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Am I the only one that goes to thrift stores looking for shirts to use as fabric?

Am I the only one that goes to thrift stores looking for shirts to use as fabric?

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Old 10-16-2010, 08:39 PM
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[quote=kriscraft99]I love going to thrift stores to look for mens cotton shirts. Sometimes I cannot find cotton ginghams at the fabric stores ~ and sure thing... I go to a thrift store and they have quite a few every time! Button down shirts at my favorite thrift store are only $1. A mans shirt has a good bit of fabric in it for $1...

Bonnie Hunt at Quiltville.com does she wrote a book about it and the quilts are beautiful.

I bet yours are also.
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Old 10-16-2010, 09:34 PM
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Yes my hand is up.
Dont we find some great stuff
in these little stores, keep on collecting.
Cheers.
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Old 10-16-2010, 09:39 PM
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Originally Posted by zelmagomez
You guys need to get to know Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville. She has a couple of books on the subject and a great website.
yes!
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Old 10-16-2010, 10:41 PM
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I go to garage sales and thrift stores but I look for the long cotton skirts, they have a lot of material on them.
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Old 10-17-2010, 01:51 AM
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Isn't it fun...Our quilt guild did a challenge a few years ago, that involved going to thrift stores and purchasing cotton shirts if your husband didn't have any (LOL) and making a quilt. It had to be no smaller than a 60x60 lap quilt and could be as big as you wanted. I did a bear paw block quilt with a fairly lg teddy bear appliqued on it in the corner. My neice loved it, because she isn't the pink and frilly type of girl. It was a great challenge!
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Old 10-17-2010, 03:51 AM
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I go to the thrift stores and yard sales. I look for large womens skirts or capri pants. I bought this one skirt and got almost three yards of fabric from it. I love looking for bright and unusual colors.
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Old 10-17-2010, 04:05 AM
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A good friend of mine has just started buying shirts and using them for quilting fabric. She has 60 at present count to deconstruct. I buy items at thrift stores. Clothes that has unusual buttons, or fabric that really appeals to me, purses for the hardware, and women's vests that have lots of applique. I want to get into art quilts and this is one way to get ready. Great fun with little money spent.
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Old 10-17-2010, 04:11 AM
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ckcowl...I'd enjoy seeing a quilt made of silk. Are they those that have all the decorative machine stitching that holds the pieces together? Are there others? Thanks
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Old 10-17-2010, 04:26 AM
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Originally Posted by loria183
My husband is also a quilter - he went to the thrift stores looking for 100% cotton Hawaiian print shirts. The quilt turned out beautifully! :-)
Oh!! Could you attach a picture? That sounds so pretty.
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Old 10-17-2010, 04:57 AM
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Just remember you take a chance when you do that. My grandmother and dad made my DS a quilt using some of my grandfather's shirts. I have this beautiful quilt that my dad pieced and my grandmother quilted for my son. One plaid shirt of my grandfather's that they used is just falling apart. It's already thread bare in places and seam is coming out around the edges of thost piece. I will have to go and applique another piece on top of about 20- 2 1/2" square and requilt it repair it. Breaks my dad's heart that we have to "redo" it.
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