MaryMo

I use clothing from my own closet that I no longer wear - especially jeans and such for rag quilts. My neighbor gave me some flannel shirts that I also used in the rag quilts. I also use old sheets as backings for scrap quilts - those sheets that were popular years ago but seem so gaudy today. I've also used old blankets as batting for scrap quilts. I have even bought sale bags of shirts from thrift stores to use in scrap quilts and quilts for dogs. Of course I wash everything thoroughly before using and wash the finished quilts.

Our grandmothers used old clothing pieces to make quilts so I figured I could also. I have a quilt made by my great grandmother using drapery and curtain remnants that I treasure. Not everyone's cup of tea but it's mine.

SusieQOH

My Dad always wore wool Pendleton shirts around the house. I saved them and want to make my sister and I a quilt from them someday.

SillySusan

Oh yes, I have in the past. And, even though I have a stash that's 'way out of control, I still bought a couple of large flat sheets last year to make crib and Pack 'n Play sheets.

Thrift shops, yard sales, your own closets are all great places to get some very good quality fabric for quilts at great prices.

And, I, too, hate to see usable stuff thrown away.

Jordan

I sometimes go to the thrift stores but I can remember my Grandma used any fabric she could to put into a quilt. I can remember her tell my Grandpa to get certain chicken feed bags from the farm store so she could match something. I think in the earlier days the quilters used most anything they could.

costumegirl

Yes I have hunted the thrift shops for wool skirts and pants. Pure wool yardage is expensive to buy new and when I was making some wool applique quilts I found some 100% wool garments that were the perfect colours for my projects at a very low price. I bought a "dry clean at home" kit to clean them and it worked out fine. Dryel and Woolite has them. It was economical and I also had lots of wool fabric left over to do a wool swap with our guild.

fktsewing

I too buy clothes from thrift stores and yard sales for quilts and doll clothes. Today I bought a sweater(way too small for me) just for the large v-neck lace applique so I can put it on a tunic of mine. I will use the sweater part to make doll or bear sweaters. It was $2.99 and I would have paid a lot more for that applique by itself. When using clothes for quilting I always make sure they are 100% cotton. I have been doing this all my life as my Granny taught me to do it

b.zang

I've been reading a series of books set in Wales during WWII and am feeling inspired to "make do and do over". It's a mindset I grew up with but have bought into the throw-away society of today the past years. While I love buying fabric and can afford it, there's a place within that wants the challenge of creating from cast-offs.

Kelsie

One thing I have done is use part of a heavy wool skirt for the inside of a pad for under my machine. The difference in the noise is very noticeable. Wool has a memory and will not flatten the way a piece of batting would, it springs back.

Schill93

Do you all feel that sheets made of 50/50 cotton /polyester are no no's for backing. I always check out sheets when I go to thrift stores and have never had any luck finding any that are 100% cotton. I have purchase two sheets that I have that are 50/50 as the pattern was just so cute. I know poly doesn't breath. How hot a 50/50 blend would be, I don't know. Any comments?

JJBlaine

I like really long shirts, but they are hard to find in my size. I pick up men's dress shirts at the thrift store and add darts at the waist. I've keep looking for flannel shirts I can use in some quilts, but, for some reason, they are rather pricey at my local thrift shops.

Last year, I started buying cotton sheets for my quilting at the thrift store. The patterned sheets I have been using as backings, but I've gotten some great plain white sheets I have used for the front of quilts too.

I have a bin full of old denim jeans that have been given to me by friends and family. I've made one quilt and several bags out of it so far, and have used snippets for mending work clothes for my son. I'm also considering using the denim to make some seat cushions and throw pillows.