How do you use your stash?
We all keep our scraps and store them in our "scrap stash" areas. Then when we get "enough" we make a quilt out of the scraps.
I am just starting my stash. I have 3 drawers, one small scraps, one long scraps and large scraps. And they are getting a little full and I think I might need to start "fixing" them
Question 1: How do you "fix" your stash into usable pieces? I have seen so many sites where the quilter has her stash all organized and fixed up into a "candy store" looking room! Very cool, but...I haven't seen anything mention as to how they go about using those scraps as in ...do you just let the box fill, then spend a day cutting the scraps into the largest shape you can get out of it or do you cut them all in 2,1/2" strips or as close to that as you can get?
Question 2: Now that they are the size you have...then what do you do with them? Just sew all 2"square together..make HTS out of them? Since you are working with scraps, the odds of you having a dozen of each color for a theme are slim, ergo the term "scrappy" quilt. Do you just place squares together and start sewing them together? I am currently into the flying geese template... if I dont have enough of one color/fabric to make a "set" of them (at least 2, preferably 4)...do you still make them or just let them sit till you have another idea?
I guess what I am looking for is how to take a large "stash" and use it to create usable quilting pieces. Tell me how you use your "stash".
Re: How do you use your stash?
Teeny tiny scraps I send to the local school who make the most amazing mosaics out of them. I include salvage edges and any long half inch strips I get. Medium scraps I sew together however they come and then cut into 2 1/2 inch strips. Then either make a jelly roll quilt for kids or store the strips. Decent sized scraps ie anything over 5 inches I store for applique. The one thing I do though is to keep on top of scraps......otherwise it becomes a daunting job. I also have a friend who loves to quilt but has very little money. Often I will fill a bag of scraps or scrap strips and send to her.
I really dont care for scrappy quilts so I am not as economical with them as I should be. My friend loves them so it works for us both.
Re: How do you use your stash?
With my scraps....all go into a basket...when basket is full I start cutting them into usable pieces....10" squares, or 5" squares or 2 1/2 in squares...or into 2 1/2 in strips or 1 1/2 strips. Anything smaller than those goes to a group I meet with and all scrap batting and fabric and thread goes into bags to fill pillows for the cats at a local animal shelter...the cats just love their pillows...room enough inside to push around the filling to nest themselves for a nice nap. I then use the 2 1/2 strips for jelly rolll quilts or borders, same for the 1 1/2 in strips (usually borders) the 10 in is for layer cake patterns and the 5 in is for charm pack patterns....hope this helps
Re: How do you use your stash?
What a great question and good answers. What I do with my stash is just buy more fabric and add to it so I didn't know what to do with the fabrics until you asked this question. What I do when I am working on a quilt is put scraps together in some kind of a block---even if it is small---and place them all in a plastic bin. When I have it close to full, I am going to put together a scrap quilt representative of all the quilts I have made. For my small scraps, anything under a 2-1/2" strip, I have a set of plastic drawers on top of each other and I put them color coordinated (blues with blues, pinks with pinks) and I use them for appliqued quilts. Some day I will take the ones out that measure at least 5" so I have charms. Hope everyone is helping you with some ideas. Piece and blessings, Vicki
Re: How do you use your stash?
How small of batting pieces are useable? I guess I haven't been quilting small, so I'm not sure what to keep. I did keep the batting trimmings from my queen quilts, and was able to make some of the serger baby quilts using those scraps, also had some low loft poly that I used for pillow stuffing. But tiny pieces of batting? I just don't know how useful this is. If someone has a good idea about it, I'll fish it out of the trash can.
Re: How do you use your stash?
This is nice to know, Thank You :) I'm still new at this and don't even have a "scrap stash" area yet!
Hugs,
Re: How do you use your stash?
Re: How do you use your stash?
I have taken very small scraps and paper pieced them in to blocks. I don't mind super scrappy, but then I rarely keep anything I make. Several of my hospital quilts were made using scrap fabric. Guess it depends on your definition of scrap. As far as batting it has to be pretty small for me to throw it away. I use it making rag quilts for DGD's baby dolls, or other small projects. The assortment of varying sizes of scrap batting I had came in very handy when doing the serger quilts. Let's face it, you don't HAVE to use the dimensions Kay gives in the tut, as long as the method is used.
Re: How do you use your stash?
I use my scraps as appliques on my wall-hangings. But mostly I just stuff it in a shoe box that is overflowing and wish I could wave a magic wand and have it miraculously turn into something!
Re: How do you use your stash?
I make a crazy patch from mine, since theyre never long enough to do much with,really just bits n bobs lol.I have 3 plastic bins colour coded.
Re: How do you use your stash?
Jean, i know this sound silly, but i truly have "the home for wandering fabrics and yarns"... my LongArm buddy gives me a lot of the "cut away" from her work... i've been know to take a piece of fabric and pin it on my quilt frame... then "puzzle piece" the batting on top... then lay a piece of contrasting fabric on top... i quilt them with a loop d loop... until i run out of fabric... take it off the frame and you have some of the best "two sided quilting fabric" in the world... ONE OF A KIND... (which of course is the best part for me... make totes, zipper bags, glasses cases... pot holders..christmas stockings... . that's my way of using it up!!!In my album, it's the 1st layer of my ornaments... my own quilted fabric.....
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Originally Posted by
Jean Sewing Machine
How small of batting pieces are useable? I guess I haven't been quilting small, so I'm not sure what to keep. I did keep the batting trimmings from my queen quilts, and was able to make some of the serger baby quilts using those scraps, also had some low loft poly that I used for pillow stuffing. But tiny pieces of batting? I just don't know how useful this is. If someone has a good idea about it, I'll fish it out of the trash can.
Re: How do you use your stash?
This may sound crazy, but I actually tuck the leftover pieces back in with the original fabric. Most of my templates utilize strips of fabric to simplify the cutting process, so I will have different width strips leftover depending on the block pattern. If I just put them back, then I know where to go look for that color for another block or applique project. If I don't have a larger piece left (fat quarterish size), then the piece will go into the leftover bag. I have paper bags from Bath & Body Works that hold the left overs and one for selvedges.
One day I'll make a scrappy pattern I found with all of the leftover bits. It is called Rainbow Rings and it is made of 1.5" 9 patch blocks sewn into rings around a central hexagon with triangle setting pieces. This will indeed be a memory quilt. Memories of all of the quilt fabrics that I have used in quilts for my friends and family. I am trying to decide if I'll keep a journal of the fabrics I put in to it so when I am old and have lost my mind, I can read about the things I did. I figure I'll need nearly 320 9patch blocks!
I do have a bag under the serger for all of the trimmings from that. Those will make great stuffing for fleece toys. I probably won't use them for pet toys since if the animals rip it open they could swallow the strings. Having seen the internal damage thread can do to a dog, I don't want to be responsible for accidental ingestion.
I have seen some good ideas for scrap management, but ultimately, it comes down to what works the best for you and your quilting style.
Good Luck!
Re: How do you use your stash?
Oh, batting!
I'll join the smaller pieces with a lightweight fusible interfacing to make up larger sizes for different projects. The interfacing will hold the bits together until you get them quilted down. Again, for pet bedding or children's floor cushions, it wouldn't matter if there were different sized chunks or lofts mixed in.
