Conserving Fabric While Cutting - Tips?
08-03-2020, 04:06 PM
#21
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 179
This is really conserving while "buying". I have decided not to buy pre cuts anymore, especially jelly rolls and charm packs. I find the jelly rolls are not always accurate. I now only buy yardage. Usually half yards. And fat quarters. I will buy 10 " squares occasionally because they can be cut up into 2 ½ inch or five inch pieces. I save all scraps but don't cut them up until I have a project. My new go to are bags requiring 2 ½ inch strips or squares. Also, I save all batting pieces and fuse together. I just cut my own 2 ½ inch strips from batting cut off sides of quilts, etc. to use in a pocket book I am making. Or table runners. I shop from my own stash but do not limit myself to it if I have a new project.
08-03-2020, 07:46 PM
#22
Power Poster
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Between the dashes of a tombstone
Posts: 12,716
Originally Posted by Iceblossom
When you are cutting right triangles, you can narrow down the strip width so that one point is already snubbed off, it you have enough rows that extra 1/4" can turn into an extra row.
I have problems buying precuts too. From my experience using them in the LQS, is that there are a certain number of pieces you don't use and off they go into a scrap pile.
08-03-2020, 09:11 PM
#23
Power Poster
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 25,977
I conserve by saving all my scraps and using them for something else. A large leftover piece can be used for a yoke and pockets in a little girl's dress. When most of the piece is gone I cut 5" squares and 2.5" squares. Those are stored by size, and used later for scrappy quilts.
08-04-2020, 04:35 AM
#24
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Carroll, Iowa
Posts: 3,380
I also determine how many cuts I can get from each fabric for the pattern I'm working on. Then I cut the amount I think I'll need plus a couple inches more as I always starch and then press the fabrics so I know it will shrink a little plus it might not have been cut straight at the store. I'm OCD when working on a pattern. I write down how many strips from each fabric plus how many cuts from each strip on a piece of scratch paper. Every page that comes out of my printer if it has a blank side, it becomes scratch paper. I cut that into 4 pieces evenly. As I get all the cutting done, I check mark along side it. Borders, sashings, bindings, everything. I told you I'm OCD and this shows it.........lol.
