How to Collect Materials for Quilting
Frugal pioneer homemakers salvaged scraps from old clothing and stitched them into comfy quilts. Today's quilt blends the colors, design and textures of a variety of fabrics purchased new, leftover from other sewing projects or rescued from cast-off garments.
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Instructions
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Set aside a central, convenient place to store fabric scraps where they will stay clean. A rubber tote with a snap-on lid works well.
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Learn what types of fabric work best. Although the most common quilt fabrics are broadcloth and calico, others, such as flannel, are occasionally used. Small prints show up best when small pieces are cut for a design. Most quilts combine light, medium and dark materials.
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Save scrap fabrics left after cutting out pattern pieces from sewing projects.
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Visit flea markets, garage sales and auctions to look for bargains on interesting fabrics you can wash and use. Remember stains or worn spots can be cut out.
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Ask friends and family members to save scrap fabrics and discarded clothing for you.
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Browse at fabric stores and dig through the remnant and markdown bins.
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Tips & Warnings
Make sure fabric is washable so that your entire quilt will be.
Use preshrunk, colorfast fabrics.
Avoid buying large amounts of fabric for future projects until you complete your current one, especially if you're a beginning quilt maker.
Gather favorite, worn-out garments to make memory or baby quilts as family heirlooms.
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Comments
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quiltexpert
Apr 05, 2010
If you use old clothing, your quilt is old before it is finished. Old fabrics wear unevenly, and they are often fiber blends instead of 100% cotton. Serious quilters use new fabrics for a quilt that will stand the test of time. -
quiltmaster
May 23, 2009
shellyT, check out thrift stores. skirts and dresses are bargain fabric sources.
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shellyt
Mar 13, 2009
Can someone help me find scrap material. I want to make quilts for children who are in the hospital and I can not find fabric the is inexpensive. I live in a small town and we have no fabric stores. I have no where to go Please help
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shellyt
Mar 13, 2009
Can someone help me find scrap material. I want to make quilts for children who are in the hospital and I can not find fabric the is inexpensive. I live in a small town and we have no fabric stores. I have no where to go Please help
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itsruthieagain
Feb 01, 2008
Both of my parents have passed away and most of my kids never met them. So I got their old clothes out of the box and made a Grandmother's Flower Garden quilt. The only hitch was the fact that some of my dad's old shirts were made out of a fabric that burned and shriveled when I tried to iron it! The tag was missing so I don't know what it was! So, test an old fabric to make sure it will wash and iron.
