Can someone tell me what this is? It's something about cutting strips to make quilt blocks, I think.

I have never heard of it. I will be watching...

Edit: I googled and it is a system of cutting your scraps into sizes that you will use.

Never heard of it so I will be watching to see what everyone else says.

Mr Google told me .... A Quilter’s Lumberyard® is a unique system of scrap management. Use the “lumberyard” approach to cut, organize, and store scraps in usable sizes and you are always ready to sew gorgeous scrappy quilts.

This system is Trademarked and has a Copyright. It is by Cheryl Coffman and Patty Bowers.

I too just googled it - this is not unlike the Scrap Therapy system. They too have you cut scraps into usable manageable sizes. Do your own system.

Sounds like a full time job.

And this is supposed to be about fun? ... I'll skip working in the lumberyard before I start!! :lol:

I considered doing this once I bought an accuquilt go.

I don't like the lumberyard or cut as you go system. I keep pieces smaller than a quarter yard in a pile by itself. Smaller pieces go into my scrap bags sorted into lights, mediums and darks. When I want enough for a sample block or an applique I haven't already cut it into small blocks or shapes that have to be used for a specific purpose. I just cut as needed for specific projects.

I'm of the "sort it but don't cut it" school of thought.

My dark / medium / light scraps go into 3 large bins with lids.

You just never know what kind of creativity will come to you and what size or shape fabric you'll need! :)

I also thought the "lumber sizes" sort of entertaining!

A 2 x 4 board is NOT 2 x 4 inches anymore. It's actually 1.5 x 3.5

http://www.engineersedge.com/commerc...mber_sizes.htm

It's been like that for years!
Terribly confusing and frustrating!!!

Thanks for the response. Is there a book on this system?

Daisydawg: I've become a member of this site because I saw this thread when I was doing a web search.
I'm a user of "A Quilters Lumberyard" A Scrap Management System. The patterns and name are protected by the US copyright law. I don't receive any monetary gain from the Lumberyard system, I simply use it.

So now that said, here is my description of it. When I finish a project any fabric left is folded to fit on my shelves, except for pieces smaller than 1/8 yard or a fat quarter. Those I cut into lumberyard pieces. Most of the scraps are cut into 2 1/2 x 4 1/2 or 2x4's (with the 1/2 seam allowance) then 2 x 2's, 2 x 8's, 4 x 4's, and so on. Always add the 1/2 seam allowance to a lumber size. The pattern I use most is called Crazy Eight's, which is just 2 x 4's placed so that there are no matching seams to make an 8 1/2" block. It's a great way to make a scrappy quilt very quickly. As with all quilting very accurate cutting and sewing of 1/4" seams are important.

If you are interested patterns are available in Bend, Or at B J'S Quilt Basket 20225 Badger Rd, Bend, Or 97702 phone 541 383 4310. I recommend that you buy their pattern package that includes their first pattern, Crazy Eights.

Basically its Bonnie Hunters method, too -- I am still in the process of cutting up my scraps (many are from the 60's and 70's!) into pre determined sizes. After making several quilts using some of the 'precuts', its wonderful to be able to sew up several quilts very quickly. I've noticed I also have a tendancy to put more of the 'ugly' fabrics into my quilts this way, too, and my color selections are more broad....all a good thing.

DebbE: Yes it is very similar to Bonnie Hunters method. One of the main differences is that seams from one block to another often don't have to match. A convenience when you are in a hurry.

I've found I don't have enough variety in my scraps, so I'll buy a few fat quarters in colors I don't seem to have. I'm guilty of not having enough darks.

I see you are also from Oregon. Love the hydrangea!

Not only a scrap management method. So much more to it. It is amazing.

I tried this and discovered that I did not use the pieces I had cut from scraps very much. I was keeping 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6.5 and 10 inch squares. I now only only keep 2.5 squares, 2.5 strips and binding scraps in bins. Waste of time for me to cut up so many options, but it works for others. I found I just did not use the 3, 4, 6.5 and 10's all that much. I think it all depends on your taste in quilting and what you find you use often. I would NEVER cut up even 1/2 or 1/3 in to standard Lumber Yard pieces. I just cut my scraps. Good enough for me. Example of my foolishness - I had a huge bin of fabric scraps that had been growing for years. I cut them in to "Bricks" and 2.5s. Guess what? The 2.5 are being used daily but the bricks are still sitting on the shelf in my sewing closet staring at me. Got enough to make at least 3 quilts. Lesson learned....again.https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images/smilies/wink.png

I'll take my Accuquilt Go! any day over sorting scraps the hard way.

Sounds a lot like Bonnie Hunters scrap system. I think every quilter has their own system that works for them.

I had to laugh when I read it was trademarked and copyrighted.

I think you just do what works for you, I did spend some time cutting up my scraps into sizes, I used some of them some of them just sit there in their shoe boxes, now I have just started mainly cutting things into strips with my go, or 2.5 inch squares if they are not big enough for strips. I can also cut down my strips into smaller pieces if I need to. Then I have just been sorting scraps out into color families like, reds, greens, blacks, greys, etc. I find this works good to rather than having all my scraps jumbled together in a big basket. I do like sorting scraps by color cuz then I can see what colors I have the most of and lately have been think about making two color scrappy quilts.

In "Sunday Morning Quilts" Cheryl Arkinson and Amanda Jean Nyberg begin the book by advising on how to sort scraps and keep them sorted going forward. They recommend sorting at least by colour, sizing/trimming pieces according to your own quilting style. Once you get the initial sort done it is easy to keep things sorted. I had already begun sorting all my scraps by colour, and got busy sorting the last of the bags of scraps I had. I have a line of those wire cubes below my biggest design wall, each containing a different colour. Makes it really easy to find what you need for and to work in monochromatic themes!