I know that many of you will shudder at this, but last night while walking our dogs my husband and I passed by a house with a big pile of stuff set out for the trash pick up today. There were two large fabric sample books -- complete with handles. I couldn't resist. Like I need more fabric -- NOT! They will make really terrific scrap quilts. I can't wait!

Fabric sample books make great purses, totes and placemats! As well as fussy cutting for applique'! What a great 'recyclist' you are!

That is just too much fun. Great find!!

Sounds like something I would have done. :-) I can't pass up a good deal especially free.

I would have done the same thing! My sister even stopped the car and took stuff out of other people's trash.

Once I get everything snipped out, into the washing machine they go! I love dog walking on that block. Last year I found a BRAND NEW Food Saver with several rolls of bags. The lady who lives there was a food editor who got all sorts of samples. Lucky me!

I LOVE curb side shopping!!!!! My Husband doesn't quite 'get ' it...
Great find you got! I used to work w/ a group of Designers & took as many sample books as I could store.. I have the nicest looking shopping bags in my area, my greyhound has custom blankets & a coat made from them. I used the fancies for Christmas stockings, applique,heavy weight ground quilts for picnics.. throw pillow covers when I wanted a change.... Atta Girl!

I would not have been able to leave them either. Great find!! Love the living green/recycle :thumbup:

I agree with Lori. Less for landfills gets my vote!!
Have fun with them :D:D

Well, they had handles, I don't know how you could have resisted... I love sample books. All the fabric is color matched or coordinated in some fashion making crafting with them easier. I got a heavy duty staple remover like this one. Makes it easier and safer to remove staples than trying to use a screwdriver. Also, I try to remove the paper backing by just peeling it off, but if I get one that's hard to remove, I just microwave it for JUST A FEW SECONDS. Usually comes right off.

What fun you're gonna have with all those coordinates! :D
Waste not, want not ... :mrgreen:

Lucky you!

Great find!!

Great Find!!!!!

Wow! What a find! "One man's trash is another's treasure!"

:thumbup: :thumbup:

years ago I went to a decorating store and asked if they had outdated sample books. They were more than willing to give them away. Good find for you.

I just looked through the second one and it is full of the most gorgeous damasks. I am sooooo excited! And to make matters worse ... in terms of too much fabric ... I just responded to a posting on Freecycle ... a quilter is clearing out her stash and offered two huge boxes of fabric. My son is picking it up now. I can't wait to see what's in it!

The one who dies with the biggest stash .... while I hope I don't die soon, I think I'd be the winner.

My favorite colors and free WOW

these are nice.. I have one at work!

boy you have been luckly lately!

you have to be kidding me!
wow what luck you have had....

Nice find! Have fun with it!

great find can make nice totes too

I think it's a wonderful way to collect things. Just think of it as recycling.

I have gotten sample books before. Depending on how much they fray you may want to zigzag the edges. I had threads everywhere. The threads hooked together and made balls of the samples and loose threads. You could, also, consider putting them in the bags used for lingerie.

Nothing wrong with that.....one persons junk is another's treasure!!!!

Last summer I stopped at a rummage sale and saw two brown paper shopping bags on a table full of fabric. The gentleman having the sale saw me looking thru them and told me he was a fabric salesman. :D All samples for quilt stores. I bought the bags 4.00 each.(very heavy) He then gave me his card and stated he had a bunch more. So I went back and back and back. My mom has made tons of purses and I have made many quilts. :-P Yours were free better yet. Have fun with them. :thumbup:

Great FIND!

I love the title "curbside shopping" :)

Now that's a great find at a great price!

No curbside shopping where I live. Several homes share a small round dumpster that's on the service road at the end of the back yard. I'd have to literally crawl into a dumpster to see what's there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lucky you!

Great find! I just picked up a free wrought iron patio set painted it recovered the cushions for under $7.00 looks great and can't beat the price. Have fun with your find

That is soo great!!! It never ceases to amaze me what people will throw out!!!

My very first experience of curbside shopping was about 25 years ago. My SIL mom made stick horses and always needed broom handles for the "stick" . The three of us were on our way to another destination and my SIL stopped abruptly at a pile of trash!!! She told me to jump out and grab these old mops and brooms!! I jumped out and grabbed them and off we went!! When we arrived at her moms she showed me the stick horse and then it all made sense!!! I have a daughter who is 26 and her kids are still playing with the stick horse!!! It was soo much fun!!!

Great find!!! This has my mind racing now...will have to check out stpores for their old books lol cheryl :thumbup:

Your stick story made me laugh. It also called to mind an incident with an old friend of mine who is a nun. She was driving along the street in August and spotted several snow shovels that someone was throwing. Since our church custodian was always breaking them, she decided to grab them. At that moment the owner came out and was startled to see a nun loading snow shovels into her car in August. He asked, "What on earth are you going to do with those now?" She smiled and said, "Well, you've heard the saying "cold day in hell? I'm saving these for a few folks I know who are going to a place where they might need these."

Terrifi find. Use it well!!

WOW! That is just what I loved hearing. A couple of months ago I too aquired fabric sample bookS, yes I said books. About 150 or so. Quilt tops - for the needy who knows....

PaperPrinces thank you about the staple remover, I hope I have the strength in me to work it.

150???? YIKES!!!

I would love to find something like that! You were lucky and helped to not fill up the landfill!

I would have done the same, but my hubby would probably have disowned me.LOL Good find and great fabric.

OOOO....What a treasure find! Love those kind of finds. The books offer a lot of fun different fabrics for all kinds of projects. Placemats, scrappy quilts, handbags, etc. Have fun.
Brenda

My husband does it all the time. Great find!