Quilt Show Scrap Bags
 

Has anyone filled a Zip-Lock bag with scraps while attending a quilt show?

The past 2 quilt shows I have attended, I have found a large container filled to the brim with quilting fabric scraps in all sizes. I was given a gallon Zip-lock bag and was told I could fill it up for a $1.00. The bag must stay zipped after it is filled. My first thought was that I have my own scrap collection and I certainly don't need more scraps......or do I? What harm could it do to just look? I was told this was a guild fundraiser.

First, I saw my favorite color fabric peeking out at me at the top of the scrap pile. I tugged at it and discovered it was a 2.5" strip. Next, I saw Christmas fabric that I love. Oh look, there is Halloween fabric too. Wow..I see all kinds of plaids..and even flannel polka dot scraps. I squeezed, tucked, and refolded fabric until I filled my bag to near bursting. As I was paying the $1.00, my zipper popped open and fabric sprang out! I was in luck as the lady could not stop laughing as she took my money.

I like having the many varied scraps to make small 5 x 7 or 8 x 10 quilts. Our guild attaches these quilts to stuffed animals. We give the small animals with quilts to first responders to have in their vehicles to hand to children in stressful situations. The scraps are also very useful in I Spy quilts where you fussy cut a certain pattern for the center of a 9 patch.

I wanted to share with you all the fun that can be found exploring other quilters scraps! I hope you find a scrap tub at your next quilt show and that you zip-lock bag stays closed until after you pay. :)

I just don't attend quilt shows anymore having mobility problems. Our church group just got a huge donation from a major fabric manufacturer of their end strips.

One of our little local quilt shops have done this for years, they have a basket full of scraps from cutting kits and putting together shop displays and from classes, you fill a ziploc. Before I had much of a stash I always took advantage of this. I often wonder why more shops don't do this.

I once bought a $10 scrap bag from a LQS because it had a scrap of fabric I was looking for to complete a quilt block. When I got it home it not only had a piece big enough to complete my block but the pieces already cut for a twin size quilt top. Someone else's scraps are always more fun to play with than your own.:D

What a great idea! I am heading out to a guild Board meeting this morning and will bring this idea up to them as another fundraiser at the guild show. Thanks for posting!

i got two bags at the amherst ny quilt show a couple of months ago. but they were only quart sized... still a great value to me as i can use them in my dear jane blocks... a great way to get different fabrics for it. i mentioned it to our local quilt guild and we are going to do the same at our show this fall.

Yes, it is fun to play with scraps other than your own. Congrats on your treasure you found in your scrap bag of already cut pieces for a twin quilt top....well worth the $10.

Your welcome! It would also be a fun guild meeting program to bring scraps and pile on a table or in a tub. Members can draw numbers and go up and fill a bag.

Talked to a lady who visited the LQS where I work -- their guild had "scrap bag auctions" -- members would bring in their donations in bags, and each bag would be auctioned off to the highest bidder among the members. Raised money for the guild, and everyone had a new group of scraps!

Sounds like fun and a really great idea!

It is fun isn't it. A gal from my guild gave me a bag of scraps for stuffing dog beds for donations. I shouldn't have looked. But I found myself pulling out selvage strips and cut off triangles that are not my leader/enders to make 2" HST blocks.

Our quilt show is this weekend so too late for this idea this year -- I will ask about doing it for next year though. We have lots of fabric that is used to charity quilts -- this would be a good way to use some of it and raise a little money at the same time!

That sounds like a fun thing to do..have not seen that yet, but a few local shows coming up, maybe I'll be lucky.......

What a great deal, whether it's $1.00 or $10. You can fit a LOT of fabric in a ziplock bag. Either size. I often use gallon size to hold fabrics for an entire quilt! You pay the same amount for every square inch of fabric- and the variety is awesome.

I purchased a $4.95 scrap bag from msqc and was very disappointed. Told them, and oh we'll.

What a great idea...we all need more scraps

A quilt shop I visited in MN does that. I got "MN fabrics" some had Minnesota written on them and others had winter scenes. I was on vacation and visited QS around the "Twin Cities" what a great vacation:D

Sounds like fun. I think I would have laughed too when the bag on the zipper popped open with exploding scraps. LOL.

Sounds like fun.

I bet I know who the mfr is!!! :D

Jane

I haven't heard of this. I'll be checking next time I go to a quilt store or show.

This sounds like so much fun. One of my LQS sells scraps by the pound but your way sounds much more fun!

I think most of us love to work with someone's else' scraps. Fun playing with stuff that isn't ours and we haven't looked at for so long. Great fun

I will have to bring this up at our next board meeting. Sounds like great fun.

I haven't heard of this either. What fun.

i'll look, our big quilt show is in sept. thanks,

Your welcome!
I just remembered another great project that uses varied scraps.....making fabric postcards. I have holiday theme scraps that would be put to good use with this project.

Our local guild has a "free-cycle" table set up at the beginning of our meetings. I think most of my scraps came from there! I love when I find a few finished blocks. I turn them into potholders that I can practice free-motion quilting on, and have something to give as gifts as well. :)

Donna

I make a lot of scrap quilts, sometimes I need an infusion of new scraps.

If some one here wants to host it --I would like into the swap. I think that would be great--just to swap zip-lock bags of cut scraps with each other.............remember me if you do this and let me know............

I no longer belong to a guild because of the back biting, lying and stealing from the treasury; couldn't handle it anymore; hostel takeover from a younger set, I was one of the last of the older set they get rid of..

We did this last year at our quilt show & it was a HUGE success!!! Plan on doing it again this year!

Darn it! I'm going to dream of ways to squish scraps to fill zip lock bags.

I do know I get best advantage at "bag sales" if I roll clothing into tight bedroll type rolls and stand on end for first layer, then more for second layer.

I just came back from a 3 day quilt-in with my friend sue, and brought 13 qt size ziplock bags of scraps and fq's home, woohoo! she's happy to lose them and i'm happy to gain them! now, if I can just smuggle some of my scraps into hers without her knowing....... call in the stealth-quilter! lol

I discovered rolling the fabric allowed me to squish more in the bag too.

Great idea!

I have ordered scrap bags from several quilt shops--they are not always available--and been very happy with them. My own scraps are too boring. I've probably been looking at them too long!! This is just another way to raise money for the guilds and fun for the buyer.
Sue

I love it when shows have this set up for scraps. It's fun to find something you like and can use.


One of my quilting friends organized her stash and had four big bins of scraps and 3 trash bags of scraps. We went to her house for a group sew and she invited us to take what we want. I came home with a shopping bag full of kids fabric because I want to make some quilts for Project Linus. We didn't even make a dent in what she had so she said we can take more next time we quilt in September.

I saw this at a quilt shop in OR, it was smaller ziplocks and I think the price was higher but it was still fun! I've been working (so, so slowly) on a hexi quilt so it was a great way to get little bits and pieces of a variety of fabrics for that.

I have bought several of these. I was pleased with the scraps. I have bought other scrap bags from shops and some are great and some are skimpy. For the low price it's worth the gamble. It even out as some scrap bags are full of large pieces.