# What on earth was she talking about?: "Scrap Quilter"



## clovis (May 13, 2002)

As most of you know by my recent threads, I bought well over 500 yards of fabric out of an estate. In all, there may have been 1,000 yards, but I haven't figured it up yet.

Since it is easier to display and sell, we cut most of our fabric into fat quarters to sell at an indoor flea market. Bolts of fabric, or anything over a yard is difficult to sell, at least for us. We have sold two bolts of fabric (both totaling 8 yards) so far this month, but have sold _tons_ of fat quarters.

Anyway, I was in a group of people, and someone mentioned that I had purchased the fabric. One woman started asking me questions about the fabric. 

All in all, she was trying to pressure me into selling her fabric for $1 a yard, as long as I let her pick a few yards here, and a few yards there, as I cut it to her specifications. She was being highly critical of our decision to cut the fabric into FQ's, even though they sell the best for us, and are more profitable than yards of fabric.

As a gentleman, I tried to politely let the conversation drop. I have no interest in selling fabric for $1 yard, especially since I've heard so many quilters ooh and ahh over the high quality that we have. I also know that some of our fabric originally retailed for $12 a yard.

As she became more adamant and animated, she kept saying "I am not a scrap quilter!" I bet she said it 5 times during the conversation.

Do you all have any idea what she meant by the term "scrap quilter"?


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## Terri in WV (May 10, 2002)

Scrap quilter's use smaller bits of fabric.

Myself, I'm more of a strip piecer and don't like FQ's for that reason. I'd rather have a regular quarter(9xwof). That way I can use it for strips or cut it into bits, if I choose.

Regardless, she shouldn't have been hassling you about the cost.

I had a woman come into my shop one time and ask me to cut 2"-3" squares off all of my stash and sell it to her for a dollar a gallon bag. I flat out told her she was nuts if she thought I'd do that.(I have a lot of stash )


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

I have little use for FQs, and only buy them if I need a small amount of colour for a project. But that being said, a lot of people like them. I buy fabrics in 2 - 3 yard pieces so I have enough of one colour for a quilt. What I would have offered is to buy yardage at the equivalent cost of your FQs. So if you were selling your FQs for $1.50 each, I'd expect to pay $6.00 for a yard (although I'd try to get you down to $5.00 since it was less cutting for you).


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## okiemom (May 12, 2002)

your fabric your choice. If fat Qs sell well and give a profit then keep doing it. She was just wanting fabric for the cheap. I love a bargain too but wow she was nuts.


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## ginnie5 (Jul 15, 2003)

I used to not understand why people bought fat quarters. When I first started quilting it was hard to "scrap" quilt. Now its just fun! 
But sell it as is best for you! Some people just aren't going to be happy no matter what you do.


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## Kris in MI (May 30, 2002)

I can understand wanting to buy cuts that were at least 1 yard in size. However, expecting you to sell them for $1 a yard was ridiculous!


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## Classof66 (Jul 9, 2011)

Some people prefer to use a few coordinating prechosen fabrics in a quilt. In fact I recently purchased a book, I think its form BH&G, at Goodwill of course, that has quilts from just 2 fabrics. Not me, I am a scrapper. Scrap quilts have become very popular in the last couple years. When Grandma made quilts in the old days, most of them were scrap quilts, unless Grandma had money to buy her choice of fabric, Fot a long time, I's buy scraps at several quilt shops, they'd usually be wrinkled and shoved in a bag and in an offbeat corner of the quilt shop. It might be a few inches left on a bolt, trimmings from a demo quilt or a class, maybe a fabric with a flaw, odds and ends. I get bored easy so I like to make sampler quilts. I was working and had very little time, so I was stocking up for retirement, which is now. I have way too many scraps too, altho I LOVE my hoard. I have a lot of the Civil War fabrics which I love. Also I have some of the really gorgeous fabrics, like the Hoffmans, for example, that I would admire but not buy because of cost, and having to make somebody have to cut it, and needing other fabrics to coordinate with it, etc. They blend in nicely in a scrap quilt. I have noticed too that scraps have become a rather hot item in my area. That's OK, I have plenty! 

Since I get bored easy, I have many, many UFO's. I recently bought 3 yards, split into two 1 1/2 yard pieces of the 108 backing, cream with a flower print at Walmart. Nice fabric, and very basic, As a blender/ background fabric it is a tremendous buy, since its 3 yards wide. I think it was $7.99 yd. I am making 2 of the Bonnie Hunter pineapples, from her free patterns online, very easy, and quick. I am using the Walmart fabric for one, and a antique type, brown sugar colored piece with a tiny print I have been hoarding for years. One will be a charity quilt using the odds and ends from my hoard, that I am not excited about, and the other using the brown sugar print is made from the Civil War stuff, which I will keep and love. This will help clear out a scrap bag or two. (you cannot imagine how much I have!) Totes and totes. I worked on it most of yesterday, even neglecting the new MQ until evening.

Clovis, sorry for the drift. I suggest taking a couple bags and bagging any oddballs you acquire in your stash. Odds and ends, flaws, pieced too small to be FQ, anything maybe with a small stain, etc. Market is as a "Stash Builder." I would not sell a good stash builder bag too cheap either. Somebody like me will be more than happy to buy it!


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