Friday, March 6, 2009

Green Sewing

I follow the Quiltville blog - Bonnie is an amazing quilter who uses almost every piece of fabric to make into quilts she has written a book about recylced quilting called Scraps and Shirttails. Today on her blog there was a video of a woman who pieces all her quilts on a treadle machine - no electricy "people power" only and from there a link to her sisters site where you can see the "amazing Annie" free motion quilting on a treadle. After all you only need a straight stitch really for quilting. Imagine the dedication needed to lug a treadle machine to a weekend workshop.

For those of you not into quilting forget the terminology the point is these people only use people power for their sewing, so if you have a treadle machine dust it off and get sewing with it. I only wish I had one, my mother taught me to sew on a treadle but hers got turned into a table that lives at my sisters place not sure whatever happened to the actual machine.

I think it makes so much sense for me, sewing is a relaxing thing to do if I can indulge my passion and use the worlds resources more frugally then it will me even more of a pleasure for me. I already reuse and recycle fabrics, as many of you do, I use my smallest pieces and when they are too small for me to use I give them to the local preschool to be turned into works of art, or they tie up plants in the vege garden or I use them as weed mat with the newspaper - as they are all cotton they break down eventually.

Green Sewing think about it ......

daisymum

PS: here is the life motto my friend wrote:

"Patchwork & Quilting is my creative outlet, it completes me – the fact that others may benefit is a bonus and not the reason for all the projects. This may appear self centred, but as a wife, mother and nurse my life is totally full of caring for others, patchwork is were I care for me. This was my belief prior to Mum getting sick with Ovarian Cancer, but the way she used her patchwork to assist her to get the best quality out of her life was the best confirmation of my life Motto."

It is still Friday somewhere in the world what is your life motto!!

5 comments:

Scrappy quilter said...

Great post...I use the tiniest pieces of scraps too in my quilts. I just can't bare to throw them out.

Margaret's Ramblings said...

I just love the work you quilting ladies do. It's something I have promised to learn this year, both because it is so beautiful and I like the idea that I could make a usable quilt to lay on a bed that would keep a loved one warm. Lovely post. Margaret

Caroline said...

Think!!
daisymum you always make me think.Sometimes I can ponder little things you say for many hours.Oh the stress of it GIVE me a wine.
Please!!!

Unknown said...

so caroline that is your motto - Give me wine!??????

daisymum

Gill - That British Woman said...

yes, its great to to be able to use each and every scrap of material........

Gill in Canada