This was with the Bulloch Hall Quilters in Alpharetta, GA! I was in the middle of my trunkshow explaining what Leaders & Enders are. I get to the point where I ask people what they can do with folded over thread covered scraps that they have been using as "thread bunnies" or "Sew-betweens" and pointing out that they most often just end up in the trash anyway. My total justification of why Leaders & Enders are a great idea and that you can build quilt units in between the lines of chain piecing instead of having thread covered scraps everywhere.
One lady said she SAVES them!! And here is proof! *LOL*
Now, I did ask her what she plans to do with them...and she said she isn't sure yet, but I suppose she could zig zag them all together and make a thread decorated bag or something, but I found it so funny that she actually had a whole zip loc baggie of these things! And even funnier that she would bring that bag of thread covered scraps to the workshop the next day. Oh, it was such GOOD fun, and they are great sports!
So...I wanna know...do YOU save thread bunnies? Have you MADE anything with them? Because I'd rather be building quilt units in between than trying to figure out what I could make with these little do-dads!
27 comments:
CUTE! But I'd rather have a lovely scrappy quilt!
In stitches,
Teresa :o)
No, I have been using leaders and enders for many years now and sleep under a quilt every night made from them. It is my favorite quilt ever because I can look at it and remember the different projects I was working on when I made the 'scraps' that went into my quilt. ~karen
I used to do that...I still have a jar of them. But you made me see the light and now I have quilts instead of thread bunnies (well, I used to call them "thready Freddy's"...can you guess my husband's name?!?!).
Yep...I save my thread bunnies...however my most treasured thread bunnies are the ones I found in my Momma's sewing cabinet after she had suffered a horrible stroke that left her disabled and bedridden for the balance of her life. I did try the L&E system but just couldn't make it happen. Since getting a machine that has a thread cutter I no longer use thread bunnies.
She could make a rug, for her sewing room... she'd never need to vacuum it! ;)
I've never saved them but I saw a small wall hanging in a show that was comprised of thread bunnies the teacher had collected from her students. It was actually quite interesting but I had the job of explaining to 2 non-quilter/sewers what the pieces actually were. They wondered how they had been pieced.
The first thing I thought of was the threadies that Ton used to make. Hand sewn together with embellishmùents they'd be brilliant.
No, I kind of have to draw the line at saving those...LOL. But I save everything else!!!
Don't use "bunnies" LOL I will be using your leaders & enders way as soon as I get my scraps cut up. I love the idea of making a second quilt all the time!
That is awesome! Would make a neat bag for sure.
I need to get get in the better habit of L&Es period. I have done some. I do have the thread cutter that works well but I also save cut off threads to fill a glass tree ornie!
We all have our idiosyncratic ways!!
Lola
these ladies sure are frugal- my momma always said waste not want not and this is a great example of it. I don't save them but I can see that it would make a cute bag with all those threads- You wouldn't have to worry about loose threads...
People are so talented - lots of imagination..
Have a great quilty day!
Regards,
Anna
I use string blocks as my leaders and enders!! although no matter how many scraps I sew together, they just keep multiplying!
Help me out here, Bonnie. I've heard of "leaders and enders" but I've never done them. I take it, you stitch these things before you stitch the pieces of the quilt, but why? I may be a bit dense here but I've always simply started stitching on the pieces of the block I'm working on. I'm sure there's a perfectly wonderful reason for doing this--please let me in on it. Thanks.
don't use leaders or enders but they would be great pieces to use with the embellishing machine.
My goodness! Why would anyone want to have those thready messes? I would much rather have hundreds of leaders and enders that I make a quilt from! In such a short time, most of the quilt is finished without my spending extra time to make!!!
That looks like it could be a whole top!!!
I use your Leader/Enders all the time.
As to saving odd sewing crumbs...I save all the "Dog Ears" I trim. They are in a small mason jar with a doily on top. I took it to a guild meeting as I was trimming Dog ears. One lady said I really had a problem. A few months when I posted my dog ear jar I was shown a blog where the quilter had many jars with her dog ears saved. I am not alone in saving scraps!!!!
Not in this lifetime would I save these! But good for her, if it floats her boat, go for it. I have a cutlery tray with my strips and sq's for a Blooming Pineapple from your site. This is my "leader & ender" project. I've finished a log cabin (144 blocks) by starting most blocks as L & E's.
It's amazing how much extra can get done, one piece at a time.
I'm not the type to feel guilty by throwing away/giving away something I know I won't use no matter how big or little it may be. My sewing room would be a fabric heap if I kept every scrap so I draw the line for myself.
That is so funny! Thread bunnies are the only thing I feel completely at ease throwing away. But I sure fill them up first. Here's something funnier - I have a friend who used to fill them up and then take a seam ripper to them and take the thread out so she could use them again! She was a new quilter and someone had told her to start and stop on them, but never told her to throw them away afterwards, so she thought she was supposed to keep using the same ones. She figured it out after a while and now throws them away.
They could be made into brooches (pins).
They could be given to an Art quilter who I'm sure would find a piece to add them to.
For some things life is just too short! I love piecing an extra quilt with my leaders and enders! (and have been known to cut one especially)
I use little leaders and enders about 1" x 1" and just throw them away.
Used to use them, never saved them; now I'm a leader/ender girl and will NEVER go back!
Hi Bonnie-
Before leaders and enders, I used thread bunnies but never thought to save them. However, I do have a box of scraps labelled "scraps too small to save".
Sandy in WV
I've been an L&E piecer for years. Saving bunnies is just too fiddly for me!
They look like some "Art" quilts I've seen! But then I've seen dryer lint wall hangings and scrap thread art (made with gauzy material laid over thread and sew all down). No, I don't keep those kinds of scraps..I have too many others that are actually usable to me.
Louise
I'm completely sold on L&E's, but still use thread bunnies when I've had to cut my thread for some reason and am starting a new line of piecing. My machine always makes 3 or 4 ugly stitches at the beginning of a new seam, and I let the bunnies absorb those. From there on I use L&E's until something forces me to cut thread again.
Instead of throwing the bunnies away, I do with them what I do with all my scraps that are too tiny to use as strings/crumbs, and too tiny for my preschoolers to make into pictures: I sew the bottom and arm holes shut on an old t-shirt, hang it on a hanger, and fill it with selvages, bunnies, narrow batting scraps, etc. When full, I sew the neck shut and use as a pet bed, either for home or to donate.
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