I thought this would be a good day to ask a question about recycling..
When making a quilt, have you ever used fabric that had a previous life as something else?
Would you use a bedsheet in your quilt blocks, or as a backing?
If not in a quilt, would you use it for a different sewing project?
What other "fabrics" might you use?
Where do you find them?
Most people who know me already know my answer is yes! I've used clothing and bedsheets in both blocks and backs. I love using sheets for backing a quilt because they're usually large enough that I don't have to piece the back. I've also recycled clothing into new items of clothing and bags. I used to pick up bedding at Goodwill on a regular basis, but have cut down on that activity since I have dozens of sheets in my stash now! ;-)
ReplyDeleteI did a commission job one time, making a quilt from nightgowns. The client was extremely touched. All of the nightgowns belonged to her mother.
ReplyDeleteI have made little boy shorts from mens shirts personally, and a jean blanket like everyone but my friend made quilts for her boys using dress shirts from dad and both grandpas , soooo cute. and its modern too ;) check it out! http://katiewiebe.blogspot.com/2011/05/henrys-quilt-finished.html
ReplyDeleteI've made a pillow for my MIL with a recycled dollie and added a little embroidery. And I've recycled jeans from Good Will and machine embroidered them for some teenagers. Upcycling or repurposing items. I love rescuing old hand embroidered linens (especially pillow cases)and giving them new life!!
ReplyDeleteYes! I love recycling! I made a small piece for a recycled challenge sponsored by Quilting Arts magazine, which was displayed at their show. It was called "Dancing Green" and had two figures dancing which I had drawn in the middle of the night - I used an old shirt, dryer lint, dental floss, and even aluminum foil for stars.
ReplyDelete-- I made a queen-size quilt out of discarded extra-large clothes from a weight-loss group. The quilt was called "Freedom" and represented over 300 pounds of weight loss. It was raffled off and the person who won it recognized her clothing in the quilt!
-- I made a quilt called "Grandpa's Ties" out of just that - grandpa's ties. They were vintage ties from the 1940s and 50s (so cool). Now grandpa has passed on, but the quilt lives on.