Scrap Defination

:icon_attention: I would just like to interrupt here & say.....save your scraps! I mean the dinky ones. I will pay the postage if you will send them to me! I collect ALL scraps. none too small :icon_noob: I know... I'm a little over the top...ok then...I'm WAY over the top with this, but I love using bitty pieces of fabric, thread & yarn leftovers, batting scraps ~ all that kinda stuff for ....STUFFING. (I stuff a large assortment of things....I may have even stuffed my hubby....not sure... :icon_hihi:)
if you wanta save them for me, just let me know. I'll pm you my addy.

I keep plain colours in a separate bag for future applique projects - might add some to my next tote!

I don't keep anything smaller than 2 1/2 inches.....leftovers from fat quarters get cut up into either charms (if large enough) or 2 1/2 in strips or squares...if larger I make layer cake blocks..and then down from there.....all my leftover batting that is too small for another project goes with those pieces and are then made to stuff cat pillows for the local humane society!

I keep all fabric scraps. The little half triangles you get from making a snowball block are put in a separate bag for my kids. I am hoping to collect enough of them to teach them to do mosaic designs. The rest go in a wicker laundry basket and stay there until I need them. Only the cuttings go in the basket. Anything else stays with the original. I don't save selvages, don't know why I just don't.

I LOVE reading the forums here! I have a big smile on my face and it feels so good!

I'm just a tiny bit OCD - I too save the MSQ cardboard and plastic. I use them as templates, or when I'm done with a top I'll nab one and write the measurements on the cardboard to keep with the top for when it's ready to add the back on.

I save those ribbons too and tied several together to wrap my finished quilts to give as presents. After finishing Bonnie Hunter's Easy Street Mystery Quilt I have 3 bags of scraps that are so small that won't take a stitch! Those I'm going to put into animals pads for the shelter.

I was sorting through one of the plastic tubs tonight (in an attempt to make a scrappy Mug Rug) but I didn't like the look of it. Guess I like more organized looking items - err except, while I type this I'll admit I also saved those 45 degree angle snips from my latest Jelly Roll top and have them on my table with a Dryer sheet "thinking" do I really, REALLY want to go and sew those???

I don't see cutting scraps into smaller scraps because what if I want them to become binding or ?? Guess I'm not an organized quilter yet. My larger fabrics are on bolts in shelves if they are big enough, or on cardboard fat quarter sleeves if not, the rest just seems to get dumped into large plastic tubs until I decided if I want to go that small or not.

I was saving all my selvedges, but after tonight maybe they'll just get added to my collection of Animal softy group.

My next project I want BIG, HUGE squares or triangles -- I think I've had enough after the 1500+ pieces cut and pieced for that Easy Street quilt hahaha I'm just on overload perhaps.

Good question! Scraps

;-Debbie

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Originally Posted by Donna F

I keep EVERYTHING. No I'm not a hoarder, I keep those cardboard squares from charm packs along with the ribbon too, I keep the bags that come from the quilt shops (for future shipping), I use the cardboard for making templates. I save every bit of ribbon for small projects like pin cushions. I save all scraps. I separate them by color in those big, clear plastic jars that animal crackers etc come in. I don't precut my scraps because I may want to use the size it was before I cut it. I even save those 1/2" pieces because you never know when one of you sisters from the forum are looking for tiny pieces or I can use them for stuffing. I may save all these things but I have them organized so my room doesn't look too sloppy. I'm not a house keeper, I'm a quilter. At least that's what I tell dh lol.

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Oooo! I'm with you Donna. Can't bear to throw any scraps out. Look at very small pieces and wonder how they could be used. Those scraps have cost money too and can be used in something ..... just never know when the day will come and there's just the piece I wanted!!!!! I must admit tho' they my scraps are only organised into colour - not widths or lengths - but that method seems to work too.

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Originally Posted by jingleme

:icon_attention: I would just like to interrupt here & say.....save your scraps! I mean the dinky ones. I will pay the postage if you will send them to me! I collect ALL scraps. none too small :icon_noob: I know... I'm a little over the top...ok then...I'm WAY over the top with this, but I love using bitty pieces of fabric, thread & yarn leftovers, batting scraps ~ all that kinda stuff for ....STUFFING. (I stuff a large assortment of things....I may have even stuffed my hubby....not sure... :icon_hihi:)
if you wanta save them for me, just let me know. I'll pm you my addy.

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:icon_hihi::icon_hihi: got to say LMAO!! Thank you for giving me my first big laugh today hahaha STuffed your husband *oh don't get me started*

:-Debbie

On my first quilts I tossed all my scraps. But then I read Bonnie Hunter on quiltville.com and decided to start saving my scraps. So anything less than 1 inch gets tossed, but I'm saving all the others 1" or bigger. I have them all in a bag right now, when I get a lot more I will set up some sort of scrap bin system to organize it all.

I get such great ideas from ya all. I hate throwing away anything that cost me "good" money. (that's the kind that is hard to come by and rarely sticks around) I had not thought of using scraps for stuffing... and I do like making animal padding for the local shelters. So I will have to find a neat little container for my scrap saving ways...

I generally have 3 boxes for scraps. One where I have Squares, One for Strips, One for Odd shaped but too big to throw away. I seldom trim or cut to size any scrap til I actually use it.
I also pick up cotton shirts, skirts, bed clothes and cut the left overs into 2.5 strips for future use. These are mostly used in the Animal Shelter pads I make.

Great thread.....

This is a great question. I'm enjoying the replies too.
I'd read about Bonnie Hunter's method of cutting scraps into strips but I can't seem to do it. Only the last few years, have I bought quilter's cottons so I tend to treasure those. The selvages I keep in a jar as I've made a mug rug with them and want to do more. At this point, I'm keeping designer lines all in separate bins, with baggies of any scraps left over. Bits that are less than 2" go to my 4 year old daughter's bushel basket of scraps! She loves playing with them.