Organizing Scraps
 

I have never tried to officially organize my scraps... I have always let them grow organically, in all shapes and sizes, and then cut them to size when I am making a quilt. Last month I went to a garage sale and they had Ziploc bags stuffed with random quilting scraps for 50¢ to a $1! Some were newer fabric, some were from the '80s and some were completely unusable. I decided to sort by color and then trim them down using Bonnie Hunter's scrap user system. I've never tried her system before, so I'm curious if others find it a solution to the craziness of scraps? I absolutely love scrap quilts, and in this economy, I am very grateful for my stash of scraps!

Also, lately the thought of cutting a million triangles or something for a quilt seems very daunting! I am wondering if having pre cut sizes of scraps ready to go, like BH scrap user system, would make it more manageable. I wonder if slowly trimming scraps down in a few spares minutes a day for the next couple of months would pay off in the long term. Thoughts?

Short form: Yes, I think doing bits of scrap patrol with available moments of time and sorting is a fine way to organize/prepare fabric.for future project. Baggies are a wonderful way to store sorted little bits but they do slip and slide you might want something more the size of a shoebox to put the baggies in. I also found it handy when I was organizing to periodically count what I had and write it on a sticky pad size piece of paper inside the bag.

Longer form: I tried cutting a lot of different sized strips and/or squares (and triangles for awhile) and found that it didn't work so well for me. Whatever I wanted wasn't what I had and it took a lot of time and coordination to get them to work. After several years I gave up on the concept and now don't keep anything smaller than 6.5x6.5" square. My least successful scrap system was having a laundry hamper of small bits. For me it was unpleasant to work with and everything always needed pressing and I had to go through the entire thing just to find the red bits or whatever it was I was looking for.

2.5" (2" finished) squares is a common cut down size and was the most useful for me. There are plenty of patterns that use that size. With the math of the points of triangles, you need 7/8ths for the pointy sides instead of the standard 1/4". That is, if you took your 2.5 squares and sliced them down the diagonal, your (2) finished HSTs would only be roughly 1.5" inches (finished) which is kind of small for me. If you sewed on that diagonal line instead of cut, you would end up with (1) 2" finished HST that would match up with your squares and a scrap bit that would end up about 1.5" again. If you have a specific idea of a triangle based quilt, I would cut down to the size you want instead of figuring out what to make with the size you have!

Clear as mud? Playing with fabric (including cutting stuff down) is soothing to me and often tells me what the fabric needs in the future. Especially when you have a lovely bundle of baby love takes up most of your time :)

Scrap management is something that I struggle with too. I have found that my AccuQuilt Studio with strip dies makes it much easier to cut the scraps into various sizes, but I haven't been using those cut-up scraps much, except for 1.5" strips that I cut into lengths for log cabin quilts. I'm winding up with a lot lf 2.5" strips, mostly leftovers from binding. Any ideas on good scrappy patterns from 2.5" strips?

I've been using Lori Holt's Scrappiness is Happiness system to tame my scraps. It's easy. I use 2 1/2, 3 1/2 and 5 1/2 inch sizes and cut scraps down to that size and then put them in separate plastic boxes. It has already helped me to use up some scraps and to cut my fabrics down to usable shapes and sizes.

I have a horrible time sorting/organizing my scraps. I have decided to sort by color. Then I will make one or two color quilts to use each pile. Hope this works for me 🙃

I cannot sort by colour because my scrap quilts are never ever controlled! The only rule I have is that I will not sew two pieces of the same or similar colour together. And that has also failed on occasion, when I'm putting blocks together. I cut 1.5, 2, 2.5 inch strips and squares. I also cut 3 inch squares to use in making 2.5 inch HST's. Some people would say that I am crazy for the 1.5 inch stuff, but I make a lot of totes and they are perfect for miniaturizing a pattern. I store them in clear plastic shoe boxes. I like that the boxes stack.

A good friend and fellow quilter gave me a great hint. I often draw out a block using graph paper, but also, often do not include the info as to where I saw the block or the name of the pattern if available. And I often end up with a piece of paper that I cannot decipher. My friend told me to take some scraps and make a sample block, then put it and the graphed pattern together for future reference. Genius!!!

I'm in the process of making a scrappy quilt that inspired me to cut a lot of scraps. The quilt needed 3.5 inch strips cut into various lengths which dictated what pieces I pulled. I had a lot of 2.5 pieces so I cut them into potato chip quilt size and the rest into 1.5 strips for strip blocks. Cutting for days on end was a bit tedious but I feel that this has helped with some of the overflow. I was keeping tiny bits, thinking that they could be useful one day for paper piecing but after 20 years of finding patterns that don't require paper piecing, it's time to let go. I want to get better at scrap quilts and ultimately want to truly feel like I'm using fabric I already own.

I would have seen those bags of scraps and run the other way, LOL.

I don't know what it is about scraps. Maybe I just don't have the energy to deal with them. Maybe the idea of them short-circuits my brain.

Has anyone been mailing scraps to other members lately? Have you found it to be worth the cost?

I have sent off more scraps to folks here just so I wouldn't feel bad about getting rid of them. Haven't done it since my sister joined a sewing guild and they wanted them. I like scrap quilts but somehow never used my left overs. Even watching Jenny Doan sew all the little pieces together to make "New Fabric" and think to myself, "I can do that." But then never happy with my results. I do have a lot of applique dies so I keep scraps for them. Trying to organize for me is only by color. I don't cut them down because I found when I did when I went to use them they were the wrong size. So the cutting waits until it's to be used.

With two of my machines on the fritz, I have time to cut scraps. Concentrating on 2 1/2" blocks and 2 1/2" x 5" this weekend. I have a large tote full of full and partial jelly rolls strips left over from when I made "My monster quilt" and I haven't even gotten around to those yet, but have been working on stuff laying around and a paper grocery sack filled with odds and ends. Will seperate out the baby/toddler/juvenile prints from everything else. No doubt that just from scraps alone I'll be able to make about 8 quilts. Oh, and I have about 5 complete jelly rolls and some charm packs also.....why do I keep ordering more fabric??

I love scrappy quilts and have determined over many years of quilting what sizes I like to use. I cut my scraps into 1 1/2” strips, and 2 1/2” strips and squares. Previously I tried 5 and 10” squares but found I never used them, so they were cut down to the sizes I use. I do not sort by color but use a shallow basket for each size and each basket is labeled with the size. I have recently started using the pieces left from making a quilt in the backing. Anything used during the process of quilt making goes into a small trash can that sits on the floor near the cutting table. Once the trash can is full, I start cutting into the sizes I prefer. Using a small receptacle keeps the scrap cutting sessions down to a manageable length of time. I don’t think there is a one size fits all way to handle scraps. Each must find what works best for them. Hy

My scraps are divided by width of the scrap. I go from 1", 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3 and 5". Then I have a container full of orphan blocks, larger scraps but less than a fat quarter, cutoffs for when I'm stitching up sashings and borders as I do the diagonal stitch instead of the straight stitching so some of those triangles cut off can get a good size enough to be half of a HST. My fat quarters are divided by color in containers though.

I have been entranced by 2.5s for years and because I use that cut often I usually cut small scraps into strips or squares of that size. Long ago I tried to cut all of my scraps into standardized sizes but found, like others who responded here, that I did not use them or had to re-cut them.

For my two cents, step back and consider the sizes that draw you in and that you find you use often. Cut scraps in those size(s). If you are going to invest your precious time in cutting, make the sizes that YOU use. By the way I do sort my 2.5s and 2.5 strips by color. That is soothing and useful in my sewing room.

Scraps. I dislike wasting anything. I am still looking for the perfect system. I recently took a class offered by my guild titled "Managing Your Scraps". Not! She showed us how to sew random scraps together to make a block! Then, make a mug rug or glasses case or hot pad. Waste of money, but fun day with others. I do love my new glasses case, but I did not need to pay for "how to use your scraps"!

My scraps are large because I over-order for projects. (Ran out of fabric once-never again). My fabrics are difficult to sort by color - they generally are blue with lots of other colors. Since I like applique, I have a tub of solids; another tub with pieces larger than fat quarters; another with pieces more the size of my hand. Smaller pieces get tossed without guilt!

My first scrappy quilt was red roses with green scraps surrounding. I literally had to buy fat quarters in order to make because I had no green or red fabric!-I do now!

You are all sharing great tips! I'm thinking of kitting up a few scrap quilts, along with a print out of the pattern and keeping them in Ziploc bags. That would make it ready to sew up whenever I am ready, but all the daunting cutting would be done.

Actually, that is a great idea. I am now storing my scraps by color. It makes sense to me that when I have time to do some prep cutting, that I pick out a pattern and the colors I want, then work on cutting up the sizes I need in the colors I want from scraps. When enough are cut up, place them in a bag with the pattern and store until ready to start another project. Wouldn't it be fun to have 4-5 quilts already cut and ready?

Making up kits! That is a fantastic idea!

I agree with others who suggest cutting up scraps a little at a time. The pieces do add up, and the scrap pile does diminish. Well, ok, maybe the scrap pile doesn't diminish. I'm not sure that's possible! Anyway, I take about 20 minutes before each sewing session to cut up scraps into the sizes I use most -- 2.5 inch squares, and 4.5 X 2.5 inch bricks. The bricks are useful for potato chips blocks, flying geese, or roofs on tiny houses. The 2.5 inch squares have many uses. I think it's also useful to cut 2.5 inch wide strips. These can be paired on top of another fabric and triangles can easily be cut as needed. I do also save very small pieces, so those go into a bin of crumbs. And if I think I'm running low on strings of a particular color, I will deliberately cut strings from scraps. I would rather make scrap quilts than anything . . . really must get back to the yardage in the totes one day!

I tried cutting my scraps into certain sizes, but when I needed a specific color for a scrap quilt, I had to sort through 6 boxes to collect all of the blue scraps. Now I keep 2 drawers of scraps in the sewing room dresser. When a certain color gets too full, I will pull pieces out and get to sewing up a pet bed for the local shelter. I've also decided that I won't keep anything smaller than 2.5 inches or any triangles. My backing and my bindings are frequently scrappy, so that helps keep things under control.

Lindashipper, if you are looking for ideas for your 2.5" squares, stop in and wander through the 2.5 Birthday Swap thread. There are many, many pattern links and some photos of projects that make use of 2.5's. Please "borrow" from the abundance of ideas that will put your partial jelly roll strips and cut 2.5s to good use. Lots of inspiration close at hand.

The Quilted Forest on YouTube has a playlist of 13 different quilts to make from 2.5” strips. Theirs were all scraps left from binding or leftovers from jelly rolls.

I have watched the Quilted Forrest videos but sadly or maybe joyously, I don't have that abundance of 2.5" strips. I found that as the videos progress she does begin to create more intricate designs. But simple or intricate, the idea is to use those precious small pieces of fabric to create a quilt top by moving the strips out of bins in into the hands of someone who can enjoy the snuggle of a quilt.

Simple, laid-back directions that are easy to follow.

I have my scraps sorted by color and they are folded (somewhat) neatly to minimize pressing. I elected not to try cutting into standard sizes because I don’t normally do scrappy quilts and I thought it might be more useful to have a large chunk of fabric than several small squares. My only exception to that is when I get pieces less than 2.5” wide I will cut those into smaller pieces that are 1.5” or 1.75” wide to use in Pineapple blocks.

I think if you know you will use particular sizes of scraps, you will save yourself time in the long run by cutting them into those sizes while you are already cutting the other pieces.