Turning Clothing Into Quilts

Tomorrow, Sept 25th in Moricetown, a thriving Aboriginal community north of Smithers, I'm teaching a group of quilters and crafters who are interested in learning how to turn recycled sweaters into a  baby quilt. 

Show up at the Moricetown Thrift Store behind the Gas Bar in Moricetown at 9:30 Sunday morning so you have time to set up your sewing machine etc. Bring a bag lunch, we'll wrap up by 4-5 pm. Bring anything textile that you're dying to know how to recycle into something fun. This event is sponsored by the Kitimat-Stikine Regional District and the Eco-Prise Initiative to improve recycling of all consumables. This program is designed to enable interested and knowledgeable community members to submit funding proposals to them here. http://www.rdks.bc.ca/.

Plus, if baby quilts are not your 'thing' then you can also learn how to make an awesome bag with lots of interesting recycled fabrics to be the fine diva of coming winter with an awesome bag!

This is just one version of how useful acrylic and cotton sweaters are to pull together a cute, warm girl friendly colors baby quilt. Participants are going to learn a bunch of things on how to turn clothing into quilts.

Is recycling easy to do? Is it just something you do? Did you learn it from your parents or siblings or teachers? Do you not recycle clothing? Tell me what you think about clothing recycling? Email me with photos of projects or events, I'd love to get a real picture of what's happening where you live and what you know about it?

email me here

For taking some time and emailing me your thoughts, ask me to send along this free workshop  pattern in my series of "recipes for recycling textiles"

Here are some things I've done with recycled textiles. Enjoy and please leave me a comment about anything you see or read.

Here I'm teaching myself how to do primitive rug hooking. Its coming along. I like to hook, but don't know anyone else who is rug hooking so I mutter along by myself.

Recycling textiles has been in my blood for quite sometime. Its been an interesting trip so far, to "find" just the right kind of colors almost free from garage sales, thrift stores, transfer stations and friends. This little quilt was one of the illustrations I did for a book I started writing almost a decade ago and never got around to publishing it.

And you know what is the best way to harvest awesome clothing to use for whatever your heart desires? Just put the word out there that you take clothing of certain kinds, like cottons, wools, silks, whatever turns your crank!

Its amazing, you are likely to get all sorts of awesome vintage clothing. If you are known for making awesome quilts, people are more than excited to drive a half hour to my home and drop it off to me.

Freedom to share goes around and what you aren't going to use, give away! Its a free economy of supplies that is just out of this world in Northern BC.

this lovely recently blogged about Dresden Plate Quilt top is about 60% recycled cotton!

Did you ever think that?

Is recycling textiles easy to do? Is it just something you do? Did you learn it from your parents or siblings or teachers? Do you not recycle clothing? Tell me what you think about clothing recycling? Email me with photos of projects or events, I'd love to get a real picture of what's happening where you live and what you know about it?

email me here

For taking some time and emailing me your thoughts, ask me to send along this free workshop  pattern in my series of "recipes for recycling textiles"

:) leave me a comment about anything you see or read or want to share?