stash reduction!

My stash of small pieces of fabrics was getting completely out of hand

-- I refuse to start a second laundry basket of that sort of thing! So, I've been making rag quilts -- one as a "temporary" quilt for my bed while I work on my 100% hand-pieced and hand-quilted one for that bed -- one as a lap quilt on the sofa that the cat has claimed as her own for naps -- one for a niece who is having a hysterectomy in two weeks. There appears to be enough left over for a couple of lap quilts for charity, too. I've also been using up a lot of batting that I do not like at all for hand-quilting but which is great for machine work, and some cream-colored thread I still don't know why on earth I ever got (must've been a huge bargain). So the price is right

-- "paid for" is as close to "free" as you can get!

As to which rag quilt "pattern" I'm using, I am cutting the fabric into 8" squares, and the batting into 5" squares. When I have enough for the current quilt (half dark fabrics and the other half light fabrics), I get out the sewing machine and stitch a large X across each square. Then I sort out all the blocks -- dark blue, dark green, red, light blue, light green, pink, yellow, etc. -- and see what I have. Next I draw a grid and decide what block -- by color group -- will go where, making a dark/light checker board and scattering the different sub-groups so it really looks random. Working from chart and having all the little piles of blocks on a spare card table by the sewing machine, I start assembling the blocks in rows, using a 1" seam allowance I have marked on the sewing machine with tape. When I have two rows of blocks sewn together, I get out my very sharp scissors and cut fringes, leaving only the edge where the next row of blocks will be sewn. I cut fringe as I go, row by row. That way I don't kill my hands cutting fringes, and have all the fringes cut by the time the quilt is all sewn together, with the sole exception of the outside edge all the way around. I always sew two seams around the outside edges for extra strength -- at least that's the theory! After the final fringing around the outside edge, it's time to toss the quilt into the large plastic garbage bag to take to the laundromat for two wash and dry cycles. I find that running rag quilts through the laundry twice prevents the quilt from shedding at home.

And as to the fabric from the stash that is too small for the rag quilts, I have been folding all those pieces nicely and making bundles of "quilt fabric bits" and tying them with ribbon. I add a nice little label saying "quilt fabric -- 100% cotton -- at least 3" -- pre- washed and ironed", and have them ready for the church garage sale. The "quilt ladies" snap them up to take home, the church gets the money, and I don't ever have to worry about them again. What a deal.

Reply to
Mary
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Smart, Mary. Very smart. Probably scathingly brilliant. I especially like the part of the plan where you only cut fringe a little at a time to be kind to your hands. Polly

Reply to
Polly Esther

Good for you! They sound lovely, and I'd sure like to see a pic. I have a real love-hate relationship with my stash. I love to look at it, imagine what I might do with it, but at some point I reach "stash critical mass" and I can't stand to look at one more Rubbermaid box, Everytime I make a stash-reduction quilt, I end up with more stash, not less. I watched this show the other day, "Hoarders" and DH nearly had to tie me up in the closet to keep me from renting a 40-yard dumpster and filling it up

Sherry

Reply to
Sherry

Wow, Mary, it sounds like you are doing just fine in your stash reduction. I'm going to have to take some pointers from you in organization. Love the idea of tying up the little bundles for the church sale. I could make lots and lots of those! If you can, would you post a photo of your rag quilt? I've never done one or probably seen one that I can think of. You go girl! Donna

Reply to
dealer83

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