Lots of fabric squares - Ideas needed!

Olliebeak

At this time of year, schools are often checking out their nativity play costumes (at least those that STILL do nativity plays are) - I'm sure any bits of brocade fabric (for wise men/kings), hessian/coarse woven (for shepherds) and dark blue (for Mary) always come in useful.

ChocClare

Don't know if you like the look of crazy quilts, but if you do, these are the ideal sort of fabrics to make one. Basically you just sew down pieces of material to a backing and then decorate with embroidery stitches. No quilting as such. They can look very effective as a throw.

Look up crazy quilt in google images if you're wondering what on earth I'm talking about. Here are a couple of examples : http://farm1.static.flickr.com/100/294878386_2d7384c6b9.jpg
and http://www.allourquilts.com/files/imagecck/321/leslsamp.jpg

foxgloves

Someone gave one of those fabric sample books to my Mum ages ago. It was all different sorts of Sanderson furnishing fabrics, some of which were William Morris designs. She machine sewed them all together, arranging all the different colours nicely, then backed the patchwork to make a bedspread which she used on their bed for years. She then gave it to me & I used it as a throw on my sofa in winter & for my garden seat in summer. Last year, I decided I needed a warmer door curtain in the kitchen, so I added some tabs and now it's a curtain and there's still loads of wear in it! Not bad for a free book of samples!

laurel7172

Quick warning. Don't make bean bags for primary schools unless you're sure they're welcome. Some children are allergic to beans and schools are mostly moving over to synthetic fillings. It would be a shame to waste your work, that's all...

One day, I'm going to turn all my fabric scraps into bunting for summer parties...

Chris25

jewellery?
http://www.craftstylish.com/item/653/how-to-make-fabric-bound-beads

http://craftblips.com/story/how-to-make-stiffened-fabric-jewelry/


If you made a patchwork piece, it needn't be a throw or quilt, it could be a wallhanging, a cover for a footstool or cushion.

laurel7172

Actually, I bought a bag of upholstery fabric samples for 50p about ten years ago. They've made a couple of pirate waistcoats (child sized), two peg bags, re-covered the top of the laundry basket and the piano stool and I'm sure other things I've forgotten. I think I'm down to one sample left now. One of my better 50p spends.

Chris25

that's just reminded me that years ago M&S had some lovely velvet curtains. I went off to get a sample but they didn't give you just the one colour you wanted, you got the whole card of about 8 different colours, each sample generously measuring about 8x6 ins.

my mum came home that night....you can guess.... with exactly the same thing. We had enough to make 2 patchwork cushion covers. ( I say we, but as I'm rubbish at sewing even with a machine, I didn't do it)