I needed storage for my crumbs, and 1.5" squares. In an attempt to use what I have and not spend any money, I have found that I can fit over 3,000 1.5" squares, and a TON of crumbs in my Folgers coffee can(the large one of course). They are small, you can seperate according to color, or any thing else. They stack nicely on top of each other and there is no cash going out!The handle on them is nice also! Just food for thought!

Thanks for the tip.

wow, thanks for the tip, good idea!

what are you going to make with them??

Those cans come in handy for a lot of stuff. I'm just amazed that you counted all those squares and crumbs. :)

What a great idea. And what a lot of crumbs you have.

Please post pics when you make your crumb quilt! Great idea!

There is a 1 1/2" square swap going on here.. Think you could enjoy even more variety? Just a thought...
Clever idea!

How many times did you lose your count before you got to 3,000? Good idea.

3,000 pieces! Wow, that's a lot!

WOW -- 3,000 pieces????? It boggles my mind :D

Did you count each piece? I would have grabbed a handful and counted those and then just multiplied handfuls after that. Close enough. LOL I wish they would make every good food container out of clear plastic. I buy dozens of the .99 clear shoe boxes from WalMart and never have one empty when I need it.

3,000 OMG !! then you said coffee can. Boy, do i miss coffee.:-{

Great idea :D:D:D Thank you for sharing it with us!!!

I kept count by putting stacks of 50 in a small shallow box. They just seemed to add up quick.Im also doing a scrap challenge, has to be done by Christmas. I was thinking of doing a mosiac style one to see how it would come out, so I also wanted to seperate them by light, med. & dark.

That is a LOT of pieces :shock:

Wow..that is a lot..

Great tip! Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for the tip

i have two of the 5 quarts plastic ice cream containers that's a thought for use. and some come decorative. thanks

You could use Pringles cans, too. The lids are clear, and you could lay them down and stack them on a shelf with the lids outward. That way you could see inside, and have your colors separated by can if you want. :)

I love the Folgers coffee containers they hold lots of projects for me.

3000 pieces ! YIKES!

No thanks - that's too many decisions on where to put each piece. I have a tough enough time with 80 5" charms in one baby quilt! They'd have to have the 'white jackets' ready for me half way though the decision process on 3000 pieces.

I do something similar, though since I don't drink coffee I don't have any of those cool cans you ladies are talking about. Is the can see-through? I've found that unless I'm separating by color and value, I need to be able to see what I'm looking at without having to take them out and sort through them all the time. I don't want to handle my scraps too much or the edges start to fray and then they are no longer square.

Evidently I need to find someone who drinks this brand of coffee. :lol:

I am collecting 1-inch sqaures (unfinished) to do a mosaic quilt with someday. You go girl! :thumbup:

I use the plastic gallon size container of ice cream for my stash. Whenever we have a family birthday party, I buy the ice cream. Then keep the container for my stash. I like that it is somewhat see thru-able. I tape a label as to what is inside... darks, lights, shapes, different sized strips, etc. and stack them on top of my bookcase which holds my stash. I also have some of the huge plastic containers from cheese puffs that I use for scraps.

Wow, good luck sewing all those crumbs, I'm not brave enough to sew with such small pieces, I think my machine would eat them like a snack! Hahaha

I do the same thing, except use large popcorn tin for the 1.5", decorative sewing tins friends have given me and wooden boxes from Dancing Deer for 2.5" and 3.5" and various size triangles.

I looked for this 1 1/2" squares swap but couldn't find it.
Got a link to it? Thanks, I might like that with all the itty bitties I make.

I like Maxwell House cannisters, they have somewhat square corners and the handles are easier to grasp.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-42104-1.htm

good for you for being so organized and clever.

What exactly are crumbs?

I'm confused, are we talking about baking? or small pieces of fabric? Is that what "crumbs" are?

I have my crumbs(pieces) in zip lock bags but the container idea is a lot better and I can get rid of all these little bags. I have many ice cream buckets now I have a use for them. Thanks. I one day will use my crumbs.

I love using my coffee cans for fabric pieces. I put all my small scraps in them and as soon as they fill up, I donate them to my kids' school for arts and crafts projects. I don't feel bad about not using all my scraps when I know they are going to be gracing the hallways of school on various art and decoupage projects.

O.K., what is a "crumb" and what do you make with them??

Thanks

At least your pieces will smell good.

Good ideal but how do you get that awful smell out of the can. All your fabric will smell like coffee.

Baking Soda?

One company we order from at work often sends us a tin of "thankyou" cookies. I bring the empty tins home for my 1 1/2" squares. They stack nicely on a shelf, and are small enough to grab one to take to a quilt day with friends.

DH gets the empty coffee containers for workshop "bits".

Patti