It seems that there are many who are on fixed income at the same time there are others who may have a little extra stashed in their stash. What would happen if we were to set up a swap but instead of fabric going both ways, folks who had extra fabric could make it available and those on limited income commit to either use that fabric for a donation quilt or donate money to one of their local charities in exchange for the fabric - which would be at sale "prices" of course. (I won't be offended if no one likes this idea - I have too many ideas and not all of them are good ones...but it may start a discussion on how we can address this situation as a community).

ktbb

I like that idea.
we are on a fixed income and I have cut my quilt making way down but have some fabric in my stash I will never use and would be willing to donate to someone for a good cause.

See if you can get the idea rolling.

My grandson and family are in the military and just got stationed at Anchorage after his tour in Afghanistan. They are in California and heading up there next week.

Gigix12

Gigix12 - I hope your family will like it here. I moved here in 1996 and have no plans to go elsewhere until God takes me home...for a while I thought he already had, but the bills kept coming so decided that I must have just hit the jackpot here on earth. I know that they'll get a lot of assistance from other military folks during and after the move, but if there is anything I can help with, let me know via a PM and I"ll send you my email. Summers with average 75 degree weather, stunning flowers, mountains and scenery, and yes, even snow make it all worth the distance from other families. Maybe you can come visit them sometime.

Regarding fabric "swap" I'm willing to share my stash as well, and hope someone who has time to quilt will see this and chime in. I can still afford to purchase fabric but do it too often and end up with more fabric than sense!

My daughter just said she thinks we are all co dependent. She won't even go in a fabric store.....I am making a quilt for a little boy in Fl. his birthday is in december and one of his parents is in prison. So when I get some more fabric I will make the quilt for him. he will be seven. not sure what i will make....but i would love someones extra fabric now and then. my husband was kind of forced into retirement by health this summer. we are raising 4 grandkids and were not planning on ever retiring as he is a Lutheran ministry. Again like a lot of others this board is so much fun. It has given me so much inspriration....my spelling is bad tonight....thanks, Jackie

We are no more codependent than any other support group we're just more encouraging. LOL We're always here to say "Go for it. You can do it." Run into problems? We'll help you out. Storage problems? We'll come up the solution.
Need a fabric, or a pattern, we'll help you find it. Need help with a quilt? We're here to give opinions and advice.
Just need to vent about something? We'll listen, we're here to listen and send comfort and prayers. All in all you just can't find a better support group than this. Codependent? Enablers? You betcha and proud of it. After all, there's far worse things to be. LOVE THIS GROUP!!!

Does this count in the scrap challenge. I had this material in my scraps and my Boston needed a new blanket. So I dug it out and made her a scrap quilt.

Gigi

As a new quilter, I have only managed to produce a large shoe box of scraps, after making 19 quilts. I'm SOOOO disapointed in myself. So far my way of dealing with any left over fabric is to make a matching pillow case or pillow to match my quilt. Any strips i have are joined to my growing chinese coin quilt and any blocks are added to my growing Grandmas flower garden quilt. How do I make sure I produce more scrap fabric in the future?

Make more mistakes?

I make plenty of mistakes. So far all of them have been fixed with the seam ripper. Maybe I just need to start over buying fabric?

It really sounds like you are already using your scraps! If you just put them in a box instead of CCQ and GFG, you would probably have some more scraps. But personally, I like the way you are doing it, and think I will do the same. Only I won't be making a GFG. Been there......
And at 19 quilts, I wouldn't consider you to be a new quilter. I'll bet you know your way around more than one block! Have you posted any of your quilts? I'd like to see them.
At any rate, I wouldn't worry about not making enough scraps. It's a headache to figure out what to do with them and I don't want to just toss them. So I usually cut them into the largest square they will make, and then the 2nd largest, and 3rd largest, and so on. Then stack them with the other squares of the same size. I have also rectangles and triangles, and strips that are wof. I have made a couple of quilts from this and really enjoy the challenge of putting it all together!.It's supposed to be fun, so don't fret if you don't have scraps!
I think that will be my new motto! LOL
YTQ