I’m behind on my reports from my mailbox. It’s been busy.
Ila, a special blog reader, messaged me one day and said she had a friends that were clearing out some of their fabric and that Ila took on the roll to sort and distribute. Happily she me in mind for some of it! I always laugh when people send me fabric. I get all sorts of comments like “I’m sorry it’s dated fabric” or “It’s Joann’s fabric. Is that okay?” My reply is always YES!! If the fabric doesn’t fit into something I will use, I can easily find a home for it. I’m not afraid of fabric at all…whatever the fabric is.
See my Pfeffnuse quilt? Read about it here. The browns and some of the creams of this quilt came from a box of fabric that I bought on a garage sale for $1. The fabric even had the “old house smell”.
That didn’t scare me away. I laundered it and cut it up into strings. There is TONS of VIP and Cranston fabric in this quilt….brown and cream calico prints…YES PLEASE!! I added some modern fabric with it and there you have it….a beautiful quilt. I give LOTS of quilts away. This one is one that will likely stay at my house. Taking the challenge of using those old fabrics to make a new amazing quilt was fun for me. Anyone can walk into a quilt shop, buy fabric and make a quilt…but everyone can’t make the quilt I did with the great variety of prints and depth of fabric that this has.
Anymore, I run to those “odd duck” fabrics- never away from them. If they feel good, I use them. If they don’t feel like quality fabric, I pass them on to the local charity groups that quilt for Lutheran World Relief.
Back when my mom died, she had several boxes of this kind of calico print fabrics. I let them be auctioned off. I could have had them is I wanted them….but I wasn’t quilting then. UGH. It’s the only regret I have over my mom and dad’s belongings… Letting the fabric be sold off. AH! Oh the quilts I could have made. That was who I was then and this is who I am now.
Anyway….back to the fabric from Ila…There were two boxes and they came on different days. The pictures loaded in the opposite ways that the boxes came but that’s okay.
The second box had BATIKS in it!! I was thrilled. They all are pretty big chunks too so who knows they could be sashing for a project! Check them out….
Also in the box were these lovelies. These are PERFECT for binding a lot of the charity quilts. I often get ones in that are Kansas Troubles quilts. These will be useful!
This was in the first box…lots of goodies.
The childcare kids were here when this box came. They were so cute commenting on the fabric. This was their favorite….those snowmen are so cute!!
There was LOTS of neutrals in the bunch. I have a project cooking in my mind and these will likely go right into it. I haven’t decided to use solid neutrals or print neutrals….We’ll see once I get closer to being able to start a new project!!
I am so thrilled with all the things that Ila sent. She’s truly always the best gift giver! She also sent me an AMAZING box of pears. I just love them. I found them delivered outside my door on a cold day and was worried they might have froze but they didn’t. They are so good. Happy for me, Hubby doesn’t like pears.
Thanks so much Ila…I love the goodies but even more love your ability to make me laugh!!
Just wanted to let you know, I tried your Instant Pot Chicken with Ranch Dressing recipe tonight. It was really good, and my hubby liked it, too. Thanks!
I need to repeat to myself what you said “that was who I was then, this is who I am now”….My beloved great aunts Sallie and Annie were the quiltmakers and sewers in my family. Glorious scrappy quilts. I sold a couple of huge bags of their scraps at a yard sale many many years ago. All the very same fabrics used in our quilts they made. Sigh. I never dreamed I would ever be interested in making quilts in the future…that it would become my (almost) all-consuming passion!
It warms my heart to read about your childcare children getting excited about a “simple” box of fabrics. You are teaching them so much about appreciating and getting joy from simple things. So wonderful that these children are interested in quilts and plain old pieces of fabric!
Did you give a few of your childcare children quilts for Christmas? How did that go??
I sew and quilt with our Lutheran church for LWR. Thank you for contributing to your local quilters! Yesterday, I sorted fabrics and cut out a bunch of 10.5 ‘ squares which is the size we use to make our quilts. 48 10.5″ squares make a 60 by 80 quilt top. I’m an interior decorator and always have leftovers to share with them. And fabric just appears at our sewing space. So much fun!
I’m like you, Jo. I use anything and everything in my quilts as long as the fabric feels good and is not polyester. The more different fabrics I can add to a quilt, the better I like it.
How can you tell 100% cotton from a cotton/poly blend if there are no indicators? I’ve tried the ‘wrinkle test’ but found that even even a low amount of poly mixed with cotton will wrinkle when scrunched up tight. Thanx!
Debbee
I am not the best at that. I’m do the best I can to mostly only buy fabric that is a from a company that I know produces quilting cotton. I do everything I can to only use cotton but if a stray snuck in I wouldn’t be too worried about it.
I, too, love old prints from the 70s and 80s–some of those old calicoes are my very favorites–VIP, Cranston, Peter Pan, … Love them!
Pfeffernusse is such a pretty quilt! I want to make one someday too. Vintage fabrics are wonderful. What great friends you have to send you their extras!