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Scrap quilts are the best! Most of mine are sorted by color, but they still end up randomly in tubs and boxes.

The guild does a lot of square exchanges. Many times we make the same square each month, but in different colors. I always have plenty to pick from.

I even make the backgrounds scrappy in my quilts.

I used to save all the smallest crumbs that were really too small to sew, but now they all go into muslin "sacks" I make. I also add in my batting scraps. When they get full, I stitch them closed, make a removable (so it's washable) fleece cover and they go to the kids' dogs for a new bed pillow.

Sometimes, after a top is finished, I make an extra block to match the front for a label. Lately, I piece together the rest of the scraps, whatever size they are, like a puzzle, and use them for part (or all!) of the backing. Often I can pull other fat quarters or pieces of the right color from my stash to make the backing big enough. Using up the stash (never!) and don't have to buy more fabric for a back.

I, too, was overwhelmed with scraps. I cut strips and pieces in several sizes-depending on whatever length and width they were-tedious, but helpful to create borders,etc. Unfortunately-they multiply on their own so there seems to be no end to them. ;-)

Quote:

Originally Posted by butterflywing

whenever i ask for anything on craigslist i get offers from so far away that it isn't worth the gas for the small amount being offered. with the price of gas, i can buy scraps at the next yard sale. and even if you ask for cotton only, you never know what you'll get.

which brings up another point: what do most of you consider 'small'. i think small is less than a 2.5 strip or a 2.5 square, because by the time you delete the seams, i don't want to be bothered. but i know that some of you use i".

Oh I'm one of those crazies!! Friend in my quilt guild told me I needed therapy :lol: . I save as small as 3/4 and 7/8". We had a charity quilt workshop with our guild a couple weeks ago and the gals unanimously decided I get the scraps. I think they are waiting to see what I will come up with.:wink: Am working on some 3 inch shoofly blocks that are just adorable--will post when done. And also took some HST's and made a doll quilt, which I plan to give to one of the lucky workshop workers.

BTW, I sort by size. Those little pieces fit into Nestle Quik containers just beautifully and with 4 grands up the road, we go through lots of Quik in the winter time!
Larger sorted widths go into $ store dishpans-helpful to label the container with the widths, too.

Mrs. Pete, just love your quilt! That is the main idea of scrappy-just put it together. Love it.

Don't forget you can cut old garments apart. there is a fat quarter in in the back of a man's shirt.

Right now, mine are not sorted. I had them all straightened out a while back, but you know how that goes............

I sort by color too, but i have some strips that I put all colors in the pile, bc there aren't that many. Would be easy to grab the right one if it would work.
I'm just not into all that cutting squares etc. into charms and stuff...
I might want to use it for applique, so no need to go to all that bother.
Glad you saved yourself from the scrap sanitorium ;)

Bea -

Piano key is just alternating strips of fabric, usually all the same width arranged light-dark-light-dark, that are cut crosswise into a consistent size. When you look at it, it resembles piano keys.

Darren

Thanks, Darren. I didn't know what they were talking about.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Judi in Ohio

Has anyone gone on www.quiltville.com and seen Bonnies sorting methods? I think she is brilliant and she has changed my life. I really do not want to do a 2, 3 or 4 fabric quilt, I love scrappy. so I have the large containers and had my husband put dividers in each one. I have a 1 1/2" strip, 2" strip & 2 1/2" strip container, divided into light, med, darks. So, if I know I need 2" strips to make a bunch of green 4 patches, I go to my 2" bin, which has actually been expanded to include another bin of batiks on one side and neutrals in the other. Pull out my greens & neutrals and off I go. I made one of Bonnies patterns the other day Chunky Churndash ( I am the unwashed hostess of Bonnies swap group called Quiltville swap, we are swapping that block). It was a snap to get started on that block because everything was there for me to grab. I didn't cut a thing for that block. My squares & half squares are in another rolling cart, easy to access. For my larger pieces I have some unique pieces of furniture that I use that are perfect for the job at hand. If anyone is interested I will dl some pictures. A piece of fabric does not walk into my house without getting a 1 1/2", 2", & 2 1/2" strip cut from it - I buy fabric with that in mind and sometimes that's all the fabric I buy. When I tell you I like scrappy - I mean it - the more fabric the more I like it.
Judi in Ohio

This is how I organize my scraps. I have several drawer units that each drawer is for a different size. I have all backgrounds sorted into 1, 2, 2 1/2 and 3 1/2" strips Squares are sorted the same and in their own drawers. Colors are the done the same. As I finish a quilt, I cut the leftover fabric into strips and feed the scrap drawers :)