recycled quilt!!

Hi everyone.
I need help! I am always preaching about the virtues of recycling. Well i have really been put the the test now. I have been challanged to make a quilt entirely from recycled materials. And there are rules. I must not use anything that has been pre bought for quilting. Not even my own dyed fabrics... because i bought the dyes! I can dye fabrics but they must be old sheets etc and the dyes must be natural ie tea, nettles berries etc. I am allowed to take donations as long as the item which is being donated is unwanted by the person giving it to me. I have a few ideas but just wondered if anyone else out there has done anything similar and has any ideas?

you never know what with the financal climate as it is i could be on to something here :lol:

Polly x

I've never had a challenge like that..it might be fun to see what one could do? I dunno if they have thrift stores where you are..or second hand shops...that sort of thing? They have them here and I can get men's shirts for 50¢-$1. There's quite a bit of fabric in men's shirts. Sometimes I get them because they have a nice plaid or homespun fabric in a color I just can't find anywhere else. Also..ask friends and family if they have any cotton clothing or linens they want to get rid of. I told people I knew that I would like old denim jeans that weren't wanted any more for a project and I got lots!

We have many charity shops here, in some area's its every other shop is a charity shop! I was thinking along the same lines as you with the denim. With 3 teenagers i have given so many pairs of jeans away to the charity shops now i want them back!! But i hadnt thought of the mens shirts. I might be able to get some nice flannels or plaids as you mentioned. Or I will have to go and ask everyone for their unwanted pyjamas!
Well i think i have some food for thought. Now i just need to decide what on a style or pattern
thank you so much
Polly x

I was thinking about your batting too. Years ago it was very hard to find it. I used light colored blankets as batting. It's almost the same as Hobbs cotton batting. If you are machine quilting it quilts just fine. It's a little hard to get small stitches if you hand quilt though!
How strict is your challenge? What about thread? Crochet cotton thread can be used for big stitch hand quilting.

You could also do a crazy quilt type thing. Anything goes with those you wouldn't need to just use cottons. Or you could use men's neck ties and make a Dresden Plate or fan block with them. They could take away my stash..but they couldn't take quilting away from me! LOL

I am 100% set on a denim quilt top and a flannel back. Not sure how i am going to do this yet but I have been browsing the net and have seen a few ideas. I am off today to visit all the charity shops in the area looking for materials. I have a pair of levi's that i have kept since i was 21.......always intending to get back into them one day. I have decided to chop them up and put them in the quilt. Better they get used then sit in a cupboard waiting for the never never!
I was thinking though if the top is denim and the backing flannel would i need batting? Maybe it would be too heavy? Another thing to think about :undecided :

I forgot to mention that the only two things i am allowed to use is my sewing maching and threads. Dont think i will be hand quilting with denim and flannel. I am just picturing the state of my fingers if i did!

I love that quote of yours 'They can take away my stash....but they couldn't take quilting away from me' I am starting to enjoy this challenge......its proving that this hobby of ours is so special because all the materials and tools we need are all around us. Oh dear i am getting on the recycling thing again!!! best go and hit the charity shops!!

I did a denim quilt, but it would not qualify for your project. I think any entirely scrap quilt should, however. For example, all 9 patches on the front, lasagne (just horizontal strips) for the back.

It occurs to me that old jeans denim squares sandwiched with flannel scraps or old flannel sheet squares, sewn together with raw raveled seam allowances to the denim side would work fairly well. If you want a batting, try old wool garments for that.

Lots of great ideas here

I don't think I would use batting with a denim quilt... I do think it would be too heavy, but the idea of using old wool garments for the batting is a good one!

I hate to hijack this thread...but Polly...is your avatar an actual quilt you made??? Is there a pattern? I have been looking for just THAT for some fabrics I have been saving! THANKS!!

Polly..It sounds like a rag quilt would be a good way to go with this.
http://quilting.about.com/od/ragquiltpatterns/ss/rag_quilt_basic.htm

http://www.quilting101.com/styles/rag-quilts.html

I've been cutting old jeans into 6" squares for this very type of quilt. As I come across them I cut them up and have a pretty good sized stack. Once i have enough I'll start sewing. This would be great to take to the beach or for picnics.
No batting is used and the "quilting" is done as you sew it together.

Karol..I fell in love with Polly's Avatar and checked out the quilt/technique. I posted info on the books thread. There might have been a better place for that? Here's a link to that thread..and if you click on the link in that post be sure to go to the gallery. Great photos of the process of making this wonderful quilt!
http://quiltersresort.forumotion.net/books-movies-and-music-f5/happy-villages-t327.htm

Polly I think Ann is on the right track with the blanket for batt. However, I have a beautiful quilt here, it was my husbands childhood quilt and it is in complete shreds (I salvaged a piece and framed it for him) I cant bear to throw the shreds away. This quilt my MIL said she bought from a woman who lived in the country, was poor as dirt and made beautiful quilts..........well........she used a really really rough blanket for the batting, It feels like there is a lot of scratchy wool in this blanket, I think this is why the quilt shredded, It wore from the inside out.
I know a woman who uses fleece inside her quilts, that might work as well. Depends on what you can find i guess.

Hi everyone! Thank you so much for your help on getting me started with this challenge. The update is ..... I found enough denim in the house for the top. I then went to the local charity shops and found four extra large flannel shirts (thanks Finisher for the idea).
I have cut both the denim and the shirts into 8"blocks and am going to sew them together with the raw edge showing on one side and let it fray like chenelle. I am not going to bother with batting as i think it will be too heavy. Thank you again for your help :lol:

Also thank you for the interest in the avator. The technique is very easy and you can make the top in a day. Its the quilting that takes time. It is a collage technique where everything is fused on and sewn later.
Finisher I saw you looked at the book! are you tempted?
Karol. Most of the fabrics i dyed myself plus a few batiks.

Polly x

Tempted Polly? I'm drooling! I just love your quilt and when I went to her site I really enjoyed seeing the students working away. I like all of the quilts they showed! I'm going to order the book. I don't know when I'll get around to the project..but I want to have the book in case it goes out of print. Your fabrics are just gorgeous and the fact that you hand dyed them makes them extra special!