Holice

There is one source that I know of but the fabric might not be what one is looking for. There is a factory down in the upper part of Alabama. Name of the company is Hise (I believe) They have cuttings from medeical clothing, mostly scrubs. Lots of prints and colors. Last time I bought it was about 50 cents a pound and the pieces were suitable for quilting. Smallest was about 4" square and then strips. You can search on the net and locate them. They are in north east Alabama and do ship.

grandma anna

What great ideas I had not used any of these things yet but I will now. Thanks for the tips.

catmcclure

There is one way of testing fabric that isn't labeled. If you can pull several threads from a seam or clip a tiny piece of fabric you can set it on fire with a match. Pure cotton will burn to ash leaving nothing behind. So will silk and wool. Any synthetic will leave a small ball of residue. I have found several large (5 yards or more) pieces of fabric in thrift stores. I always check it this way if it isn't marked.

CarrieAnne

Thanks for all the ideas. I hardly go to our GW, its a new one and its expensive, but we have a small thrift store here, where I find all kinds of quilting magazines, and sometimes books. I love rummage sales for the clothes, cant wait for Summer to get here.

jaciqltznok

I rarely go to our SA and we have no GW, but yesterday I went to the SA to check their prices. We have 2 privately owned thrift stores and one of them has done away with their bargain area. They used to take the oldest stuff and for the final discount (goes down each week) they would put them at $.25,,they stopped that...and their NEW prices are nearly double what they used to be. Seriously a 1970's style wool plaid skirt for $11.00???? They need a wake up call!

Anyway, the SA prices were also crazy! cotton shirts were at $5.00! Sweaters were at $5.00, jeans were $8.00!

It is no wonder peeople around here are chomping at the bit waiting for warm weather and yard sales! Man..we are a rural community with a vast majority of low income families...

OH, and furniture...brings in stupid USED prices...

ejudy

jaciqltznok, I love to repurpose also. What are your garden planting pots? I'm looking for ideas for our District Garden Club Convention to use for favors and/or table decorations. These sound interesting.

jaciqltznok

lately I have seen a lot of these "smart pots", "wonder pots", etc, that use a landscaping type fabric to make a pot to plant in. On one of my homestead sites they show how to plant in a bale of hay, old burlap bags and even right in the potting soil bag...soooo
I am taking denim skirts, using fabric selvages to tie up the bottom to make it more round, and will be planting potatoes in them!
I figure if you can container garden potatoes, why can't the container be out of recycled item that is easy to clean out and store at the end of the season?

damaquilts

I bought holiday scrub tops from a thrift store to make scarves for the dogs in the human society does that count?
I am not a scrappy quilt person , I love them, just don't like making them.

jaciqltznok

anytime you can something used and use it in something new, you have repurposed/recycled it!
Great idea by the way!

Lucymae

The people who lived through the depression and WW2 could tell us alot about re-purposing! My mother's favorite phrase was" make do".

I would love to see a tute. on making rugs. :)