Hi friends!
Week 4 of the Creative Spaces blog hop is all about fabric scraps and storage. What a great topic!
Hmmm. I am guessing that, like me, you all have fabric scraps and storage becomes an issue. For me, I make a lot of quilts every year and therefore I have a lot of scraps.
To start, I have 2 different bins that I use as I cut. One is for the pieces I am NOT going to save to use later in another project. At least, not on the outside. These scraps I might use for pet bed stuffing or for stuffing a pillow or a large floor cushion. I hate throwing these out in the trash.
(Need any scraps for stuffing? I have a lot!)
The second one is actually a pop up bin and I use it for the scraps I want to keep.
Once the scraps are in the pop up, then what? I try to sort and place in bins. If I have strips left over, I store those based on specific sizes. I have bins bins labeled in 4 different sizes.
And they are not all full width of fabric strips; just whatever I have left of a strip.
These are great when I am making something using my braid templates. I have made a lot of Table Scraps table runners and placemats from these bins. And you might notice, some bins are tidier than others.
I also have a bin just for 2 ½” squares. One day these will make a great scrap quilt!
Then I have bins of fabric sorted by color. I put my larger scrap pieces in these bins. They might end up in a scrap quilt, or as a bag or as appliqué or I might use them to test out a pattern.
Some bigger leftovers I cut up into FQs and store in a basket. The problem with my system is that is gets overwhelmed faster than I can manage it.
Well, Ok, let’s be honest. It is not faster than I ‘can’ manage- if is faster than I choose to manage! I could do better. I just choose to move onto the next project (s). I really need to deal with the scraps at the end of each project by sorting them and putting them into bins by color or size.
Yes mother. I will put my toys away when I am done!
Did you see a before picture of my popup from the first Creative Spaces Post? A little overstuffed. Just a little. I think it even had a partially done quilt in it! Click here to see it.
So what do you do with fabric leftover from a project? Got any tips for us?
I hope you have been having fun reading all the blogs and getting lots of great ideas.
By the way, did you see Cherry Guidry’s post from Monday on her fabric storage? I am having serious storage envy!!!! Click here to check it out.
happy quilting!
Kate
p.s. I just thought of another way to deal with your scraps. Use them! Have you seen the blocks I have been making and posting on Instagram? I am making the 100 blocks from Tula Pink’s City Sampler book. Yesterday was day 25! Only 75 blocks to go.
I posted the first 10 blocks in a blog post last week. I am using a FQ stack but it would be a great way to use up your scraps. Click here to see the first 10 blocks.
I also use plastic boxes for my scraps and charm packs. I use my 2 1/2 inch squares for hexies.
Nicole,
Good idea for the 2 1/2″ squares! hmmm…. maybe my future scrap quilt should be hexies.
I unfortunately have found myself keeping these scraps when really I just want to move on to a new pattern and new fabric. I’m not sure I’ll ever get them organized and used. Love your system!
Linda,
Thanks! And I know what you mean about just wanting to move on to the next project and the pretty new fabric. Part of the reason my system sometimes fails- I move on!
My system is similar to yours, but I need to start using them in quilts so the piles won’t grow too big. ? Thanks for sharing your system with us.
Cecilia,
That is the trick is it not? Using the scraps so they don’t take over the house? I do think they are a little like rabbits and multiply when we aren’t looking.
I have not done this, but have heard that to make a pocket on the back of quilt and put a few scraps in, in case they are needed for a patch.
Cindy,
What a clever idea! I like that. Thanks for sharing.
I’ve used some of the smaller scraps to make a non-traditional crazy quilt square. No pattern, just randomly sewn down to a backing and pressed forward each piece. I have enough of the 10″ squares right now to make a full size, but looking to get more done to have a bigger scrappy quilt.
Anita,
That sounds like a really fun way to use scraps! And I like the idea of making them into 10″ squares. Do you plan to just sew them together so it looks like one big crazy block when you are done or will you use sashing in between the blocks?
Fabric scraps…I think mine multiply like rabbits!! I do try to cut up leftovers at the end of each project using Bonnie Hunter’s Scrap system but it still seems overwhelming. I think my real problem is that I try too hard to keep them corralled – maybe I should just toss those cut pieces into a container and not try to stack them. I’ll be back to read how others handle scraps.
LJ,
Oh how funny- I just said the rabbit thing too replying to another comment! I totally agree my scraps have multiplying powers. I tried to be orderly when putting the scraps into the bins but once my bin gets full, or I raid the bin to use the scraps, neat and tidy stacks go out the window. Now I toss. Probably better to be neat- less pressing needed when taking the scraps out of the bin!