When I first read about the current theme, I realized a quilt that I already wanted to make, and already had the full-scale pattern for, would fit perfectly under its umbrella. Two birds; one stone (sorry birds; that is a terrible saying, and I would never throw stones at you). I had a headstart, win-win! I prefer to finish my quilts a month before the deadline, and this should have put me well on my way to reaching that goal. Should have…and yet I only had two applique pieces up on my design wall with less than a month to the deadline. What on earth? How had I managed to blow this lead so badly? Why was I so resistant to diving in?

Then I read Bronwyn’s post “Pointing the Finger at a Wagga” on textile waste. (See: https://clothincommon.com/pointing-the-finger-at-a-wagga/), and an entirely different idea came to me. My construction process consists of cutting very odd and specifically-shaped pieces out of many hundreds of fused fabrics. This leaves many hundreds of leftover scraps in bizarre shapes. These go into clear bins according to color, and I reach for them first when starting a new project. Despite my attempts to use the scraps up, the need for just the right shade of green or texture of purple always means I am adding new fabrics, and the volume doesn’t seem to reduce. Now I don’t waste A.N.Y.T.H.I.N.G. Living in a country with zero quilt shops, I am well-acquainted with the scarcity/hoarding mentality of saving every little bit in case it is needed later. I only visit a quilt shop at most once a year, if I travel. Even my fused scraps are not waste…so long as I am living. However, Bronwyn’s post started me thinking long-term. At some point, I will be gone, and they will never be used by anyone else. Normal yardage can always be passed along to the next generation, but my wonky, fused bits? They are likely to end up in the landfill, and this would make me sad. I wondered if I could make an entire piece for “Save the World” out of the scraps that would be trash to someone else. I had a sewing morning with some friends and grabbed 3 boxes of fused fabrics (blues/greens, reds, yellows) to take along and answer that challenge.

I could only use what I had brought and had to complete the top within the 4 hours I was there. I didn’t ruminate too long on any decision, just sought to cover the entire foundation surface. Blues and greens became earth and sky. Yellow became a sun. Reds would become tulip blooms. I tried not to trim too much. The top revealed itself before my eyes, and I managed to complete everything but the tulip heads before I had to go home. Because I didn’t have the luxury of adding anything new, my scrap boxes did grow lighter. Those pieces will not end up in a landfill. She is right that I won’t save the world in this way all by myself, but what if the millions of quilters across the world followed the spirit of the waggas and made use of the scraps in our orbit now, rather than someday? Be they old clothing, bed linens, textile-based packaging from things like rice or flour, and the scraps we generate from our own projects.

Maybe we make quilts for domestic violence or homeless shelters. Art for hospital and clinic walls. Maybe they get used by charities that make bedding for pet shelters. Maybe we make reusable gift bags and reduce wrapping paper waste. In any case, we should be thinking about where our scraps will go in the long term, not just our finished quilts.

Title: Arrayed in Radiance

Materials: batiks, quilter’s cottons, fusible web

Size: 21.25″ x 41.5″