Printable View
As I was going through a large trash bin full of fabric scraps, I decided to cut some with my tumbler ruler and make a scrappy tumbler quilt. I found myself not being able to part with 2 x 2 inch scraps. This is terrible!! I cannot bear to throw anything away. What size scraps do you throw away!
practically nothing! I just whacked up my scrap pile into 4.5 and 5 inch squares, some became strips in various sizes then the leftovers are for scrappy borders. I use paper adding machine tape, then sew the scraps to that and I get a scrappy border piece from it. Anything left from that is used as stuffing for pin cushions, etc.
I throw out all the small ones, but a good friend of mine keeps everything. Including selvage strips. She turns cute strip blocks from selvages into bags and purses, and uses the small scraps for quilts or applique.
I keep to 2,1/2 square or strip. SMaller than that I toss in my "thread head" basket for using for starting the threads so as not to get that nest mess of thread at the start of a seam.
I toss nothing!
Tiny bits and thread I'll put into a bag as "softs"(stuffing animal beds, toys)... then I get the papers from M* and slowly working on a crazy quilt and even the tiny bits fill in the corners. Going to learn applique in Feb with Cat n Bull, so I'm sure even tiny bits work for stems and such? I'm such a hoarder errr keeper!
Debbie
Julie.......here is a link with a great idea. Leaders And Enders
I have a hard time throwing away any scraps too. I like Megan's (bellasquilts) with the adding machine paper. I save scraps for applique.......also planning to try a landscape quilt and would like to try a small confetti quilt project......this one takes tiny scraps.
Here is a link for confetti quilts.
confetti1 - YouTube
So no.......you are not alone......a lot of us have a hard time throwing away scraps! :)
Another quilter to check out is Bonnie Hunter - she does scrap quilts. Quiltville.com
Today she had her quilt cam running - she had a web cam going as she pieced her scrappy quilts and took questions via comments on her blog/fb/google+, etc. She keeps the ends from trimming binding, etc. Today she used those scraps as the points on wonky stars. She has some good ideas on scrap storage too.
I keep almost everything as well!
Even the corners I cut off when making a JRR or my binding I will keep and sew together to make mug rugs or doll quilts. \ These are all finished 1.5 inch half square triangles.
Attachment 64075Attachment 64076Attachment 64077Attachment 64078
smaller pieces than 1 inch I will do as Debbie does - save them for stuffing - my daughter likes to make pillows for her dolls.
I love the idea of scraps to make binding. I dont have very many scraps yet but I have not been keeping small pieces. The more I read on here is making me rethink that. I will probably start saving more even if its for stuffings.
Some good tips about scrap saving! I have been sewing for the public for over 20 years, mostly childrens clothes. I have accumulated soooooo many scraps. We moved to our current town 4 years ago and my DH made me clean out the fabric. I donated 4 garbage bags of scraps to a local church for prayer quilts. I weeded down a few more times, but now that I have turned my attentions to quilting, there are even more reasons to keep the scraps. I have a tall trash can that I am currently going through to see what are keepers and what isn't....so far all are keepers. I just need a better way to organize. I actually found enough different pinks to make a tumbler baby quilt top.
I have made a huge square dog bed with a zipper at one end for all my fabric trash. It goes in, and my extra dog bed keeps getting bigger and fluffier!
The Woman on the Hill: Pieced strip blocks
I LOVED this idea.
I haven't tried it yet, but it's saved to my 'favs' for the future!
Me Too! with a chuckle. :) TeriQuote:
Originally Posted by HdWench
New York Sue....I LOVED that link.....I am saving EVERYTHING!!!
If the size of the scrap is big enough to be sewn into a creation, it is big enough to keep!
I depends on how much I have left of that particular fabric. Some "fancy" fabrics, I keep every tiny scrap. Others, I may toss an off-cut of 2" or even more. Generally, I keep anything that is larger than 1 1/2" strips or 2" pieces. I put the tiny pieces in gallon bags, sorted by color. Larger pieces, I put in two bins (light and dark). When the bins get full it's time to make another scrappy. The small pieces are great for applique.
Every size imagineable; just depends on what ws left over after my project. I keep everything; you never know when you need even one little bitty piece of fabric for something. Only thing is, I should organize it!
I don't keep anything under 3 inches square . I have no room to store excess things and don't like working with tiny pieces.
What a great idea. I save most of my scraps. If it is smaller than 2 inches i usually toss it. I like this idea from woman on the hill. Especially as a way to use up the Christmas scraps. will need to remember it.Quote:
Originally Posted by New York Sue
As a newbie, I don't have many scraps (yet!), but I throw nothing. As I am working on a quilt, I keep two baskets on the windowsill by the sewing machine: one for reusable scraps (as small as 1 1/2") and the other for tinier bits and strings that I'll use as filling for my pets' beds. I found to my surprise I loved appliquéing, and the scrappier the merrier.
