Have you got fabric that makes you wonder???

16 years ago

Have you every bought fabric that you loved in the store and then you get home and it goes with nothing you are making.

I bought some fabric that has parrots on it, very colourful and lots of green. I thought it was very cute and with the parrots being so pretty I thought for sure I would use it for something.

Well I have tried to use it in different quilts and it just isn't working. I look at it now and wonder what I was thinking.

Anyway fabric lasts a few years maybe I will find something to do with it.

Liz

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Comments (18)

laurainsdca
16 years ago
Yes!

I have learned that with larger prints in particular. Or items like your parrots -- They are SO CUTE and then WHAT will you do with them???

Some ideas for you if you decide against using it in a quilt:

Couch Pillows
Hand Bags
Aprons as gifts
Backing on a quilt
Backing on other things like pot holders, table runners.

Though it would be a shame to waste something pretty on the back of something like a table runner. Maybe it could BE the table runner.

Yours is not such a bad problem though -- my big problem is that when I was NEW I would think "it's on sale and it's 'ok' I should get a bunch." Now I look at those yards and yards of cheap fabirc and know that "ok" no longer cuts it for me. I need to love it.
cmc_97
16 years ago
Oh, yes, I have some fabrics like that.

Some ideas:

Use the fabric in one piece as the center medalion in a quilt, something like this:

http://www.connectingthreads.com/books/books_display.aspx?itemid=991159

I've seen a number of quilt patterns recently that incorporate large blocks of one fabric for large prints that you don't want to cut into tiny pieces. Here's an entire book of ideas (a few good photos on this page that show large pieces of fabric in quilts):

http://store.martingale-pub.com/catalog/index.cfm?fuseaction=product&id=535

Here's two pictures of a pattern with alternating blocks that are one fabric:

http://www.tropicalquilter.com/jcciflrn.html

http://www.virginiaquilter.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.exe/online-store/scstore/p-AWUP.html?E+scstore

Now all I need to do is pick one of these designs and get to work with my cats, butterflies, large flowers, underwater ocean scenes, Honolulu scenic panorama, sailing ships, motocycle, etc. fabric.

CMC
(You are not alone, my fellow fabriholic.)
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Islay_Corbel
16 years ago
Make a jungle quilt - appliquÃ© wild leaves and flowers onto a background fabric and fussy cut the parrots to appliquÃ© too.
vicky4x4
16 years ago
Yes, I have fabric I bought years ago and wonder what on earth am I going to do with this? I have 11 yards of a peachy/creamy fabric that I still like but it is a directional and I have no idea what to do with it. I bought it when a LQS went out of business so I know it's good fabric but the right project just hasn't come up.

I like the idea above about appliquÃ©.

Vic
quiltdiva
16 years ago
Unless it's a stripe I try to stay away from directional fabric (not that yours is directional). But sometimes all it needs is the right fabrics to go with it. I've got a gorgeous Hawaiian floral that I will definitely have to buy more fabric for but wanted to get it while it was available.

Have you thought about using it as a wide outer border on a quilt and plan the inside from there? A Stack N Whack also comes to mind if you dare to try that. Sometimes it takes a lot of guts though to cut into those luscious prints. Large summer totes or beach bags would be cute too. How about a Hawaiian shirt or a sundress for a little girl? Who says quilt fabric has to go in a quilt only.

Kay
teresa_nc7
16 years ago
Find a couple more tropical bird/animal looking prints and make Square in a Square blocks coordinated with bright read-as-solid colors.

Or try this block!

Here is a link that might be useful: Stick something in the middle block
bonica
16 years ago
Yeah! My shelves are full of it!
Last April I took 50-60 yards of it..washed, trimmed and folded it neatly. Tied it with a ribbon and gave it to my friend for her birthday. She was just finishing her first quilt. She was tickled..best gift ever! And I didn't have to look at it anymore!!!!!!!!
It took that whole guilt feeling for having spent(wasted)the money and turned it into something wonderful. I feel good. She's happy. Sharing is cool!
Bon
:)
bluebars
16 years ago
Look at the fabric differently, a la Rose Hahn. Rose uses the most unexpected fabrics, like your wild tropical print, for applique. Rose can make an iris from polar bears, bird wings from pansies, and teacups from cranes. Using her techniques I've made oysters out of dinosaurs, fish scales out of peacock feathers, animal eyes from flower centers, and of course, the usual fussy cut leaves, etc. for realistic looking applique. After a class with her, you will NEVER look at fabric the same again.
Make a circle with your thumb and forefinger, and look through that circle at different areas of the fabric, or use a paper cutout window. (A lot of my fabric stash looks like swiss cheese!)
BlueBars
sandra_ferguson
16 years ago
I have such a limited taste, really, for fabric, so I always buy things that are much the same in concept, if not in color or design...so, no big prints in my stash!. However, I watched a Simply Quilts the other day, where the woman made VERY unorthodox Dresden plates, with very wild fabrics. She fussy cut all the blades, or sections of the plate, to be just the same....it made for a sort of kalidascope dresden plate....very unusual and very interesting and WILD. You cut a blade from template fabric, with the seam allowance added...then cut out the blade, leaving only the seam allowance...this makes the whole center of your template empty, and this enables you to move it around the fabric, to find the exact same repeat..when you find it, draw around the template and you'll soon be able to cut out all the 'sections' you need for a plate. It was an interesting technique and an interesting use of unusual fabrics.
Rene54
16 years ago
I like the "stick something in the middle" approch, works for me, but I do have fabrics I bought, and can't seem to find a way of use. Some I wonder what was I thinking? others I have problems with cuting into them , that is what happens when you have a fabric addiction! Rene
irishdancersgram
16 years ago
Sandra, I saw that same episode and was amazed...Her quilts were gorgeous...Now I'm sorry I didn't tape it, not that I need something else to add to the list....

Dorothy
msmeow
16 years ago
My first thought was that you have to buy more fabric! :) You know, take it with you to the store and buy stuff to coordinate with it. Sounds like a good excuse to go shopping to me!

Seriously, though, if you have several yards you can always use it for backing. If the top was made from coordinating or similar fabrics, it would look great! Or you could make a quillow. Those are made from large pieces of fabric.

Donna
User
16 years ago
Bon,

Did you really give someone 50-60 yds.??? Do you have yr. own warehouse?
cannahavana
16 years ago
I have some and just keep hanging onto it until something comes along and I have use for it. But, it does take up room that I don't have much of! It may eventually end up at goodwill.

Rebecca
User
16 years ago
Hey, I think I have that same fabric! I thought I'd use it to make a romper for a little girl & then never did. Now I look at it & wonder if I'll ever use it.
cmc_97
16 years ago
If you've got fabric that needs a home, don't forget your local Project Linus chapter.

My local chapter collects fabric, batting, and yarn to distrite to volunteers who have the time to quilt, knit, or crochet, but the volunteers aren't able to provide all their own supplies.

A sick child or teen might actually enjoy wrapping up in parrots in the jungle.

CMC
anjea
16 years ago
Large, colorful prints lend themselves QUITE nicely to stack-n-whack quilts...
Woodsy
16 years ago
I was going to suggest the same thing as anjea...stack-n-whack...they say the bigger the print the better. I haven't tried it yet...but one of these days! even if you only got one s-n-w circle, it would definately be an attention grabber as a medallion piece.

Have you got fabric that makes you wonder???

Comments (18)

laurainsdca

cmc_97

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