Definitely NOT a faux pas to ask, beg, beseech, etc. Just give us a bit more info and I'm sure you will have lots of donations :-). I have silks -- older stuff from kimono pieces that I used to make myself a jacket. I have velvets, taffetas, satins, laces, etc. as I am a prof. seamstress and keep all of the bits and pieces that are relatively worthwhile. Mostly, I send stuff to Jill to make quilts for the animal babies but I'd be happy to share with you :-). CiaoMeow >^;;^<
PAX, Tia Mary >^;;^< (RCTQ Queen of Kitties) Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about their whiskers! Visit my Photo albums at
You mean the foundation for the bits? I have used everything from old sheets, linen shirts worn to the point of translusence, cheescloth, used dryer sheets, ratty curtains, and scraps of lightweight interfacing. I always seem to have somethng useful to do with odd pieces of muslin and such, so I've never used that. Muslin is however one of the traditional foundations for such projects.
Not in the least. (G) FQs are 18x22, a half yard that is halved shortways. Skinny quarters are half yards halved longways, the traditional cut. You would have to get creative to come up with a skinny half.
Lots of people ask for scraps. In fact occasionally we have a thread where folks can post what they are specificly looking for so if anybody has an excess they can pass it on to where it is needed.
The Jo-Ann down here still has remnants, They are in a wire basket rack that gets shuffled around to various aisles where they are missing an endcap. It is rare to find quilt quality fabric in there though. Most of it is garment blends and decorator bolt ends. I think part of it is that they take the last half or quarter yard of the bolts of quilt fabric and sell them as fat or skinny quarters. Also a quilter is much more likely to just take the last half yard or less if they are buying from the end of the bolt. A quilter can always use an extra half yard of quilt fabric, but what would you do with extra of garment poly or decorator pleather? OK I rumpaged through the lot because I needed a scrap of white vinyl once upon a time, but how often do you need to make go-go boots for a sock monkey?
It depends somewhat on the weight of your CQ fabric: you'll just ask for trouble if you use soft and flimsy under upholstery velvet. But if your CQ is mostly light silks, then something equally light will work fine. If you want a washable quilt, make sure your foundation is also washable, i.e. won't shrink. I like leftover flannel squares under silk and medium-weight cotton, but it needs severe washing first! Old sheets work well too.
If you want scraps, just ask. Haven't you realized the amount of shameless begg> (clipped)>I'm beginning to assemble this (CQ) stuff, some more questions are
I would use muslin for the backing of a crazy quilt. They are called fat quarters cuz it's a quarter yard or suppose to be close to that. Although I have found quite the difference in them depending on who cuts them. As for finding some of the different fabrics try a second hand store like the Salvation Army, Good Will. In Canada we also have a store called Value Village. They actually have a section for material that has been donated. But I don't stop there check the clothes, coats and everything you might be surprised.
I agree about the sh> On Jun 10, 12:52 pm, snipped-for-privacy@rochester.rr.com wrote: >
That's what I was talking about; around here they had multiple tables LADEN with leftover drapery/upholstery stuff, and that's what I went looking for. Those are the kinds of things I want for my CQ and that we have traditionally hunted for pillow covers, tote-bags, and myriad other projects. They're all gone now.
At the risk of repeating other posts (really, I don't care if I repeat other posts): a quarter yard of fabric would traditionally be 9"x 42" (maybe 44" but let's get real). A long skinny piece just isn't going to work in some projects. So the clever quilters came up w/ the Fat quarter, half of a half, 18" x 21", also a quarter of a yard of fabric. They work well for "just a bit of this & that" in the stash, look great folded up in a row or basket or pile of fat quarters, and are a super seller at quilt shops & shows.
One of our local drapers has a seasonal Dig, where she calls some of the guild members and they call some others, & we all show up about 4:30 at her shop & start shuffling around the tables where the drapery fabric left-overs have been piled. All kinds of fabrics, mostly a bit heavy for standard quilts, but I've used a bunch for utility quilts, patchwork pillow covers, curtains, art quilts, and just to play with (no good fabric goes to waste). There's stuff in there I wouldn't look at twice in the fabric shop, but when it's just a bit, & odd-shaped, cut up & twisted in w/ several hundred others, well, it's just "interesting, so I think I'll just stick that in my bag." "Oh, pardon me, did you want that? Is there more? Oh, you go ahead & take it... are you sure? Well, thanks!" Bring your own bag, or 3; large, heavy-duty garbage bags are great. I bring it all home, sort it in light or dark piles, throw it in the washer, and what survives goes into its own closet - and so far all of it has survived. (That's a rather full closet.) So, check w/ a local drapery shop; doesn't hurt to ask.
As the RCTQ Queen of Beggars, I say you go ahead & tell what you want, & maybe "why", altho' this time we know, and be willing to give out your addy PRIVATELY to some of us. You have my email addy; be ready for a mixed bag or "interesting" fabric.
Background: I wouldn't try to match the heaviest fabric, but I wouldn't get too thin a background; one of the better muslins or other fabric that has a good stability.
Quilt shop hops: been there; got over it. ;->
Cheers!
Ragm> >> Thanks to everyone for explaining the reasons/importance of using a
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