Happy National Sewing Month! The theme for this year’s National Sewing Month is Sew Sustainable. NationalSewingMonth.org writes “For 2024, we are continuing our theme of Sew Sustainable to highlight the creative ways sewing enthusiasts are working to reduce, reuse, and recycle in their sewing projects. Our theme also supports the American Sewing Guild’s newest Sew Sustainable initiative.”
We love the theme of sustainable sewing and have a few tips and resources to launch you on your path to being Sew Sustainable.
1 Sew & Quilt with Scraps
At Thimbles we know there is a lot you can make with the humble fabric scrap. We’re so dedicated to scrap quilting and sewing that we’ve created lists detailing more than 50 of our favorite scrap projects going back for several years now. You don’t need to toss those fabric scraps! They can be utilized to quilt and sew all kinds of useful and beautiful projects. Check out the links below to explore our favorite scrap fabric projects.
Our Favorite Scrap Fabric Projects
MORE of Our Favorite Scrap Fabric Projects
EVEN MORE of Our Favorite Scrap Fabric Projects (Pt. 1)
EVEN MORE of Our Favorite Scrap Fabric Projects (Pt. 2)
50+ Scrap Fabric Projects for National Sewing Month
We just saw a fabulously scrappy denim jacket at Baby Lock Tech this year that illustrates the beautiful utility of fabric scraps. The scrap fabric is raw-edged and stitched down with a decorative thread:
2 Use Even the Smallest Fabric Scraps
We know that with quilting methods like fussy cutting and foundation paper piecing, quilters are often left with a lot of weird fabric scraps and offcuts in odd shapes and lengths. You don’t have to toss these fabric scraps!
Collect these offcuts as you sew and quilt and let the pile build up. Once you have a sizeable stash of fabric odds and ends, it’s time to set them to use. We have two project ideas for these scraps: one that’s more involved, and one that’s super easy.
This is also called "crumb quilting," a technique that uses up leftover bits of fabric to create quilt blocks and quilt tops. Learn more about crumb quilting here.
The More Involved Project: Create a Fabric from Scraps
Sum of Their Stories has a fabulous online tutorial for creating a larger piece of fabric from fabric scraps. You’ll need iron on or fusible interfacing and your usual quilting acoutrements (sewing machine, thread, iron, scraps).
After that, you’ll just need a good eye for creating a color and pattern melange. Think of it like an art project. Your piece of scrap fabric will be completely unique and impossible to reproduce—truly one of a kind. The process involves layering pieces of scrap fabric together onto fusible interfacing and then using your sewing machine to create the fabric. The results can be surprisingly beautiful:
The Super Easy Project: Use Scrap Fabric as Stuffing
This option requires nothing more than a dedicated collection of scrap fabric. If you have a sizable pile, consider using your scrab fabric as the stuffing for any pillows or plush toys. Polyfill is used in many pillow forms and it’s not biodegradable.
Instead of artificial stuffing material or polyfill pillow forms, opt for your stash of fabric scraps. Fabric scraps—if you have enough of them—can provide a nice, soft material for quilted pillows.
If you need something a bit “fluffier” for toys we found a recipe on Reddit that might work for you:
“I cut my cotton scraps small (like pinky nail sized small) and soaked them in vinegar/salt water to soften them. Then I blended small amounts in a Goodwill blender, and poured it into a large cotton laundry bag I had. I threw a couple tennis balls in the bag, tied it up, and chucked it in with my first load of laundry. Then I ran it through the dryer a few times, and by the time laundry day was done I had this!”
3 Choose Sustainable Materials
We know it’s not always possible, but you can, opt for choosing sustainable materials. When shopping for tools, go for the metal over the plastic. When shopping for fabrics, veer towards natural fibers (cotton, linen, silk, leather) versus plastic and polyester.
It’s not always possible, depending on your access and your project needs, but we can all make our purchases more sustainable with some small changes.
4 Replace Single Use Items with Quilted Projects
You’re a quilter—why are you still using paper napkins and paper towels?!?
The “unpaper towel” movement is all about sustainability. Unpaper towels replace paper towels with sewn towels featuring a dual layer fabric made of cotton and linen paired with something more absorbent, like old hand towels or old flannels. Almost all of the components of your unpaper towels can be made from scrap fabrics. Paper & Stitch Blog has a great tutorial featuring both sew and no-sew options.
5 Opt for Zero or Minimal Waste Patterns
Zero and minimal waste quilting projects have come into fashion recently because they take the guesswork out of sustainable sewing and quilting. Resources like Patty Murphy’s Zero Waste Quilting (coming November 2024) promote minimal waste quilting projects and offer practical advice for evaluating fabric scraps and shopping mindfully.
Patty takes an interesting approach to minimal waste quilting, like when she suggests purchasing fabric with the intention of making two quilts so all the fabric is used. Her Aether Quilt and All Squared Up Quilt are two totally different designs that together count as zero waste, as together they use up all the yardage.
Aether Quilt and All Squared Up Quilt
How do you approach mindful quilting and sustainable sewing? Let us know your favorite sustainable sewing projects and your tips for being Sew Sustainable.
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