Saturday 1 March 2008

Recycling

Lately there has been a huge drive to recycle, supermarkets are reconsidering offering free plastic bags and some even offer small bonuses or discounts for those who choose to recycle. Personally I have a few 'bags for life' and also a small but growing collection of fabric shopping bags.
I've long been one to collect my jars and the odd beer bottle and take them to the recycling banks here in town, also available are collection points for paper, aluminium cans, batteries and clothing.
Many of us have found our own ways to recycle many items, I know many bloggers recycle old clothing either family owned or purchased from op/charity shops and make them into some beautiful quilts. I've used an old blanket as wadding in the past and have read of others doing the same.
Well this time, it's a pair of threadbare old towels! LOL They really are no use as towels anymore, but Hunney suggested they might be useful as the 'filling' in a quilt.


And why not? They will add weight and warmth to a lap quilt.
I had a hunt around and a think about how I could use them and what pattern would suit the dimensions of a large bath towel. I came up with this.


This morning I cut and pieced this 'Hit and Miss' it's a simple row based quilt which I found in this book. The binding will be made up from off cuts. I do like my scrappy bindings.

I've used some of the fabrics I've collected from the scrap club I subscibe to. I've ordered some new fabric for the backing. As soon as that arrives I'll be busy basting and quilting. I plan to make a second version of this quilt using different fabrics. So that will give me something to be getting on with while I await the backing fabric. Then in a few days Hunney and I can have his and hers lap quilts. LOL



6 comments:

Featheronawire Sally Bramald said...

That look great. My very first quilted patchwork had an old towel as a batting. I made it 20 years ago and used it as a play mat and changing mat for my DD and then it went on to being a dog bed.
And it still looks good after all that abuse! (and tons and tons of washes)

Teresa said...

Oh you would love the quilt that one of the ladies in my guild found at Goodwill Store for $5. As batting, the woman had used old drapes, a couple towels and even a pair of old pajamas..there were a couple of other things that I don't remember at the moment. The quilter that bought it, said the back was just so filthy and stained, she had decided to take it a part and put a new backing on it and that is when she found the "treasures."

Ali Honey said...

Well done! I encourage recycling of every sort. There is far too much waste in our world.

Helen in the UK said...

I'm a big fan of recycling. The idea of using a towel as batting is interesting - not heard of that before. Hope it works out well :)

Rebel said...

wow - that is such a clever idea! I have several old towels that might end up like this. However now they're really useful for when I give the cat a bath - I need to cover every surface of the bathroom or there's a FLOOD!

Colleen formerly of South Africa said...

I love the colors of that throw...its so pretty.