I've wanted to do a series of challenges that will free us up to make more quilts, interested? Read on!
*** Challenge #2 ***
The main question everyone asks is 'what to do with scraps!' So let's talk about that
In this article you'll find
- A video
- An Assignment
- Links to the books i recommend
- How I cut up pieces for scraps
- My Free Scrap busting quilts.
- AND Share a photo of what you are dealing with below! It's great to see your progress and keep yourself accountable. You can also share in my Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/QuiltWithPatSloan/
*** Video + Assignment ***
I feel what scraps you keep comes down to two things
- How much storage do you have to devote to keeping scraps VS your regular fabric
- Are you really going to MAKE scrap quilts? Be super honest with yourself, because if you really don't make that style of quilt, but want to have some scraps, then use my 2.5" square method
Your Assignment to get started:
- Decide if you make LOTS Of scrap quilts, want to make lots, make enough that its' worth it to organize
- Decide the SIZES you want to keep. This is in direct relationship to the next item..
- How much space can you devote to scrap storage?
Next
- You how how much you'll actually use them
- How much storage you have
- Now do you want to 'precut scraps' and sort by SIZE and COLOR (takes a LOT of space)
- Or do you want to do just one size scrap (takes much less space)
- Or will you just keep scraps nice and tidy by color in a bin then cut as you need them? (takes leas amount of space, you might have such small amount of scraps you just put a zip lock in the color bin
Article continues below this Ad
*** I recommend using Standard Precut Sizes ***
Which have loads of pattern available!
Cut your scraps & store as
- 5" squares – for the Perfect 5 book
- 10" squares – Perfect 10 book
- 2.5" x Width of Fabric (WOF) strips – The Book Book of Strip Quilts
*** I recommend using Standard Precut Sizes ***
- On the Left – storing scraps in a bin that are not cut
- On the right – Storing 2.5" x WOF strips all nice and neat
*** Or just save 2.5" squares, make a quilt while you sew other things ***
I put them all back in with some space to spare!
the bin of 2.5" squares
Stacked by color, if i have enough of one color it has it's own bin and I need to start making a quilt!
*** Trimming into 2.5" scraps ***
- I trim to 2.5" squres
- Then I can take the 2 triangles and sew them together. Then cut that down to a 2.5" square
- Or just toss the triangles in a bag for making pet beds
*** Use for a Baby Quilt ***
- Start with your border fabric
- select colors to go with it from your bins
- and it's Simple to use just a few colors of 2.5" squares for an easy baby quilt.
My Green and white Scrappy 2.5" square quilt
And one using all my soft colors, its' HUGE!
I'm working the red and white you see in the video
*** Traffic Jam ***
super fun to bust not only 2.5" squares but also some larger squares and strips. Do controlled scrappy or go more wild!
Article continues below this Ad
Download Pat Sloan Traffic Jam pattern
*** Challenge #2 ***
To recap Your Assignment:
- Decide if you make LOTS Of scrap quilts, want to make lots, make enough that its' worth it to organize
- Decide the SIZES you want to keep. This is in direct relationship to the next item..
- How much space can you devote to scrap storage?
Next
- You how how much you'll actually use them
- How much storage you have
- Now do you want to 'precut scraps' and sort by SIZE and COLOR (takes a LOT of space)
- Or do you want to do just one size scrap (takes much less space)
- Or will you just keep scraps nice and tidy by color in a bin then cut as you need them? (takes leas amount of space, you might have such small amount of scraps you just put a zip lock in the color bin
Article continues below these Amazon Goodies
45 Responses
How much will I actually use Scraps? With the disorganization I have not used the scraps much. I tend to sew with yardage and I’ve come to really enjoy utilizing fabric lines to sew with. How much storage do I have? This is what I am finding out. I have bins, that I have put projects in, and sets of fabric I just had to have; small bins that I have labeled and started putting cut scraps into. As I corral all of my fabric, sorting through, pulling out scraps, which I have decided is anything less than ¼, or a fat ¼ yard. As I put it all away, I’ve started cutting and putting into bins. I realize I need more shelves. I was feeling overwhelmed when I tried to get all the sized out of my scraps so I decided to cut as many 5 inch just by size; 3-1/2 by size and color in one container; 2-1/2 by size and color, each color in a small square container with lid; and I add the 2-1/2inch strips to a larger container that I already have purchased precuts stored in.
Today I am proud to have found your site, I finished some Christmas projects and instead of adding to my many bags of scraps I spent time and cut them into 2.5 squares. Oh, they look so pretty! Would you add seasonal scraps to any quilt, I have many red/green now!
I have spent hours looking at your site, I hope I live long enough as I am 85 now, haha
Thank you
I cut 1.5, 2, and 2.5 strips and squares. I also have a box of 5” squares-either leftover charms from a pack or scraps I’ve cut. They are sorted by color in some plastic drawers. I do keep ‘crumbs’ and strings in ziploc bags sorted by color. That’s what works for me!
I have several sizes of scrapes cut but I don’t use them. From now on I will only use 2 1/2” squares. I have 2 bins to cut but have a Go Big machine with that size die so need to spend one day cutting it all. I also have a large basket of scraps to make a string quilt with. Last week, my 4 yr old granddaughter visited and she loves playing in my fabric. I told her I had to watch your video and then we would sort and organize. She st on my lap and watched the video with me.. she then got all my fabric from my cabinet and sorted into stacks by color. She told me ahe had orgasized my material for me. I will try to share a picture of her with my living room full of fabric and her Nd kittens in middle of it all.
I do it all. Mostly controlled scrappy, but I also do totally scrappy on occasion. I use the totally scrappy pieces when I need something to start and end my chain piecing with. I keep my precut sizes in plastic boxes down to 1 1/2”. Anything smaller just goes in my string bins which I have three off. One for warm colors/ one for cool colors/ one for neutrals(black-white-gray). This seems to work well for me. And I tend to stack by colors in the boxes.
Thanks for this Challenge Series. I have two huge plastic boxes with scraps that I have collected over many years and have done nothing with. I started cutting some larger pieces into 10 inch squares and strips. Other pieces I cut into 2.5, 3 and 5 inch squares depending on the size of the scrap. I lost interest at the time but on reading your hints, I will start again. I purchased some 2 litre rectangular plastic contains to put the smaller squares in and labelled them with the appropriate colours on them. I love all of your ideas for using the scraps and thanks for the free quilt pattern. I am sure that I will get to use it soon.
Thank you for a fabulous video, so encouraging. Suddenly I feel the urge to cut my scraps into 2.5″ squares. I’m not a scrap quilter but I would like to be so the controlled scrappy approach works best for me. Thank you again from across the pond!
Hi Pat – You have indeed inpired me to clean up my sewing space. I wish I had a room to hold my passion. I have chosen to take those scraps and cut them into 2.5 inch squares and so far, I am stacking them into one of the large flat type containers. This speaks to where I am in this process. I am going through my fabric and pulling out those small pieces. You are so right when you shared that they get squashed down into the box. I am actually finding some jewels in the colored fabric bins.
After I moved my sewing room, I pulled all of my scraps out and decided to cut them down to Bonnie Hunter’s scrap-user system before I could move on to quilting. I found it very relaxing, ironing, cutting, stacking. I keep the bins by size of scrap and need to organize by color. I have a large basket that I keep next to my cutting table for scraps as I go. Once it’s full I cut everything down. I’m due I think. Loved all your suggestions! Do what works for you. Controlled scrappy is my way.
Hi Pat, I am so impressed with the way you store scraps that I will be reorganizing my scraps yet again. At one time I was a “plastic bag lady”! I didn’t cut them up and certainly didn’t press them. I have been cutting them up lately into 1 1/2″ strips, 2 1/2″ strips, and 5″ strips and putting them into baggies. However I found that didn’t work either. So I will try your suggestion of separating them by color and using bins. Thanks for the help!
Thank you for such a well thought out series! I have enough fabric to open a quilt store, I think! I’m like a hamster on a wheel with all the ideas in my head. I sorted my fabric by color, have drawers for strip sizes, art bins for projects, folded yardage on comic book boards, and still it multiplies!! I love your idea of sticking with one color way or palette for scrap quilts. I have four bins of blue fabric even though it is my least favorite color! I’m going to bust it up with a Traffic Jam quilt!!! Happy Thanksgiving!
I have a clear shoe box for scrap crumbs, and a little basket for larger pieces. I love making scrap quilts. When the basket gets full, I know it’s time to turn it into something. I should start to do something creative with the crumbs. I bet a container full of those would be overwhelming. Thanks for your ideas.
Controlled scrappy is probably the best for me. I have sooooo many scraps. Some are sorted by color and stored in plastic shoe boxes. Time to get the rest under control! I just save too many scraps! I will search for someone who can use the scraps I don’t really want. Once I have finished sorting the rest of my scraps, I will decide whether to cut them into smaller pieces or not.
That’s my plan and I am sticking to it!!
For the last 5 or so years, every BOM or Mystery quilt (mostly your projects) I’ve been making from scraps. I store the chunks in the photo storage boxes. The smaller pieces get cut into 2 1/2″ square which are then stored in the 14″ plastic project storage bins. I also keep the 2 1/2″ square by my machine to use as leader/enders. It seems that since they’re all kept in the dark closet, no matter how much of them I use, they just keep multiplying! Just wish I had more time to sew them!
Thank you for all the great tips in your video about what to do with our scraps. I think I’m a controlled scrap person. I like the idea of cutting my smaller scraps into 2 1/2 inch squares. I do cut scraps into the 2 1/2 in strips as well. I like the idea that you have us look at the way we use our fabrics in quilts, as to how to cut our scraps down or not. Thank you for the wonderful ideas!!
anything is ok if you are able to use it after it’s done. There are no rules
super!
Pat – I totally agree that cutting scraps to sizes saves space. My problem is that I’ve always stored my fabric by theme or project not by color. Is it okay to have my scraps by size instead of color???
i’m glad this helped Markey!
hope you get back to sewing soon!
I can’t wait to see it!
perfect!
wow! 10 is a LOT of sizes to tack, i bet 3 will be great for plenty of quilts
I’m excited for you Larine! i think this happens to lots of people, they think they are scrap quilts when they actually never use the scraps and they just take up precious mental and physical space
it’s nice to have them organized
you are welcome!
sounds like it’s time to make a scrap quilt!
you have a great plan!
you are welcome!
Always good to know what we can and cant do Debi!
once you know about space it helps all the other decisions!
I do not worry about grain, it’s really not important for this purpose, which is to use it up!
I do sew as stat and stops on my patchwork
Excellent Video. I truly do not know how much space I have or will have once I tackle some of your suggestions. I think I may actually have space.
I never thought of sorting 2 1/2 squares by color. I have these 2 1/2 squares in every type of basket – no consistency. Even dumber, they have handles and aren’t stackable!
Two questions. When you cut “scrap” – do you try to use the fabric or try to work with grain of fabric for the small 2 1/2 squares. Do you waste time cutting each 2 1/2 square or just work with large strips to small squares?
Do you sew these small squares as lenders/enders?
I am off next week for Thanksgiving Break. I can’t wait to play. I need space.
I have cut my scraps into 3-1/2, 2-1/2, & 5 inch scraps to use in a controlled scrappy quilt. I also keep strips that can’t be cut into at least a 2-1/2 square to be used in strip quilts (not controlled colors) to done sew and flip quilt as you go style. I have Not organized by color, I will do that next, I think.
Thank you Pat,
These ideas and clarifiers are very helpful. Recognizing space limitations and what we actual do as opposed to “The great plans are laid of mice and [wo]men.” With that for the next 13-1/2 months I’ll save a few precious pieces I love; save my selvages, I cut them at 1-1/2”; cut the rest at 2-1/2” squares; and what us left make into “strings,” which if I do not use I know I can donate to Minnesota Quilters and the Heartstrings project making quilted blankets for the Harriet Tubman House.
http://www.mnquilt.org/quiltforothers.html
I have shoe boxes all over the place! I also have art bins, medium and a little larger. I use the bigger art bins for fabric lines and the smaller ones for projects in various stages of the processes.
My shoes boxes hold an array of squares, rectangles, and strips. All different sizes. I had gone through all my left over scraps and cut them into the biggest sizes I could get from each piece down to the smallest size. (1-1/2 inches) Smaller than that go into a box to be used for dog and cat beds.
I am going to make scrappy quilts as soon as I can get my sewing room up and running again. We moved and I am at the mercy of my daughter and her boyfriend to get the furniture in there that I need!
I’ve been working on a 2.5” scrappy much like yours and some times get sidetracked with it… it’s been put away for a while bit more seems like a great time to pull it back out and finish it.
Thinking 2.5 Squares for a scappy Hexagon quilt runner . Quilt
I have been cutting into about 10 different sizes. It’s too much to keep track of. I like the idea of 3 sizes. I’m going to reorganize and it will be less work in the long run.
Your video and website post on scraps was wonderful! I’ve got a lot of scraps in so many sizes I’ve tried to keep organized, no more. When you asked the question on if we were a scrap quilter, I would have LIKED to said Yes! I don’t waste ANY fabric. But … when I think about it, no I am not a scrap quilter and I think I am going to be a 2 1/2″ square kind of scrapper. Makes much more sense and it is doable. THANK YOU!
Oh my goodness — “thank you” for the wonderful video. I have so many pieces of fabric that I will cut into smaller squares and put them in bins. Love to make the controlled scrap quilts.
Thank you so much for this lesson. I needed it. I spend most of my valuable quilting time moving things around. I have been quilting since 1972. I moved every 10-12years so I have cut back and rearranged my supplies often. I am an occasional scrap quilt maker. I have made over 20 bargello quilts. I am going to start cutting up some of my stash into more usable sizes. Thank you again for making me realize where I need to start.
In my sewing room I have 2 trash containers, one for trash and the other for scraps of shapes and sizes of what I am cutting. Once all the quilt is cut out I go through the scraps and decide what I want to keep and what I am going to donate to the local thrift shop or to the church. I love scrap quilts but have not made one yet. Perhaps cutting the scraps into 2.5X2.5 or 5X5 squares will help me to move toward making a scrap quilt.
I mostly use scraps for machine embroidery applique projects. I have used them for blocks for charity quilts – i.e. we had to use only black and white in the fabric and one pop of color fabric piece and I found all but one piece in the scrap box. Mom cut her scraps into 6, 5, 4, and 2.5 inch blocks for storage and I got the scraps after that for embroidery! My two scrap odd shaped cardboard boxes are a jumbled mess. Time to organize it!
I have been working on a scrappy quilt off and on, with 2.5 inch blocks of different colors, and hope to put them into a quilt some day..:(
These are real good examples of was to organize scraps, thank you so much for these tips.
Pat I’ve been doing the 2.5″ squares. Controlled scrappy is all I’m capable of! lol Love the quilts you made with 2.5″ squares. Thanks for idea.Small space can’t keep it all!