gayle bong

I felt a need to clarify how I handle my scraps. Martingale posted to their site and sent a newsletter about how I do it, but omitted some info. For starters, I generally do not cut down my scraps to fill my boxes of specific sized strips. I do for the squares and triangles, but only if the right sized strip is about 10" or shorter. Most of the scraps are truly leftovers. I set aside in a separate drawer the chunks or other larger scraps till I know what I want from them. The shorter odd width strips are also set aside for either string quilts or odd-width log cabin quilts. Once this system is set up it takes very little time to maintain. You could sort and file your scraps as you go or throw them in a small basket on your cutting table and empty it periodically.
Fabric for most of my quilts are carefully chosen to color coordinate or be in the same style. I do NOT do the kitchen sink variety where any and every scrap the right size is used. I do not hesitate to cut a strip from the main stash to use in a quilt. If i don't use it all, it goes in the basket then later gets filed in the correct box of strips.
I am sure many quilters don't generate enough scraps to use this system, but there are many of us out there that use a similar system and find it very efficient. Hope this helps.

AliKat

Since I don't follow blogs, I am still not sure of how you do it.

Do you have bags or whatever set aside for stirips, and others set aside that are a particular size or shape. Then, I wonder how many different bags or whatever you maintain for your scraps.

My 'studio' isn't all that big.

Jan in VA

I sort the same way, how interesting! Guess we both "came up" in the quilting world near the same time and under the same influences.

I just showed at guild a sample for a curved log cabin workshop I'll be teaching in April; it has red and aqua "dark" sides of the blocks and yellow for the "light" sides. But there are 5 different reds, 15 different aquas, and 25 different yellows which grade in value, ALL pulled from my stash. Most of the guild members who signed up were remarking about the "beautiful fabrics," and were amazed that I was able to do that from stash without buying any fabric.

Now I know I'm in good company!

Jan in VA

gayle bong

Yes, that is pretty much the idea. Break it down to as much as you need or have room for.
For instance:
For church comfort quilts we keep 2 1/2" and 3 1/2"and 4 1/2" strips in separate bags
strips less than that too, but together in another bag for string quilts
Squares for the same sizes plus 6 1/2" too all in separate bags
And another bag for smaller odd scraps for crazy piecing.
All the bags then go into a 20 gallon tub.
My personal stash is kept in separate boxes (shoe box) on a closet shelf. But I also keep 2" strips, same size triangles and some specialty shapes for my Thirtysomething technique.
You could keep just 2 1/2" strips and 4 1/2" strips and another box or bag for leftover squares and triangles and one for the strings. I can keep the fabric neater in boxes than in bags. But I don't want to dedicate that much space to the comfort quilts for church.
Does that explain it?

gayle bong

Sounds beautiful Jan,
Yes I could have done that too, though not in those colors and aqua is a favorite. I have a hard time understanding these gals buying all these jelly rolls. Don't you guys have a stash???

retiredteacher09

Thanks for the info. I am not very good at organizing material and scraps although I try. I think part of my problem comes from the fact that I get strips and stash given to me and then I get overwhelmed. The funny part is that I was organized at work so why hasn't that carried over at home? LOL