Too much of a good thing? Or, what to do with fabric you know you won’t use…

Is your stash out of control? Have you been gifted fabric that wasn’t exactly….your style? Or did you just have to have that one print to later realize you don’t know what you’re going to do with it after all?!

If you have fabric you know you’ll never use, there are three things you can do to solve this: give away, sell, or reimagine a way to use that stash. But there are many ways to approach these…read on for more ideas.

Use it anyway…

Yes, you can probably still use fabric you find unusable! Even if you think your fabric’s too ugly or the wrong texture, there are ways to discreetly incorporate it into projects. Depending on how much you have and the structure of the fabric, you can use it to:

• Test patterns: Keep in mind, it’s important that these fabrics have the same hand the fabric you’d use for your finished piece.  I.e., how soft, stiff, thin, thick, stretchy or un-stretchy is your test fabric? Is it comparable in feel to your “good” fabric?   If you’re sewing a stretchy blouse, you definitely don’t want your mockup fabric to be made from woven or non-stretch, or if you’re testing out a purse pattern, you wouldn’t want to use slinky jersey that will stretch and not hold its shape, so keep these things in mind.
• Create interfacing: woven or non-stretch fabrics can be layered to add stability or thickness to a project. (Do be mindful of the sheerness of your outer fabric, though, so that any bold prints or colors on your interfacing don’t show through on your finished project.
• Stuff or padding: similarly to interfacing, ugly fabrics can be used as stuffing for something like plush art dolls. (When using fabric as stuffing, though, it can tend to be heavier and “settle” more than something like fiberfill, which is why I suggest it for art dolls and not for plush toys that will be loved/hugged on a regular basis.)
• Make fabric yarn: depending again on the texture/structure of your fabric, even some of the most unsightly fabrics can be improved by cutting them into narrow strips and creating a fabric yarn! This yarn can then be used to crochet or weave items like rugs or baskets. (Click here to watch a great tutorial I found on making an Amish rag rug!)

Sell it

If you have large cuts of fabric, selling it should be pretty straight forward.  You can list your fabric on sites like eBay, Etsy, or Facebook Marketplace.

If you have lots of little scraps, it may seem slightly more intimidating to try to market those. However, it can be done! I have been creating scrap kits to sell in the Moth and Rust Handmade Etsy shop and they are always popular. I’ve accumulated so much fabric over the years that it’s relatively simple for me to curate collections with a cohesive theme. I usually organize these “kits” by color, whether it’s a monochromatic theme or colors and textures that compliment each other. The key is to create a cohesive grouping that’s appealing to the eye; if you can help your buyer visualize all the ways they can make their scraps work together, it should be a success.

Just always be sure to:

• Describe your fabric as honestly and as accurately as possible! Is your fabric clean and free of odors? Does it come from a household with pets (e.g., will it have pet hairs on it?) How large are the cuts? What is the texture like? What’s the fiber content? Be sure to include as many relevant details as possible. When I sell scrap kits, I don’t give a description of each individual piece, but I do give a general listing of colors, fiber content, and always include several angles of the pieces in photographs.
• Include multiple, quality photographs: things like color can vary from screen to screen, but try to get it as accurate to life as possible. Use natural lighting, include closeup views, and make sure the photos aren’t blurry!
• State your shop policies clearly: What payment methods will you accept? What is your return policy? How soon quickly will you be shipping? Be sure your conditions and buyer expectations are all available somewhere on your seller profile or within the listing itself.

Gift it!

This option is pretty straightforward as well, but there are several ways you can go about doing this. Consider…

• Giving your fabric to a local sewing group: if you have a charity sewing group, such as Quilts of Valor, or a sewing guild, check to see if they could use the type of fabric you have.
• Donate to a sewing school: a fantastic local example for me would be TISSU Sewing Studio. If you don’t have any private sewing schools, inquire with your local recreation board or even elementary or high schools to see if they would appreciate a gift.
• Gift your fabric to a friend who would love it!
• Online sewing groups: there are a ton of different craft and sewing groups online, and some of them host or allow for swaps.  As always, be sure to read the rules in groups.
• Salvation Army, Goodwill, or local thrift shops: as a last resort, your local thrift shop or second hand store may be able to sell or find a use for your unwanted fabric (Goodwill stores have been known to send unusable textiles to recycling facilities, but I’ve recently found this claim to be questionable, at least in my area…so you may want to ask what they indeed do with unusable fabrics.)

As with any type of donation situation, it is a good idea to first make sure they want your unwanted fabric! If not, it may end up in the landfill, despite the best intentions.

Do you have other ideas for utilizing fabric you know you won’t use? I’d love to hear your suggestions!