tons of scraps,what to do ?
Susan -homedecsewing
| Posted in General Discussion on
Hi All , I was wondering what to do with all of my scrap material ? I’ve given some to my church at times , but maybe you have some ideas I might use, I hate to throw away such beautiful scraps, but since I sew for a living, I can’t possibly find the time to use them myself. I look forward to any suggestions anyone wants to share. Thanks Susan
Replies
Hi,
This idea depends on how many scraps you have & whether you have the time to do this, but, how about stuffing lots of scraps into clear plastic bags & selling each bag for some reasonable sum? Or, maybe you could put up a little sign/card at your grocery store telling people that you might have free fabric to a good home? Or, how about "playing" with all those scraps to make some beautiful crazy quilt table runners, or quilts or wallhangings or bags, etc.?
The 4-H agent in our county gets home dec scrape to use for the 4-H sewing clubs and interior decorating clubs. You might check with the Extension office in your county to see if there are any 4-H groups interested. We also have an Art School for high school students in our state and a women's prison that have used scraps in the past.
check with your area senior citizen's center.. there are often people there who like to do crafts and quilts but are on limited incomes.. also some nursing homes will take donations for their rehab programs.. or you can bag it up and offer it on something like http://www.freecycle.org for someone to pick up and take off your hands...
Hope that helps.
Deb
Do any of your area school have bazaars? Maybe you could offer it to someone who makes doll clothes for them. I'd give my eye-teeth for free scraps to sew into American girl sized dolls. I have oodles of patterns (loaned out to a young girl who is learning to sew right now).
Or since you sew for a living you might could make some wonderful crazy patch vest or jackets to sell. Also maybe you are the one that can tell me if there is any interfacing that will stick to rayon veveteen? I have a friend that hand ribbon embroidered on some and wants to make a quilt, but it need some body and something to make it more stable.
The problem with fusible interfacing is that it needs steam and pressure to adhere properly to the fabric, neither of which is friendly to velvet. You might want to try a small scrap on a needle board and see if it works out OK. The only other thing I can think of is to try a light spray glue for fabric with a lightweight non-fusible interfacing. This would not require steam or pressure and might work. Try on a small scrap first, though. Lay the velvet on the needle board, spray, position the interfacing and gently smooth with your hand. Finish by gently brushing on the right side to pick up the nap. I never work on velvet without a needle board. I've tried other 'velvet boards,' but don't like the results.
You didn't say how large the piece or pieces is/are. Smaller is obviously easier to work with. If the above suggestions don't work out, you may simply have to interline with silk organza or batiste to firm up the fabric and take any strain that may be put on the finished project so that the velvet will not tear.
From time to time, I look at some of the stuff in my stash and say to myself, "WHAT was I thinking?" I use this un-wantedd fabric to make test garments. I find plain muslin is often unsuitable so I use these un-wanted lengths so I can make test garments in a material that is closer to what I would actually use to sew the garment. A word of warning, though: don't mix fabrics when making a muslin.
Hello, to everyone!
Please excuse me for jumping in! I'm fairly new to discussions via the internet. Just a suggestion, perhaps you could also give your sewing scraps away to schools in your area. Or, donate to a local quilting guild.
I'm from New Orleans, we are still rebuilding with still a long, long way to go. So many people here would love to have a coverlet, or a simple quilt, pot holders, or pillow cases. Many of us would enjoy having scraps to start a new fabric collection.
Edited 11/1/2006 9:49 pm ET by orleansbutterfly
If I were you, I think I'd seperate them into color/style groupings, sew then together in a missmatched but visually pleasing manor and make cute skirts out of the 'fabric'.
I love mixing colours and textures. I was very happy to hear about Pavelka Design (patterns), which are multi-size, and also for children, and, something like crazy quilts, and absolutely gorgeous, Also, in her book "New from Old, How to Transform and Customize Your Clothes", Jayne Emerson shows us how to transform our older clothes, or better rummage. Always having more ideas than actual "production", I have a collection of garments to change, and garments to cut (as fabric), and fabric pieces small and larger. Various ideas take place in my mind, and in due time change and/or are made up. Hubby is very helpful with all this, and as I am often under the weather, lots of lovely things to think of. Great for the morale.
It's just a thought, but I've been using my scrap fabric for pillowcases to give away as charity. I first heard about it through the Josh Groban fan site, but his fans donate pillowcases to Shriner's Hospital for the children in the burn units. If you have some fun prints that kids would especially enjoy you could do that.
Hahaha, I just responded to a message in General Discussion- Good Simple Gifts which addresses this very issue. I make sachets, dream pillows, catnip pillows etc. I used to save my pretty scraps for a quilt that I never started. I did start making a quilt that I was going make into a smoking jacket style robe, but that was eight years ago and it still sits here unfinished.
I am still unable to throw anything away. But for Christmas, these little pillows and sachets make nice stocking stuffers. And my three cats love the nip pillows.
~Laurie
http://www.sinnersandsaints.biz
Hi Laurie, good ideas, and I checked out your web site.I didn't see where you are located.It was a good site and you are very talented.Did you do your own web site or have it professionally done.Again Kudos to your work.Aren't we lucky to do what we love to do. Best to you and all the great ideas....Hmmm....Christmas gifts.All I need is some elves who can sew.
Thanks so much, you're very kind! I live in the Pocono Mountains, PA. My husband is a Web Developer. I designed the site and he built it. He taught me a ton about HTML, so I was able to build some of the site myself. Now I can perform all the regular maintenance myself.
I believe that everyone is blessed with a gift from God. Some are artistic, some are analytical, some are nurturing, etc. The real trick is to realize what your gift is and utilize it! We are all special in our own unique way. Even other people who have the same talents as I do use their talents in different ways. That's what's so fun about seeing what other people do with their gifts.
If you find elves...send some my way!
~Laurie
http://www.sinnersandsaints.biz
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