"Recycling fabric opens a world of possibilites"

[GreenPartyVoter]

Matter, especially fabric, I am convinced, can be neither created nor destroyed. Therefore, we must recycle. That thought is not as scientifically accurate as the original law of physics, but it works for those of us who sew. Such fabric matter can, like magic, be changed from one state to another. A length of flat fabric can become a curvy dress, the dress can become a sleeveless blouse, and the blouse can be cut into small pieces and stitched into a quilt.

Quilters, it seems to me, are good at improvising on the recycling theme and at keeping scraps of fabric out of the waste stream destined for landfills. They take small scraps of cloth left over from other projects and turn them into crazy quilts they donate to shelters for the homeless, or send off to aid those digging out after hurricanes and earthquakes. Or they create a quilt so innovative and visually astounding it hangs in an art gallery or gets wall play in the home of a collector.

Artists and designers also keep fabric out of the waste stream by taking discarded clothing and making it into something new. Some of these clever practitioners are writing books about it.

http://www.bangordailynews.com/news/t/lifestyle.aspx?articleid=146854&zoneid=14

[niyad]

1. been doing this for decades myself--have eleven boxes of material right now!!

not to mention buttons, trim, notions, etc.

[knowbody0]

2. been doing this for years

I make quilts for foster kids. My grandmothers were quilters, must be in my blood.

[badgerpup]

3. I hate wasting (read: throwing away) fabric scraps...

...and I get some pretty small scraps!
But I'm not a quilter, and have no plans to become a quilter.
I REALLY need to do something about this growing collection of fabric scraps...
:hide::yoiks:

I'm an almost compulsive recycler, so if anyone has any ideas or suggestions about who might be able to use these it would be an enormous help! :loveya:

[zalinda]

5. If you lived close to me, I'd take them

I do charity quilting all the time. Been doing some knitting too. But as far as the scraps go, if you belong to a freecycle group, I'm sure someone would love them.

zalinda

[noamnety]

6. offer them up on craigslist or freecycle

you'll probably get some takers.

My first quilt was born (no pun intended) out of the pregnancy from hell, 8 months of morning sickness, multiple hospital stays, harassment from the army. One of the first things I did was cut up all my maternity clothes and make a never again quilt.

My wedding dress is now quilted up into a christmas tree skirt, way better than being boxed up in the attic for the next 50 years.

[depakid]

4. I have a good friend who made me a fine quilt this year

although hers tend to be artistic, and generally she doesn't use recycled fabric. I'll ask her about this idea and see what she thinks.