How to Quilt>Recycled Fabric

Scrap Quilts - Bonnie Hunter Style

Bonnie Hunter has been quilting professionally with a longarm machine for 13 years, but her love of quilting goes back farther than that.  She says her interest in patchwork came as a teen when she saw some pillows in an issue of Seventeen magazine.

A high school home economics class during her senior year of high school in 1980 began her love of quilting.

In addition to her love for quilting, Bonnie is dedicated to continuing quilting traditions. She genuinely enjoys talking about quilting, teaching workshops and seminars.

Bonnie’s interest in scrap quilts sets her aside from many quilters in today’s industry. She is interested in helping quilters get the most out of their stash, using organic fabrics, and in repurposing and recycling fabrics.

Bonnie explains that the term “organic” begins with the very ground in which the fiber is grown. “They have to grow it without using damaging chemicals or pesticides,” she explains.

When talking about cotton, the term organic does not end with the way the plants were grown and harvested. It rolls over into the manufacturer’s processing procedures, too.

Factories have to be certified that there is no hazardous waste coming from them, she said. The entire facility must be specially licensed for the company to have the “certified organic” claim.

Organic requirements also affect the dyes used in the printing process of fabric. Dyes used in organic fabrics must not leave behind any hazardous chemicals or residues that pollute water.

Bonnie says some fabric companies are now using vegetable dyes. Vegetable based dyes can create unique, beautiful fabrics. Many times the color schemes will be muted, giving the fabrics a vintage or old fashioned look.

While promoting the use of organic fabrics, Bonnie encourages quilters to find ways to use their stash fabrics up so that they don’t end up in landfills. So, while you may not be buying organic cottons for your quilts (which she admits can get quite expensive), you can efficiently use your stash for scrap quilts.

Quilters can also find other fabric sources, such as previously worn clothing and other house hold items. Bonnie encourages quilters to look through their closets and in local thrift stores for fabric finds in garments.

She says searching for garments to repurpose is a lot like looking for fabric. “I look for garments the same way I look for fabric,” she says. The first thing she does is read the garment’s label to learn the fiber content. She seeks out 100 percent cottons first, but does not discard those with a cotton-ramie blend. “Those are two natural fibers that work well together,” she says. 

She will also use a cotton-linen blend because it feels “homespun.” She discards any finds that have even the smallest amount of spandex.

When you repurpose garment fabric for quilting, the amount of usable fabric you get depends largely on the size and make of the garment. Men’s shirts, for example, have fewer darts to cut around, meaning you will get a little more fabric from it than a woman’s shirt with darts and tucks.

If you are working with a long sleeve shirt, you will obviously be able to get more fabric from it than from a short sleeved one. In relation to men’s shirts, she says the back alone is usually bigger than a fat quarter, especially once you have opened the seams up.

Bonnie has worked out a great method for cutting shirts in order to get the most fabric.

There are so many ways to recycle, reuse and repurpose in quilting. Bonnie encourages quilters to think outside the box and realize that beautiful quilts can be made from many leftover pieces of fabric.

To learn more from quilting professionals like Bonnie Hunter, visit www.how-to-quilt.com and register for an upcoming “Eavesdrop on a Telephone Conversation.” You will get a chance to learn from industry professionals and even have an opportunity to ask questions yourself!

All of this information and more is yours when you have a CD recording of the Eavesdrop on a Telephone Conversation with Bonnie Hunter.

The accuquilt GO! is a fabulous way to cut scrap fabric into patches. No worries about uneven edges, this die cutting system trims all the excess off with just the simple turn of your wrist.

© 2009-, Penny Halgren. This article courtesy of http://www.How-To-Quilt.com. You may freely reprint this article on your website or in your newsletter provided this courtesy notice and the author name and URL remain intact.