilting groups appreciate donated tops

You could conduct experiments upon it. Use new threads in quilting it and then wash repeatedly to test how they hold up in comparison to your tried and true fibers. Do experimental stitching designs on it to practice. When you're done, back it with a durable substance, bind it quickly, and call it a picnic quilt, or a dog quilt, or your emergency supplies in case of this apparent trend of zombie population that the young speak of so continuously. Or you could just leave it on a park bench somewhere as a random act of art and see what happens. I sometimes find that to be a wonderfully amusing solution to the unloved creations -- but then I live adjoining a large park and can espy the outcomes.

Just donate the top. Most organizations will take fabric, tops, anything. Either give it to a guild member or check out the senior center in your town.

Great idea! I've got a practice sandwich that I've used for practicing meandering and it's just about used up. I could wrap this around it and have a whole new practice piece. Thanks!

Post it as a freebie on Craig's List. I'd almost guarantee you that someone will want it.

Drop it off at Goodwill.

I've got a quilt top that I made for my Aunt but I absolutely hate it, and will definitely make her a different one. It's been sat around for ages and I wanted to try a different method of basting (pin basting on a table, I usually spray baste on the floor, but it requires me to remove all the furniture from the living room!) so I experimented with the horrible quilt top! I think I'm also going to practice FMQ on it. I recently bought the book by Leah Day of her 365 FMQ designs, so I might just do a load of different designs and see what happens! It won't look pretty, but at least it will give me practice, so it won't be completely wasted!

Someone will love it. Donate to a guild or goodwill. Maybe someone here will want to finish it.

I'm loosely connected to a quilt group that would love this quilt top. They make quilts for the homeless, for firefighters to carry with then, etc. They don't care about the fabric being 100% cotton. Ask around. I'll bet there is a similar group in your area.

I know that my grandma uses her leftover polyester fabrics in charity quilts. I've actually got a couple that she gave me for my car. She insisted I take them when she found out I didn't have a blanket in my car one winter. So polyester is pleant appreciated.

I love the 'experiments' idea! Frankenquilt it !! :)

Donate it to a church or a senior center group or maybe a guild that will finish it for charity. There is a charity that takes tops, blocks or fabrics. Provides quilts of comfort to people who have had experience a disaster such as floods, tornado, hurricane or fire in the US. That is where my quilts and UFOs will go when I am dead.

Quilts of Compassion
PO Box 350296
Toledo OH 43635


Janice Grimes
[email protected]

You could cut it up into squares and make practice/test panels for FMQ'ing

I don't want you to feel discouraged but I have a number of quilts that I have "abandoned" in various stages of work. If I do not finish them, I figure someone else will. I do not stress about it any more.

In these trying times, with so many homeless people, I would finish it and donate it to a homeless shelter or a battered women's shelter. There are so many people who would welcome that quilt as a way to keep warm. Especially if this coming winter is as bad as the predictions. JMHO

I agree, do not finish it, don't throw it away but donate it.

I think we have all made a top we weren't thrilled with but it will mean a lot to someone who doesn't have much perhaps a homeless person. Winter is coming.

Love the park bench idea. Wonder how long I would have to lurk nearby before someone claimed it?

Donate it to a homeless shelter

Fold it up and put it away for a while. The day will come when you need something to work on and your a pull this out. If you still don't like it, finish it by tieing and give it away. Someone in a nursing home near you would love to have it.

That is exactly what I do -- Goodwill

our senior center also takes donated tops they finish and have several different places to donate too

Donate it to a quilting group to finish and give away.

I put an unfinished quilt I just hated doing on a small antique table in my kitchen and covered with a plastic cover so it won't get dirty when I'm working on the table.

Why not take it to a cancer center to be used by chemo patients, or to a dialysis center at a hospital for those taking treatments. Hospital centers would most likely welcome it with open arms and it would get used.

I, too, love the park bench idea. You could leave a small note on it saying it is for someone needing warmth and cuddles. That would make the person who takes it feel better, and not like they stole something.

Our church Sewing Circle uses all types of discarded blankets an makes them into "Ugly Sleeping Bags" for the homeless. There is a pattern online. You could use it for that after you have the fun of FMQ it.

Donate the top to a thrift store, someone will buy it.

Donate it to a church group that quilts. They will appreciate it and it will be finished for a worthwhile cause. Around here the Lutheran Church makes quilts for "Lutherdale" a place for children.

I'm really curious. I would love to see a picture of this quilt top.

I would finish it and use it in the car as a utility quilt.

I have one of these. It's a snails trail where the snails didn't line up, so I did something else with it that I still don't quite like and yes I don't feel like investing a batting and more fabric for the back. Don't we all have something like this if we have been quilting for a while? I've decided it matters very little what I decide to do with it.

Woman's she lter would use it sure it would take a lot of wear and tear being polyester

Give it to someone that can practice their FMQ on.

Im doing one like that now and will show it on here soon,,,, as to what I should do with it..

Use it as a quilt back?

Please give it to a church or another charity. Someone in either group can finish up the top. We have a charity who makes quilts for foster children. Sometimes that is all they have to call their own. It wouldn't matter if it is not all cotton.