Finding ways to use fabric scraps could easily be a full time job at Alabama Chanin. Hopefully, our company will one day be large enough to facilitate an entire scrap development team; however, right now we are moonlighters and dabblers in the art of manipulating scraps of our organic cotton jersey into a variety of projects, products, and playthings.
Our goal of becoming a zero waste company means that every scrap of fabric we cut is taken seriously. We are constantly looking for new ways to mold, shape, and incorporate these fabric cuttings into our everyday work – lest they overtake us like the roadside kudzu that swallows entire towns in the South.
Long ropes, knotted for hours on end, make the most beautiful necklaces. The smallest pieces of organic cotton jersey become appliqué pieces, quilt batting, small wallets, and, my personal favorite, the long jersey ties wound over and over to make lovely “sculptural” yarn balls.
Everyone in the studio has, at one time or another, teased me about my enthusiasm for making them when we receive an order. More than twice I accidentally dropped a yarn ball halfway through its making and watched it unravel until there was nothing but the string I began with in my hand – admittedly disheartening, but never enough to deter me.
Perhaps our most impressive scrap-work piece is the giant sofa made entirely of baled leftover fabric. We created a baler and went to work building a piece of furniture that is sturdy, functional, and beautiful.
Feeling inspired?
We’d love to see what you come up with.
-June
Will you ship to the UK? what would the charges be?? And are there colour themes to the boxes…have a total finity for charcoal/blue/white???
If you decide to donate any scraps, I love these recycled tee (shirt) bones for my dogs: http://www.etsy.com/shop/TeeBones
I made a bone for my dog from scraps last week too – he LOVES it… xoNatalie
this is a nice idea and i have an idea i would like to pursue with these scraps. but…the shipping is more than the price of the scraps. for me, that makes the total 35$…
We double checked the shipping prices with UPS and it seems that the prices are correct… sorry for that!
We happily ship our products world-wide but must process international orders manually. I would be happy to provide you with a shipping quote (we use UPS’s exact pricing, there is no mark-up or handling fee) just email your shipping info to Office@AlabamaChanin.com
Thanks!
Our Scrap Bags & Boxes are not sorted into varying color themes, but contain a variety of beautiful colors. Check out our color card (http://www.alabamachanin.com/studio-items/organic-cotton-color-cards) to see some of the shades they might include.
I make doll clothes, and use scrap from friends all the time, so YES if a sorted box, say all red bits from the same batch, or all navy blue bits from the same bolt would be awesome.
also having a level of extreme difficulty finding cute small scale prints on knit/jersey type fabrics…
Is the BAG of scraps bigger pieces than the box of scraps?
now THAT might be exactly what I need.
but why does 5# of scrap in a bag cost so much more than the 6# box of scraps? I’m a little confused by that, unless that indicates that there’s bigger (more easily used) pieces.
It’s just a one day sale today… let us know if you have any questions!
Our Scrap Bag (http://www.alabamachanin.com/studio-items/scrap-bag) is more expensive because of the Jersey bag itself. The 100% organic cotton jersey bag is machine sewn in our studio and features a hand-sewn label.
Made a quilt for my son last weekend, from a bag of your scraps! Couldn’t be happier…
also $15 for UPS shipping of 6#?
USPS can do it less expensively.,,,
especially if the regular ground shipping and not priority mail is used.
It’d help if you had other shipping options.
I’d have ordered if I’d have had other shipping options.
(My neighborhood has issues with UPS delivery anyway.
I NEED to have another option.)
If I only hadn’t had my bank account Shanghai’d sending things into a spiral… I would be ordering this cause I have a great idea!
And I agree.. this is a case where USPS Flat Rate Priority mail boxes would probably get you more sales!!
Thede scraps would make gorgoes, and functional coiled baskets and hampers
Thank you, Jennifer.