PMahowald

I have a question dealing with Home Dec Fabric. I have 12 totes of scraps from jobs from the last 25 years of my drapery and upholstery business. My husband is going to divorce me unless I get rid of them, but honestly I can't bring myself to toss them out. In the past I have sewn large pieces together to make a slipcover for my daughter's couch, pillows, made doggie quilts from 8x8 squares and sold purses at craft shows. Any other ideas?..........I had thoughts of making rug or piecing it into large enough sections to use in Upholstery. I have a old wingback that is screaming to be redone.
Another question is do you preshrink the fabric before use? I've always told my clients to dry clean. If they have to wash them do it by hand and hang dry. Most important avoid heat at all cost.

QuiltnNan

i made durable utility aprons for my DD and SIL

Peckish

I'd look at it like this: what's more important, my husband or my pile of scraps?

I'd weed it down to 1 or 2 bins and donate the rest. Life is too short.

zozee

I'm with Peckish. Love your husband and lighten the load at the same time. Rate the pieces you think are a 9 or 10. Give the rest to a thrift store whose cause you can get behind.

Sleepy Hollow

I'm currently sewing dog quilts with heavy fabrics to donate to the shelter where I got my last dog. If you have a little time, maybe do up some of those real quick, and donate them.

If you just need to get rid of the raw fabric, try donating them, posting it on some kind of classifieds, etc, rather than just trashing the fabric.

Annaquilts

Give them away or make purses or aprons.

wesing

How about grocery bags?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=LLd...&v=wEnaFutDodg

mermaid

I love finding deco fabrics at garage sales! I make walker and wheelchair bags to donate to local nursing home. I make and give away lots of shopping bags--we have an Aldi store and you have to bring your own bags. I make little cosmetic purses and fabric boxes and give to friends. So many options for you.

helou

all cool ideas mermaid and I had never seen this video wesing! thank you for asking PMahowald. I might just keep in mind. I don't have as much heavy fabric as you seem to have, but I want to use it anyway!

PMahowald

Great Ideas, keep them coming. A few years back I tried starting a business with a couple of friends. In the process one of them came over and organized the fabric into groups that went together. Everything is in plastic bags, Heather, being a art teacher put things together that I would never have thought of, but look fantastic. I agree that I should go through the totes. Luckily I have a few years until we move. I promised hubby that I would not bring the stash with me. Needless to say he does not realize that the type of stash is changing from Home Dec to Quilting fabric.......silly man.