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How to Quilt>Scrap Quilts
Cutting up Garments for Fabric
Bonnie Hunter is a quilter who specializes in scrap quilts using fabric from thrift shops or donations from friends' closets. Recently she visited with us for our Eavesdrop on a Telephone Conversation, and the specific topic was how to cut garments apart once you get them home from the thrift shop. Here is a sampling of her answers: Penny: How do you actually take a piece of clothing apart as you’re cutting it? Bonnie: This is Shirt Disassembly 101. The first thing I do is cut off the collar. The band of the collar is attached to the yoke. Sometimes I will even cut the collar apart and save the layers. Those go for string quilting and things like that. The collar band usually gets thrown away. I save all of the buttons. I have a pretty jar that I’m trying to fill to the top. I cut off the button plackets because those usually aren’t worth saving. If you want to use them to tie up your tomatoes you can, but something has to go. I cut off the cuffs of the sleeves. I’ll save the layers of the cuffs as long as there is not thick interfacing or something fused to them. If something is fused to them, I let those go. Then I cut the shirt apart on its seams. I cut up the side seam and under the arm. I cut the arms off then cut around the armhole to get rid of that seam. I cut across the yoke on the back. I remove the pocket. I save pockets. I usually save the back of the shirt as if it were a fat quarter in case I need to cut some big pieces or alternate blocks. My patchwork for the blocks I’m making usually come from the sleeves and the two shirt fronts. Penny: Do you use scissors, or do you do some of this with your rotary cutter? Bonnie: I enjoy sitting on my couch with a good chick-flick movie on and my scissors. Sometimes you have to remind yourself how to use scissors. There’s a time for scissors, and this is it. Penny: You don’t necessarily try to pull the seams apart. You just cut them up. Bonnie: It’s not worth the time it takes. If the seam is really straight, like where the yoke of the shirt is joined to the shirt back, I will make a snip and tear. It’s the same with the side seams. Make a snip on either side of that seam, and tear. You have to watch. If the fabric goes into a curve, your tear might stop, or it might start tearing someplace you don’t want it to go. Save yourself. This is what they used to do. Make a snip and tear to get something straight on the grain. Spend an evening. It doesn’t take a lot of time. It’s fun. Penny: You just pile them up. Bonnie: Pile them up. I decide what I’m going to do. I have different sizes of strips that I cut things into. These are the sizes of strips I use for most everything. That’s what they usually end up with, other than the shirt back that stays like a fat quarter.
Click here to learn more about the Eavesdrop on a Telephone Conversation with Bonnie Hunter. Read what Bonnie had to say about choosing the right garment. Happy Quilting!
Penny Halgren www.How-to-Quilt.com
©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.
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