Yesterday was a particularly frustrating day for me. I was very excited to go my quilt guild meeting and learn how to use my fabric scraps and turn them into an improvisational quilt. Everyone was asked to bring their scraps and we combined them to share as we worked. I was digging through quite a few bags, enjoying myself thoroughly. Then I sneezed. I figured I had stirred-up some fabric dust and didn't think anything of it. Then the all too familiar tightness in my chest began. I asked that the door to the outside be closed, thinking my exposure to that was causing a problem. But I kept suffering. Off to the bathroom for a hit on my rescue inhaler. And that's when it occured to me-I bet some of the fabric scraps came from houses with animals. Sure enough, cats and dogs were living with some of my fellow quilters.
I ended up having to go home and do a breathing treatment. I felt ridiculous. Sickly. Weak. And even guilty because my fellow quilters were worried they made me sick. (Which isn't true-it's MY allergy, so it's MY responsibility!) It's unbelievable to me that I have to think about ridiculous things like who has pets and if I'm touching their stuff.
But enough of my complaining. I was very motivated to use my fabric scraps more often (pet hair free please) and was wondering....how do you organize your fabric scraps? Mine are a jumbled mess in a basket by sewing table. I would like for them to be more organized and would love to get your suggestions. (I'll take any hints you have for asthma too!)
8 comments:
I feel your asthma pain... although I've had it the majority of my life.
I love quilting with my scraps. It is sort of like scrap-booking for me.
In the early days I would throw all leftover fabric into a drawer and hope that it mysteriously became something cool when I opened the drawer again. It became a wrinkled mess that I never wished to iron or work with. Then it became a large wrinkled mess.
When I moved, I ironed all of the fabric and cut all fabric that was less than a yard into the scrap square sizes I use the most: 5", 3 1/2" and 2". These squares went into neatly labeled boxes and whenever I wish to work on a scrap quilt I can just pull out the box and revisit all the fabric I have loved so much. If the box cannot be closed I take out some squares and see if I can either come up with a new pattern or continue to fit them into one of my scrap quilts.
Currently my 2" squares are being culled by a hexagon quilt that I am working on.
Know yourself and know what works best for you. And if you ever want to trade scraps let me know. I have a pet free/smoke free home and the only plant I can keep alive is a angel plant and a small Norfolk pine (who lives outside).
I'm so sorry to hear this! I developed asthma in my 30s, and it really is not any fun. Unfortunately, mine has progressivaly gotten worse, but my meds keep it in control as long as I'm not exposed to a trigger, like cigarette smoke or fragrance.
I keep my fabrics in shallow plastic bins with lids that can be stacked on shelves in my craft "room", which is really a walk-in storage closet.
Please come check out the vintage quilt I posted about today.
Sorry to hear of your asthma problems. As of right now I have alergy problems. My media is stained glass. I store scrap glass to be used for mosaics by color and size in plastic shoe boxes. The larger pieces of glass are store in a home-made wooden bin by color. Hope you feel better.
Laura, I'm so sorry to hear about your asthma! It must be such an adjustment to have to worry about your asthma/allergies now, after being fine for most of your life. So frustrating. I hope you're feeling better.
As for sorting my fabric scraps, I often cut the scraps into easily quilt-able sizes before storage (ie 3x3, 4x4, or 5x5 squares). I then sort them by color and tie them together, like the small 5x5 sets you buy at quilting stores. Then, I keep them all in small stacking clear plastic bins. That way, I just have to go to my fabric closet, look to find the bin with the right colors inside, and voila, pre-cut scrap squares for quilting. :)
-Jennifer @ JennJill Designs (www.JennJillDesigns.com)
I'm asthmatic but only around cats and some other animals. I can walk past someone in the street and start sneezing. Other times I can bury my face in another animals fur and nothing happens. I feel... Awkward about it at the best of times. People always have cats (which are 99% guaranteed to set me off) and go all worried and polite and offer to remove them from the room so I don't die... Even though there's absolutely no point as the room remains riddled with triggers. My dear MIL thinks if she vacuums before I turn up, I'm fine, and then when I'm weeping and oozing and suffocating within seconds she asks if I'm getting a cold. No. Just the cats. 'But I vacuumed!'.
I feel bad about turning down visiting friends or staying over if they have cats as I'll get very ill. I am livid if I go to a b&b and they let their pets walk over all the beds with no prior warning. I hate the fear of forgetting my inhaler.
Once, someone asked whilst I couldn't breathe, whether or not it was all in my head.
I wish. I really wish.
And kittens are so damn cute too. One day they'll find a cure. My mum had to crush tablets up to inhale and her lungs are scarred for life from it. She grew out of it though. Mine has gotten worse. I used to have a cat. Now though I have to avoid triggers because it could become chronic. That scares me. It's very scary. I empathise.
Asthma stinks! I learned a lesson about combining scraps for group use. I am thinking about making a pillow or pillow case with the scraps left from each quilt I make and with the remainder.. sorting by size & color. I also have a scrap pattern in mind to make one day and it uses 3.5" squares so I do cut fabrics I really love into that size for future use.
Hi, Popping in here from a link at We Love French Knots. I urge you to visit an allergist, if you have not. My husband and both kids have asthma but it is controlled with medication. In the past they used to have to use rescue inhalers all the time, but now with Zyrtec D and Advair daily they are fine. Even my daughter who is a competition gymnast and practices three hours almost every day no longer uses her inhaler. My husband just completed a marathon, so truly a good allegist and the right meds are the key. We also have dogs and a sometimes dusty house!
Get quickly "asthma" yes..actually out, hope you feel better soon..
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