QuiltingPandaBear

Whether due to sustainability, availability, economics, or other motivations, I think many of us are looking to find ways to be less wasteful (financially or materially) in our quilting. I am currently aiming to only purchase items this year from my local resale shop or in the two online stores I was given gift cards for. It’s been eye opening how fast I am to encounter a tiny issue or desire and hop onto my phone to immediately buy my solution via Amazon. It’s a very ingrained habit, but not doing so is helping me think more creatively and use what I have to get by.

I thought it might be nice to swap some best tips or ask for advice on this topic.

A couple of my tips:

1. instead of buying the immediate/easiest solution, Google the how to make/do ____ without ____. I mean duh. I am working on sewing a bear and immediately hopped onto Amazon to buy some safety eyes as the pattern called for. I need 2 eyes and 1 nose for 1 bear, not a pack of 50 that will now live forever in my craft room, and I’m not buying stuff! After a quick search I learned how to sew them from felt or embroider them and I have the supplies for both. Problem solved.

2. Look for low/no waste ways to make your favorite blocks. For example there is a no waste flying geese method, or if you are doing stitch and flip and you salvage a bonus HST by sewing another line 1/2” away from the standard line and cutting between them. Then, instead of cutting off two triangles you are cutting off an HST to use in another project. I use this on all stitch and flip corners (snowballs, hearts, etc.).

my biggest question right now:

1. does anybody have good experience with at home blade sharpening for rotary blades, those build in blades on the back of the machine for cutting your bobbin/needle thread, or or seam rippers? What tool/method do you use? I’d like to know if I should invest in something to reduce the waste of replacing these items when they dull.

Snooze2978

As for my rotary blades, I've used my bladed sharpener I bought years ago and have been very happy with it. I keep the containers the blades come in and have labeled one "Needs Sharpened", "Sharpened" and so on. I also read if you flip your blad around, you can get a little more use from it. When I've sharpened my blade once, I mark it so I know it's been sharpened at least once. I use it until it gets dull for me, then sharpen it again but it goes into a container labeled for "Paper Only" as I have a rotary cutter just for paper and stuff so I don't use my good blades accidently.

I use Elmer's glue for a lot of things in my quilting/sewing. When I go to attach my binding to my quilt, I heat set the glue clear around the quilt only stopping to stitch the 2 ends together and then finish glue/heat setting the last of it before taking it to the machine to stitch down. This saves me from getting pricked by the straight pins and I know I have enough binding to go around. I just finished a Drunkard's Path quilt, 2 of them and I used Elmer's Glue on the ends so I didn't need any straight pins, then I snipped along the curve edges and it made it easier to ease the 2 fabrics while I stitched them down using no pins whatsoever. This week I'm working on an old UFO, a Cathedral Windows, queen size and I'm glueing down the flaps and heat setting them before I take it to the machine to stitch down. Again, no straight pins to price me.

I try to use up all the scraps from a quilt project either by using them for the binding, or if I need to make the quilt a bit longer and/or wider, I'll use the scraps to add an extra pieced sashing as we all know scraps seem to breed when we're not looking.

My batting scraps if a decent size I'll use my batting tape to put them together and keep a note on them with what size they are until they become a size I can use for another quilt top. For small scraps, I find they're great to use with alcohol to clean off my quilt frame rails and machine wheels..

I also have been looking at the thrift shop for large draperies lined or unlined to use in making clothes, jackets or whatever. My aunt was a CEO down in Houston years ago and she had her suits all made from drapery fabrics and they were stunning and very sharp looking. So I have a good collection of drapery type fabrics or drapers themself large enough to make a skirt/jacket or a jumper/jacket or just a jacket. I can't see paying the prices clothes have gotten today and the style goes out by next year. Most of my clothes come from our local thrift shop that is also non-profit so once I'm tired of the clothes, I give them back to resell to someone else. I only buy certain brands though so I'm still picky.

Snooze2978

Oh yes, forgot to mention about what I did the other day on one of the projects I was working on. I misread the instructions so I cut a good size piece of fabric incorrectly and had to recut another good size piece of fabric (27.5"). I didn't want to waste that piece of fabric though it was now a triangle shape so I looked thru the rest of the cutting instructions and decided instead of cutting strips WOF, I'd see what I could cut from the triangle shaped pieced. So I was still able to use most of the miscut fabric. So even if the instructions say WOF, sometimes you can make do with what you have on hand with little waste.

Onebyone

The secret of keeping any blade sharp is to sharpen a sharp blade. Remember men sharpening their knives on a stone everyday? Sharpening cooking knives before using? I always run my blade through the vertical sharpener before using. Unless I cut over pin or the ruler edge, the blade stays like new sharp for many cutting sessions. The sharpener i use is this one but mine is the older version. So have no idea how the new one performs.
https://graceframe.com/en/truecut/li...086792b635f5db

Watson

I've begun making an "after quilt" when I'm done my tops. That term was coined by Karen Brown of Just Get It Done Quilts on Youtube.
An afterquilt is when you use up all the leftover pieces of fabric from the front to make the backing. Saves money on buying a full backing and looks cool.

Watson

PS....If you've never seen that Youtube channel, have a look. It's really good.

QuiltingPandaBear

@Watson love it. I did that for one I am working on now! Leftover bits + muslin are the backing on this WIP.

The other thing I’ve been trying to do is use up any tiny coordinated leftover bits into scrap blocks right away. instead of sorting the leftovers into their color family scrap piles, if I make a wall hanging, mug rug, bag, or even just a block that will become something someday right away, it’s already pre-coordinated colors and almost a lil mini version/reminder of the quilt itself.

KalamaQuilts

I can say as of today I have less than a quart bag of yellow fabric left. That kind of hurts my heart, but I've been using down my stash and friend's scraps for years so at some point I have to reach the end of the road.

aashley333

I ordered the blade sharpener from Amazon. It was cheaper than the other site and not a $15.95 shipping charge!

"cat"astrophy

Snooze2978, what if the name of the blade sharpener that you use, please? I have the Grace Company True Sharp electric powered rotary blade sharpener and it just does not sharpen my blades like I thought it would. Looking for something better.

GingerK

I have learned that all blades are not equal. Several years ago, I got a great deal on Ormcraft blades at a LQS. They were great--for the first couple of days. They dulled quickly, could not be resharpened (just became duller) and would get a nick if a pin was within a foot of them. Now I go with brand name and am much happier. My family knows that I love being gifted a pack of blades!

I found that no sharpener really works for me. Cutting thru a few layers of foil with my rotary or scissors, can restore some sharpness.