This week we take a Merry & Bright break while I’m out of town on vacation! Let’s talk SCRAP management. I have had a lot of people asking me how I am keeping my scraps under control.
They know I’m not big on having LOTS of scraps around. I have a small home and studio space so I have to work very smart. I can’t keep lots of bins of scraps.. and honstly i don’t want to.
I love NEW FABRIC… so my scraps are little treasures.. but treasures that need to be USED.
First I do not keep tons of scraps. I enjoy what several designers have told me over time, like Joan Ford who is a Splendid Sampler 1 designer (and author of scrap books) who only keeps so many scraps then she makes quilts with it. I love this idea. And my good friend Heather Valentine does the same thing. Once the bins are full..she says make a quilt or donate the fabric!
This works for my space and my interest level for scraps. I want to USE them. I don’t have space to store them (photos are my older studio)
I’ve been working on a lot of quits lately. They generate lots of scraps. I either put the scraps into one of my small shoeboxs or into a large box. If both those boxes are full.. ahem… then I pile on my cutting table. yes… there is some overflow allowed
The cutting table pieces ALWAYS get addressed first.. I wonder why?
I am cutting scraps into
- 2″ squares
- 2.5″ squares
- 3.5″ squares
- 5″ squares
- 2.5″ WOF strips.
There are a lot of patterns using these sizes available. Joan has written two great books worth of patterns for the sizes she cuts.. you can get them on Amazon
Another AMAZING scrap book is from my friend Lissa Alexander.
See inside photos by CLICKING HERE
BUY ON SALE, you will LOVE this book!
First i try and squeeze out something from the scrap. 2.5″ won’t work here
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So I have a 2″ square
I LOVE these rulers, a 6.5″ square is a must for me
Triangles produce smaller triangles
Sometimes when I’m feeling very thrifty… I will sew these random triangles together to make squares. then trim those down to a regular size.
When I am short on time or not feeling very thrifty… they go in the bin
we all make decisions on how much time we have to devote to this.
So how BIG a piece do I keep? if I can get a few 5″ squares out of it.. and I’m NOT excited about the fabric anymore.. they get cut.
BUT.. if there is a piece bigger than 5″ square and I’m super pumped about the fabric.. you might call it.. hoarding… I call it excited… don’t judge…
Then I do not cut it.
I… Save… it… maybe for a very.. very.. long time…. but that’s another story.
I have at times sewn strips and chunks together.. but I prefer to just keep the sizes standard. So for strips… I keep just the WOF strips so they become ‘jelly roll’ strips and allow me to easily use a jelly roll pattern
smart right? Well it works for me.
This bin is getting very full of 3.5″ squares and 2″ squares… soon they will need to become something!
I have a LOT of block designs in my Wed Sew alongs with full quilt version in the block pattern. That is where these will get used.
5″ squares are charm packs.. right?
PERFECT for many quilts!
I have been sewing my ‘low volumne’ 2.5″ squares into 6 x 6 blocks for a full size bed quilt.
I am SO excited about this one that I’ve done several!
I’m keeping 3 small shoeboxes.. and the 2 large ones.. that… is it.
Once you cut up the fabric it takes so much less space then when you throw it in a bag.. I’m so amazed by that!
Tell me
What are you doing with YOUR scraps?
And click to my FREE PATTERN PAGE for 2 free pieced patterns using 2.5″ squares and one using Charm and more!
7 Responses
I have only been quilting for a couple of years. My daughter got me interested and started. She and my son bought me my first sewing machine for Mother’s Day. I am now making my first Queen size quilt. However, I have been saving all my scraps to make something special. They have been cut into various sizes of strips, squares and half triangles. Last year for Christmas all my gifts were hand made and quilted. My children and grandchildren were blown away with their handmade gifts and homemade canned goods and salsa. It was a Christmas to remember!!
6.5 is more useful to me Alycia, you will have loads of fun now with your new books!
Great process Annette!
wonderful Mary!
Thank you, Pat! I love your tips. And also the books for quilts to make out of my scraps. I am ordering today. I cut my scraps into 1.5″, 2.5″, 2 3/8″, 3.5″, 3 7/8″, 5″, and 7″ (but I might change that to 6.5″). If I have WOF, I cut that into 2.5″ strips. My triangles I have left from flying geese,etc., I use as leaders and enders. I have yet to cut them down, but I will. I have a medium sized bin full of scraps to cut down and a drawer full of scraps already cut down and divided by size into baggies. It can be intimidating, but if I allow 15 minutes a day to trim down scraps, that works. But I make more scraps when sewing. LOL I agree with Annette Johnson that they multiply in those drawers.
I cut mine into 1.5″, 2″, 2.5″ and 3.5″ strips and squares. I store them in drawers and use them for 5 years. At the end of 5 years, I’ve made oodles of charity quilts or baby quilts with them and I’m sick of looking at them. At that point, I bundle it all up and give them to my friends to play with. Then I start again. I swear they multiply in those drawers though, LOL.
I am doing the similar thing. I have Christmas fabrics that I’ve cut into 1 1/2″, 2″, 2 1/2″ and 5″ pieces. My other fabrics, I have done the same thing. I have sorted the light blocks from the rest and have them in 2 piles. Your right, it is amazing how much space you can gain by sorting these and cutting them up. Ready to make into gems.