Left-overs Part One
Holiday dinners like Thanksgiving and Christmas usually produce leftovers. They are great if we know what to do with them. My son-in-law says leftovers are the best part.
Recently I’ve been challenged with finding creative ways to use leftover fabric. When I sewed just for myself, my goal was to buy the minimum amount I could get by with, so I seldom had much left over.
Now that I am sewing sample items for my class, I often use the fabric for something other than I originally intended it for. It’s so much fun to get an idea for something and then go to my small stash and find what I need. Often the 'something' needs less than I have on hand so I have some leftover.
My students also have leftovers and I am researching projects for things they can make as well.
So here’s what I’ve done so far:
1. Embellished clothing. I made a set out of a top and shorts
by using a small piece left over from the top to add a pocket to a pair of shorts
Recently I’ve been challenged with finding creative ways to use leftover fabric. When I sewed just for myself, my goal was to buy the minimum amount I could get by with, so I seldom had much left over.
Now that I am sewing sample items for my class, I often use the fabric for something other than I originally intended it for. It’s so much fun to get an idea for something and then go to my small stash and find what I need. Often the 'something' needs less than I have on hand so I have some leftover.
My students also have leftovers and I am researching projects for things they can make as well.
So here’s what I’ve done so far:
1. Embellished clothing. I made a set out of a top and shorts
by using a small piece left over from the top to add a pocket to a pair of shorts
.
2. Doll clothes. Leftovers from the kid-size tops and skirt were made into clothes for an 18” doll. The dolls are a great size for beginners who want to create and design economical clothes. They are much easier to sew than fiddly Barbie doll fashions.
3.String Quilting – strips of red and gold fabric on a 4.5” block made from the leftovers of various items. It could be made into a simple mat for a coffee cup, or it could be sewn to numerous other blocks and made into placemats, etc. or even a quilt. (I apologize that it isn't clearer.)
Lastly - Simple Four Squares patchwork - made into a small pillow.
The leftovers came from a sample nightshirt.
3.String Quilting – strips of red and gold fabric on a 4.5” block made from the leftovers of various items. It could be made into a simple mat for a coffee cup, or it could be sewn to numerous other blocks and made into placemats, etc. or even a quilt. (I apologize that it isn't clearer.)
Lastly - Simple Four Squares patchwork - made into a small pillow.
The leftovers came from a sample nightshirt.
