Gifted fabric - need advice and opinions
02-11-2015, 04:48 AM
#31
Member
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 48
OUr ladies At church use the polyester for our nursing homes around here. The staff really like them because of the way they stand u to washing.
02-11-2015, 06:07 AM
#32
Power Poster
Join Date: May 2008
Location: MN
Posts: 24,474
[QUOTE=ManiacQuilter2;7084938]I am sorry, but Harriet Hargrave taught me to use the best fabrics and batting you can afford. Charity quilts should be made out of the same fabric that you would make for yourself. Just my opinion.[/QUOTEooooj
My best fabric may be your worst. If fabric is suitable for the purpose intended, does it matter where it comes from?
I also think donation quilts should be made so they hold together, feel nice, and can survive washing.
My Grandma told me once ( about 30 years ago) that she had been told that some charity quilts should be ugly so they would be less likely to be stolen or sold. The primary purpose was to help keep the recipient warm.
As far as the bags of fabric - keep what you want. Pass the rest along or discard it.
I hang my head in embarrassment at what I donated many years ago! I really did not know any better then.
Some of my cotton poly blends feel wonderful to me. The weave and percentages of the fibers also factors into the feel and suitability.
My best fabric may be your worst. If fabric is suitable for the purpose intended, does it matter where it comes from?
I also think donation quilts should be made so they hold together, feel nice, and can survive washing.
My Grandma told me once ( about 30 years ago) that she had been told that some charity quilts should be ugly so they would be less likely to be stolen or sold. The primary purpose was to help keep the recipient warm.
As far as the bags of fabric - keep what you want. Pass the rest along or discard it.
I hang my head in embarrassment at what I donated many years ago! I really did not know any better then.
Some of my cotton poly blends feel wonderful to me. The weave and percentages of the fibers also factors into the feel and suitability.
02-11-2015, 09:03 AM
#34
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Central Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA
Posts: 7,695
If the curtains have any fading at all, do not use them in quilts. I made that mistake years ago, and all of the sun faded cloth dissolved with the first ten washings! Very upsetting! Sun damage equals weakness! Use the faded stuff to stuff dog beds or something similar...
02-11-2015, 09:04 AM
#35
Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Othello, WA
Posts: 88
I quilt with a group of wonderful ladies at our local Lutheran Church. We appreciate any donations of fabric and love to get sheets for backing. We send over 250 sheets a year to needy people all over the world. We also give some to people in our town. It's a wonderful feeling to know that you have helped others stay warm.
02-11-2015, 09:10 AM
#36
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Central Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA
Posts: 7,695
I was given a huge tote of scraps from garment sewing. So far I've made 8 quilts for charity. I did separate the fabric by weight, and will eventually make a quilt from the denim/duck/corduroy scraps. What I'm using now is a mix of cotton and cotton/poly. The quilts are bright and fun, and I'm having fun. Eventually I'll post pictures of some of them.
If I only used high quality quilter's cotton, I would have to throw away most of these scraps. That seems very wasteful. These quilts are all for hospitalized children. They do not have a clue about the fabric content of these quilts. They just know they have something fun to look at and something to cuddle with.
I suspect that if we limited ourselves to only LQS quilting fabric many of us would not be making very many quilts - it's just too expensive. I resent that people suggest that my quilts are not good enough because I haven't used expensive fabric.
If I only used high quality quilter's cotton, I would have to throw away most of these scraps. That seems very wasteful. These quilts are all for hospitalized children. They do not have a clue about the fabric content of these quilts. They just know they have something fun to look at and something to cuddle with.
I suspect that if we limited ourselves to only LQS quilting fabric many of us would not be making very many quilts - it's just too expensive. I resent that people suggest that my quilts are not good enough because I haven't used expensive fabric.
02-11-2015, 09:15 AM
#37
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Monroe, IN
Posts: 2,283
I have been give many bags of fabric, and some of the fabrics were just pieces of stuff I would never use in a quilt. Those I tossed. Some of them, while being all cotton, were simply not my style or downright ugly. I cut all those into squares to use in utility quilts. Some of them were cotton blends, denim, corduroy, etc. Those were also cut down into squares. Larger pieces (over 1 yard) were kept and used for pieced backings for utility quilts. I have just finished my 3rd utility quilt of this winter....each one with double poly batting for extra warmth. My girls love them because they know the quilt is washable and durable. The most recent is made from extra blocks from many different quilts....it is quite a wild looking thing, but it will keep my family warm and nobody cares what they look like when they are cold. Use what you have if you can, donate what you can't and don't fret over it....just not worth the time.
02-11-2015, 09:16 AM
#38
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Upstate NY, north of Syracuse Area
Posts: 6,003
I smiled to read that donation quilts should be made of the same things I make for myself, because I do agree. I use blends, sheets, etc. in quilts for my family as well as in donation quilts. I would never take an attitude that oh they are homeless, let them have this old icky stuff. But I do have the attitude that if it's good enough for anyone else, it's good enough for me.
Another user of sheets for all aspects of quilting here. I especially love using them for borders as they can be seamless due to the length of the sheet fabrics!
Another user of sheets for all aspects of quilting here. I especially love using them for borders as they can be seamless due to the length of the sheet fabrics!
02-11-2015, 09:27 AM
#40
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Vancouver Island, Beautiful BC
Posts: 2,090
I have only read the first page of this thread.
There is no rule that says you have to keep the fabric.
If your first inclination is to get rid of it that is perfectly okay. Do not feel obligated to make charity quilts because you were given fabric you would not use for your own quilts. There are lots of places that would be happy to take the fabric and make use of it.
I belong to a group that is making charity quilts for teens in a shelter. We individually make blocks and as a group make the quilts. We only use new cotton quality quilt fabrics.
There is no rule that says you have to keep the fabric.
If your first inclination is to get rid of it that is perfectly okay. Do not feel obligated to make charity quilts because you were given fabric you would not use for your own quilts. There are lots of places that would be happy to take the fabric and make use of it.
I belong to a group that is making charity quilts for teens in a shelter. We individually make blocks and as a group make the quilts. We only use new cotton quality quilt fabrics.
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