Front of French Pincushion
I read a lot of blogs, but I do have my favorites. One of them is Cindy’s Live a Colorful Life, which is always enjoyable to read. She talked about her new business, Sewing on the Edge, where she takes selvages and turns them into pincushions. This summer I’ve been doing a lot of sewing and I thought I should send her all my selvages, so I wrote to her and Yes! she’d love to have them.
Back of French Pincushion
But when I looked at what I’d hoped to send her, it was a pathetic little collection. So I grabbed my food fabrics stack–you know, fabrics with food all over them of all kinds–and started slicing. I’d been collecting these for years, one of those things you start collecting and keep at it, and can’t remember why. (I do remember now: I want to make a basket quilt, using only food fabrics). Some of those things are over 12 years old, maybe even 15. By the time I finished I had a better bundle of stuff to send. Then the French fabrics arrived for the Provence quilt, and I saved those selvages and sent those as well.
Yesterday our held mail was delivered in a stack, and top was this tiny little box. I opened it and the sweet little French pincushion was there. Wonderful! Thank you so much!
I’m always thinking I’d like to do something with the selvages–like made a chair cover, or a little pincushion, or something. But at my age, I’ve realized that it’s okay to NOT do everything. I don’t have to hand-dye my fabrics, really I don’t. I don’t have to be the Queen of Applique–the Princess will do just fine. And I don’t have to worry about doing something creative with selvages: Cindy’s got that one down, and I’m happy to contribute to her industry and creativity.
OccasionalPiece--Quilt! 
I don’t know, that chair cover is pretty sweet. Maybe THAT person wants some of your selvages, and then will reward you handsomely?