Ideas for How to Quilt with Eco-friendly Methods and Materials

re: Ideas for How to Quilt with Eco-friendly Methods and Materials

anne jewell — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 21:57:42 GMT

i make small patchwork quilts out of old raincoats, canvas, and other material that might be too

heavy for bed quilts, i then donate them to the animal shelter for the floors of the cages.--anne

re: Ideas for How to Quilt with Eco-friendly Methods and Materials

linlal — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 04:49:25 GMT

Vivika, one of the reasons I don't order digital copies of magazines is that I don't know how long I'll be able to access them on my computer. I have things that I saved on previous computer systems that I can't access via my current system which is now 4 1/2 years old. Since I've kept my old computers, I can still look at all the material on them but, as soon as they die, I will lose whatever I haven't either printed out or converted to a newer system.

This is also true for the digital photos I've taken of my work. Is this an issue for others as well or is it just me?

re: Ideas for How to Quilt with Eco-friendly Methods and Materials

Mary Simon — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 19:39:30 GMT

My quilting friends and I make beds from batting and fabric scraps for dogs and cats in shelters . We use old twill or demin or uphostery chunks to make a large pillow, then we fill it with our scraps. No pins or needles please! Thread is bad for animals, if they break the pillow open - so none of that. Dryer lint and cut-up socks and underwear are also good as stuffing.

We don't overfill the pillow, because dogs like a softer feel. We can't make enough of these beds - the need is so great.

Mary Dunn in Michigan

re: Ideas for How to Quilt with Eco-friendly Methods and Materials

ckquilter — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 10:12:51 GMT

i often invite friends over to learn sun printing during the summer.

and while i always have a roll of paper towel handy - i use only a couple pieces each day for final clean up.

when a friend reaches for a paper towel to mop up paint - i direct her to one of my "clean up rags" instead. it is just a small piece of my paint ready fabric.

they are used any time i am mopping up color - from brushes, mixing containers, or drops of paint. once they are wet, i hang them to dry. they can be reused many times - until they are filled with color. i keep several handy - and use the one most appropriate to the color being mopped up.

if i have a bit of paint left over at the end of the day - rather than throwing it away (i am paying for that color !!!), i will dilute it a little and use the lightened color to overcolor a clean up rag.

another option, i sometimes have a skinny piece left over on the end of my yardage that i cut my fabric from. i will use the remaining bits of paint to color the 6 to 10 inch long by 42 inch wide strip. then it makes perfect binding strips for the fabrics painted that day. (the paint colors often don't go real well with commercially printed fabrics. so my own painted strips work better.)

many of my clean up rags have found their way into a quilt, or even become their own little quilt. they make excellent wholecloth backgrounds for the heavily beaded and embellished little quilts i often make.

they are also great to take to classes, when you want something fun to work with, but don't want to cut up "good" fabric to learn on.

i reserve the paper towel for the last clean up of mixing containers - when they just remove the final bit of grunge. ckquilter

re: Ideas for How to Quilt with Eco-friendly Methods and Materials

floozette — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 01:53:47 GMT

Vivika, have you ever seen how indigo is converted into dye? It may be natural but it is a very messy and unhygienic process, imho. I think there must be cleaner natural dyes one can use. I do applaud your sentiments though, we need to use less, make less waste and enjoy ourselves more.

re: Ideas for How to Quilt with Eco-friendly Methods and Materials

floozette — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 01:53:33 GMT

re: Ideas for How to Quilt with Eco-friendly Methods and Materials

nanarobs — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 19:18:30 GMT

I have another.... the smallest of scraps can be used for this project...get wash-away backing and arrange the scraps on it in random or purpose designs...sew them to attach to the backing using your choice of stitch...when you have the desired effect get a pattern [tops look good made this way] and cut it from your "fabric"...sew it up as usual and wash to remove the backing....you can have this as wholey as you dare in any colour combinations you choose...I gaurantee nobody else will have an original like yours. Love Robyn