Use Cast-off Threads for Surface Design

re: Use Cast-off Threads for Surface Design

CarolineA — Fri, 20 May 2011 10:57:08 GMT

I'm a spinner so I have no such thing as thread trash - it ends up in my art yarns. I even deliberately fray small pieces of shiny fabric for the glitz. These can also be trapped on material by over-stitching, or held in place by organza or needle-felting so that no precious piece is lost. And they are brilliant in mixed media pieces.

This has to be what the phrase "waste not, want not" was referring to!

re: Use Cast-off Threads for Surface Design

ajscholl — Wed, 18 May 2011 13:30:58 GMT

Wonderful ideas! Anyone use the threads cut from embroidery machines or sergers? I have about a yard of thread each time I rethread my six-needle and it seems a pity to just throw this away.

re: Use Cast-off Threads for Surface Design

pam brees — Tue, 17 May 2011 18:42:53 GMT

I collect them and keep them in a Mason jar. I found a lamp socket lid for one of my jars and use the lamp in my guest room. Many people cannot guess what the jar contains...it is very colorful!

re: Use Cast-off Threads for Surface Design

hollyart — Tue, 17 May 2011 16:43:43 GMT

I have used dryer trash a few times on my art quilts. My favorite was some wool dryer lint that I got after felting some old sweaters to use for a wool applique. I used it as a background for a needle felted piece.

When I use the threads from my washing machine trash I arrange them the way i want them and then sandwich them between layers of water soluble stabilizer. then I stitch the daylights out of them and then wash out the stabilizer. These little patches are then ready to attach to my quilt. They make great bushes and trees in my landscapes.

re: Use Cast-off Threads for Surface Design

hollyart — Tue, 17 May 2011 16:32:53 GMT

re: Use Cast-off Threads for Surface Design

vlhinton — Tue, 17 May 2011 16:01:18 GMT

This is something that a gal in Chico has been doing for quite some time. She is so cute. She periodically comes to our sewing group, which gathers every other Tuesday evening at Barnes and Nobles, and asks for the scrim--what you call thread trash. She makes earrings and cards and all kinds of things with our left over thread bits. One of these days, I'm going to save it up and do something great with it, like you two do.

re: Use Cast-off Threads for Surface Design

Dia9 — Tue, 17 May 2011 13:11:50 GMT

thanks for reminding me, Pokey, why I've been keeping all those bits and pieces as they fall off the serger or I peel them out of the lint screen and they just seem like something not to throw away!

re: Use Cast-off Threads for Surface Design

Shirley Haering — Tue, 17 May 2011 12:40:39 GMT

Nice article, just getting interested in something different.....I am also trying to get instuctions for the items in 610, is that info still available..I am have no luck as I am a begginer, the way to do it escapes me....Shirley

re: Use Cast-off Threads for Surface Design

beth stewart-ozark — Tue, 17 May 2011 12:13:19 GMT

I regularly use what I call ravelings, what you call thread trash, in some of my quilts. One of those quilts went to an AQS Lancaster show in their special Amish exhibit. I had made diamonds from my stash of ravelings and tulle. Mine was the only contemporary quilt in an exhibit of 13 quilts. I was very stoked.

Beth Stewart-Ozark

re: Use Cast-off Threads for Surface Design

Lindy101 — Tue, 17 May 2011 12:11:58 GMT

Here is a link to QA's studio pix page. It shows my 'garbage can' lace decorating my 'new' storage for fabric.

www.quiltingdaily.com/.../27468.aspx

For a complete, has-she-no- pride? view of my studio spring cleaning, check out my blog. Warning-Before and after photos. Before pix are a little overwhelming!

quilts-artfromtheheart.blogspot.com/.../spring-cleaning-is-exhilarating.html

re: Use Cast-off Threads for Surface Design

2littlewings — Tue, 17 May 2011 11:29:13 GMT

I saw a bookart exhibit once where the artist used special screens in the dryer and alternating loads of dark and light laundry to "print" dark text on light dryer lint...genius!