"...not sure if the following falls into a "most ridiculous y2k purchase", "overkill" or "what in God's name was I thinking": I have 2 enormous, bulky, weighing several 100 lbs a piece, industrial bolts of white, stretchy, t-shirt quality 100% cotton measuring 92" in circumferance, 28" w, 34" h on heavyduty carboard spindles, estimated yardage 1,000 yds each (!), both purchased at auction last yr. for $10 total...which resemble 2 giant, mutant, rolls of toilet paper...and take up an incredible amount of cubic space in my library (which is floor to ceiling bookcases, room measures 25x20.) Books also purchased @auction, bought 123 cartons of library overstock, $15 per palletload, spent $75. Had 64 cartons left over, duplicates, sold all 64 cartons @yd. sale for $20 total...sadly, charities didn't want them (I really, really tried too)...joked if things got bad enough w/y2k we'd just burn the books to stay warm when we ran out of firewood.

Paging Old Git....any chance you could put a post up on "I bet you've got some white cotton fabric to use up?"

-- mellowdog (mellowdogusa@hotmail.com), January 08, 2000.

-- FM (vidprof@aol.com), January 09, 2000

Answers

Wow! This old hen would sure like to have one of those rolls of material. I am a rug weaver and sure could make a lot of good rugs out of that with a pair of scissors, some dye and my loom. Where is the location?

Taz

-- Taz (Tassi123@aol.com), January 09, 2000.

Yo, Taz! Should we start an "honor system" barter category?

Welcome aboard, my friend! It's your board, too. I'm just "the friendly neighborhood sysop!" LOL!

Best, as always.

:)

-- FM (vidprof@aol.com), January 09, 2000.

Wow, we must be a literary town--all our thrift and charity shops take used books, and do a thriving business with them too.

As for the cotton, yes, my old friend Taz is a great weaver of rugs and other things and the material would be perfect for her. Other uses? Hmm. I'd also check with a large church to see if their crafty laies (and I mean that in the nicest possible way) could use a bolt to make things for the annual crafts bazaar (usually in the fall). I also wonder if a place like a homeless shelter could use the stuff to make all kinds of things like dishcloths, dusting cloths, pillow cases--I'm sure they could find lots of uses for it. As a last resort, mulch for the garden?

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), January 10, 2000.

Thanks all! Taz, I'm in north metro Atlanta. E-mail me, if you're nearby perhaps we could figure this out. I admire your ability to create rugs! I sew and craft passably well, but using up a couple thousand yards seems ... improbable. As Shirley Jackson said, "My spinning lacks finesse, but I yield to no one on my stone-ground meal."

Old Git, I sometimes feel like the only person in my metro area w/interest in crafts and sewing. Affordable or ample supplies are generally hard to find, Wal-Mart tells me "it's just not real big around here," or are very specialised and hence, prohibitively expensive.

Although you got me to thinking, perhaps the local schools would be interested.Or better yet, our humane society, which is underfunded and desperate for bedding! Only problem is transport. One bolt weighs several hundred pounds. Cost me far more to bring them home than it did to buy. Had to rent a U-Haul, auction workers used a forklift. Hubby and son w/football teammate friends rolled them off the truck.

On the other hand, never thought of garden... we have a large one, too. Thanks! I will use all these suggestions--I knew you could help!

And sadly, this is not a literary area. My library is much better than my tax supported local one. This is a roadrage, 2 cellular phones grafted to both ears while picking up sushi at the local Kroger for dinner, mowing down the heels of other shoppers w/grocery cart and never apologising, sneering kind of town teeming with yuppies suffering terminal Affluenza. Moved here April '98, thanking God for internet daily.

-- mellowdog (mellowdogusa@hotmail.com), January 10, 2000.

Its a done deal. Chubby Hubby and I are heading north for Atlanta on Friday to pick up one of the mutant rolls of toilet paper. Gee, maybe we should set up a bartering forum. I am bartering a handmade rug for Mellowdog's kitchen. This is great! Now if I could just find someone with a few pullets to sell/barter between Ocala and Atlanta!! Taz

-- Taz (Tassi123@aol.com), January 11, 2000.