Go Back  Quiltingboard Forums >
  • Pictures
  • Mission: Organization
  • What to do with "leftovers" from quilts >
  • What to do with "leftovers" from quilts

  • What to do with "leftovers" from quilts

    Old 04-07-2013, 04:31 AM
      #1  
    Senior Member
    Thread Starter
     
    Join Date: Jan 2011
    Location: Mass
    Posts: 314
    Default What to do with "leftovers" from quilts

    I have too much stuff!!!
    I've been looking through my quilting stuff and I have a whole big tote full of little bits and pieces of quilts. Most are one or two blocks and/or the extra pieces that I cut and didn't need. I really have no use for them but don't know what to do with them.
    Any ideas? I need to make some space in my sewing room.
    cindynvb is offline  
    Old 04-07-2013, 04:43 AM
      #2  
    Senior Member
     
    thomp116's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Mar 2011
    Location: Southwest New York
    Posts: 682
    Default

    Do you have an orgaization in your town that sews quilts for needy residents? How about making quilts for Project Linus? Women's shelters nearby? Or, sell them on the QB as boxes of scraps. There are many people who love small pieces of fabric and orphan blocks.......myself included!
    thomp116 is offline  
    Old 04-07-2013, 04:47 AM
      #3  
    Super Member
     
    PurplePassion's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Mar 2007
    Location: Southern MN
    Posts: 2,376
    Default

    You could donate it. Look in the request section here; there are a couple of ladies that make quilts for charities and maybe they could use your left over blocks and put them together for a nice quilt for someone.
    PurplePassion is offline  
    Old 04-07-2013, 04:48 AM
      #4  
    Power Poster
     
    Join Date: Mar 2011
    Location: Ontario, Canada
    Posts: 41,481
    Default

    If you belong to a quilt guild put it in a bag with free on it and someone will adopt it. You can make an ugly quilt and donate it to a street ministry. They like ugly quilts so no one steals them. Check out Bonnie Hunter's scrap quilt site and see if it inspires you to do a scrap quilt. www.quiltville.com
    Tartan is offline  
    Old 04-07-2013, 04:59 AM
      #5  
    Super Member
     
    Join Date: Apr 2007
    Location: Alturas, CA
    Posts: 9,393
    Default

    I save my little bits and pieces for crumb quilts(quiltville.com) and the pieces of batting and fabric that are too small, I put into a bag and when I get enough to make a pet bed, then I do that and donate to our local Humane Society.
    pocoellie is offline  
    Old 04-07-2013, 05:11 AM
      #6  
    Power Poster
     
    Join Date: Apr 2011
    Location: Ontario, Canada
    Posts: 17,726
    Default

    When life gives you scraps ... make quilts!

    All those pieces you have leftover will make lots more new quilts.
    Small strips are great for 4Ps, 9Ps, log cabins, piano key borders, etc.

    For inspiration take a look at the many Scrappy Quilts here ...
    http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...e-t135936.html

    The blocks that didn't make it, and became orphans, can go together for a sampler type of quilt.
    They don't have to be set in an orderly fashion, or all in the same colour coordinated fabric, but can go all helter skelter in a more modern sampler style.
    Here's one for an idea for you ...
    [ATTACH=CONFIG]406569[/ATTACH]
    Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version

Name:	ToJuly2010 065.jpg
Views:	5169
Size:	1.57 MB
ID:	406569  
    QuiltE is offline  
    Old 04-07-2013, 05:24 AM
      #7  
    Super Member
     
    Country1's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Dec 2010
    Location: Bowling Green, KY
    Posts: 2,441
    Default

    Donate!
    Country1
    Country1 is offline  
    Old 04-07-2013, 08:49 AM
      #8  
    Senior Member
    Thread Starter
     
    Join Date: Jan 2011
    Location: Mass
    Posts: 314
    Default

    Ladies, thanks for all your replies. I have one member who PM'd me about sending them to her for using for charity quilts.

    Most of the ladies in my guild don't want scraps and they're a little bit picky (not that that is a bad thing) about the quality of the comfort quilts we make.
    Also, I've moved into a VERY small space as my basement sewing room got flooded and had to be torn down. Someday I will have it rebuilt, but that will take awhile as I need to convert from oil to gas heat, waterproof the basement, get heat in the room, and rebuild the room.
    A long time to sew in a crowded space.
    I do make charity quilts but right now I'm just feeling so overwhelmed by projects that I can't think of making anything else. Of course I may regret getting rid of stuff later but last time I gave away scraps I just felt relieved and have not regretted it at all.
    Quilte, I LOVE that sampler quilt!! All my blocks are so many different fabrics and styles I don't think I can put them together. I have used some in the backs of quilts though.
    Thank-you again for the ideas and the inspiration on my organizing my stash.
    Cindy
    cindynvb is offline  
    Old 04-07-2013, 05:17 PM
      #9  
    Senior Member
    Thread Starter
     
    Join Date: Jan 2011
    Location: Mass
    Posts: 314
    Default

    I made some great progress on my clean-up today. A quilting friend is going to take my leftovers, only trouble is she's in FL and won;t be home until the May..

    I cleaned out enough bits and pieces to combine two plastic bins into one and I figured out a way to make my awkward shelves to work better for me. They're too tall so the fabric stacks would fall over and I couldn't stack them too high. So I figured out that if I took some tension curtain rods I could keep the stacks separate and can stack the fabric all the way to the top. WOW I can't believe I never though of it before!!

    So I spent the WHOLE day ruler folding fabric. I'm tired and I think I'll be dreaming of fabric folding tonight LOL.

    It looks really nice and it takes up a LOT less space. I have to go out and buy more tension rods and fold a lot more fabric but I feel like I'm going to be able to get my stash under control soon.
    cindynvb is offline  
    Old 04-07-2013, 05:56 PM
      #10  
    Senior Member
     
    happyquiltmom's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Jan 2012
    Location: NE Indiana
    Posts: 564
    Default

    See if you can find a copy of "Setting Solutions" by Sharyn Craig...maybe at your local library. It is out of print now, but you may be able to find it used somewhere.

    There are some wonderful ideas for using orphaned blocks in this book. I use mine all the time!
    happyquiltmom is offline  
    Related Topics
    Thread
    Thread Starter
    Forum
    Replies
    Last Post
    bearisgray
    General Chit-Chat (non-quilting talk)
    65
    02-01-2024 09:04 AM
    Chasezzz
    Pictures
    68
    11-08-2017 09:42 PM
    vjohn1006
    Pictures
    111
    07-26-2014 03:14 AM
    justflyingin
    Pictures
    182
    02-14-2014 05:19 PM
    harleyquinn2323
    Main
    17
    12-06-2009 05:33 AM

    Posting Rules
    You may not post new threads
    You may not post replies
    You may not post attachments
    You may not edit your posts

    BB code is On
    Smilies are On
    [IMG] code is On
    HTML code is Off
    Trackbacks are Off
    Pingbacks are Off
    Refbacks are Off


    FREE Quilting Newsletter