Scraps?
 

I've recently acquired a lot of scraps of various sizes and will be getting a few more (I kind of went overboard on Ebay), and I was wondering what you do with your scraps? I wanted these because I am working on my grandmother's flower garden quilt and I didn't want to have to cut fabric from big pieces of fabric, but some of the scraps I have could potentially make a small project. I'm wondering what you do with your scraps? What kinds of things do you make? Do you use any to make gifts? I was thinking of making some wallets because there's enough for some. I'm just curious what you do with yours?

I love string quilts in scraps.

I mostly work in a scrappy style with the design concept of color or value -- so instead of 1 blue, I'll use 6 or 60... What I've found over the years though is I don't like dealing with little bits of fabric and that if I cut all my little bits into little squares, I would never ever be able to finish up my little bits to make quilts I wanted to make. Some people, on the other hand, love the idea of having tons of available 2.5" strips and squares or whatever size they determine. So often what we make is determined by what sort of scraps do we have. I've ended up that I don't keep anything smaller than a 6.5" x larger than a square because "I can always cut down but I can't cut up". I have a box at my cutting table and a lovely crumb quilter from the board takes my boxes of weird stuff as I fill them up :)

Bonnie Hunter is considered a queen of scrap quilting. You might browse/spend hours at her site!
https://quiltville.blogspot.com/

A lot of what I do is really more about collections of fabric that have some sort of theme or reason why they are a collection, than really about scraps. Both of these quilts came largely from the same box of various sized pre-cut squares I was given but I did add some fabrics. First, I took out all the squares that had metallic embellishments and made "scrap metal" by cutting the squares into consistent sized triangles and sewing them back together with a sashing fabric out of stash. In the other, I took out all the large bright novelty prints and cut them into a consistent size. I framed them with a consistent confetti fabric, and then I took the remaining bright squares into rectangles for the sashing.

I think all quilt patterns will look great in scraps. I have a scrappy Double Wedding Ring in my project pile, as well as a scrappy Log Cabin. I love scrap quilts, in all shapes and sizes. Like Iceblossom said, Bonnie Hunter has many scrap quilt patterns. Quilted Twins does too. https://www.quiltedtwins.com/free-patterns.htm . Pinterest is bursting with inspiration.

I have been making a Tiny House Quilt with my scraps. Jenny Doan of Missouri Star quilts has a YouTube video on how to make them. I have also been making trees to go with the houses. You're lucky to have a quilt buddy to take your scraps. I feel guilty throwing away scraps. I think even if you made half square triangles, it would look great!

I have started sorting my scraps by color and not cutting them into specific sizes of pieces until I have a scrap quilt in mind. I do like making the Bonnie Hunter scrap quilts and find I now think making a quilt out of just 5-6 fabrics is sort of boring! I do try and cut up my scraps of the scraps into certain sizes though if what is left over is too small. So I have clear shoeboxes filled with 2, 2.5, 3.5, and 5 inch squares and some of 1.5, 2, and 2.5 inch strips. Also have a box of selvages and of strings. I will sometimes just make four patches and nine patches out of the scrap squares and stitch them into a little quilt. They are cute as doll or dog quilts. I used to do more raw edge applique wall hangings and would use scraps for those. I have made "I spy" quilts out of scraps. Those are fun to make. Oh, and I do save a box of triangles as if I make string blocks on the diagonal, the triangles come in handy for those last corners.

You don't have to go searching for scrappy quilt ideas. We have a whole scrappy quilt show https://www.quiltingboard.com/vbulle...e-t135936.html

Something else besides scrap quilts: I recently posted that I like to make scrappy bindings. They add interest to some of the quilts I've made.

Scrap quilts, scrappy bindings, wallets/purses, pot holders, placemats, it all depends on how big/how many scraps you have and what you'd like.
For a particular small piece of fabric I really like, I will make a potholder so I can look at it often. If it's a bit larger, then it's a placemat etc....

I second NZQuilter's suggestion to check out Quilted Twins. Becky Tillman Petersen has generously shared her scrappy quilt patterns-- tons of them! They are free, but you can leave a donation if you want to thank her. I have made several of these patterns, and have many more on my bucket list. You owe it to yourself to check these patterns out!

https://www.quiltedtwins.com/free-patterns.htm

In reading this, it brought back a very pleasant memory.

For starters, I only save scraps that are at least 2.5" or larger and I cut them into either a strip or a square, or rectangle, depending on the size of the scrap left over.

As for my memory remembrance, when I was a child I remember playing with my mother's doll that her grandmother, my great grandmother made her. She had made the doll out of left over scraps from her quilts/dresses etc. She made different size yo yo's out of the fabric and strung them together through the center with heavy string to make the legs, arms, and body and then made a doll head out of muslin (stuffing it with of course) as well as her hands and feet. I can remember going through the different yo yo's looking to see the different fabrics. The different designs and colors fascinated me. The doll is long gone, unfortunately, but in remembering this, I think this is going to be my next project with my smaller scraps, in making a small doll for a smile on my shelf in my craft room.

thanks! I hadn't thought of her (the doll) in years and the pleasure I got in playing with her.

Facebook has a group called, "Scrap Quilt Enthusiasts," which will offer tons of ideas. There are several other scrap quilting groups there, too. There used to be a thread here called something like "Scrap Quilt Show."

I too am a fan of string quilts. I have made at least 20 lap size and 3 king size in the last 3 years.

Iceblossom, First I always read your posts, and after 50+ years of sewing you still teach me good stuff. I think sashing is the answer to making a scrappy quilt look organized and cohesive. Thank you for that info and for the illustrations. FYI, I taught all levels of sewing at the college level, and still love learning something new.

Thanks for everyones input, I to like to make scrap quilts and I love the quilt iceblossom showed us in this thread.

I wish I could catch the scrap bug. My scraps get set aside in a ever growing pile. I've found that I just don't have the patience for small squares, scraps, pieces, unless I'm appliqueing. I don't ever see myself doing a scrappy quilt. I do marvel at those that can!

Sort them in color families and use them in any pattern or blocks. Lets say a quilt is red, white and blue, just cut the squares, triangles or blocks out of the color family and use them.

I'm with you! I love scrappy quilts but I have no patience with scraps! That may change though. I get so inspired by everyone on the board.

I recently saw this you tube video and am in the process of using some Christmas fabric scraps to make one......It is from Shabby Fabrics for a 3D fabric snowflake. Just got the scraps backed with heat and bond and cut into squares.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_s2uRSJ1Ls&t=99s

I like scrap quilt that have a unifying background color and common block.
Currently swimming in pink scraps...because I hate pink. So it's the last color I reach for...ever. I need to practice my flying geese so I'm using the pink with a variety of grey's as my background and making stars. What is surprising me is how much I am liking the resultant blocks. I'm using an 8" finish because it seems to make best use of the WOFs I have leftovers.
So that's my suggestion. Find a background you like (white is easy) make a common block with them (hsts are easy but maybe you think snowballs are the *bomb*). Just something you can live with and keep building. When you feel like you have enough...

I'm working on several quilt tops from scraps, a mini tumbler, half squares, four patches, etc. I keep shoeboxes of cut parts on or near my machine and work a little bit each day. Eventually I'll have some pretty scrap quilts and wall hangings.

My scrap box is on my list for 2022. I made this from scraps and plan to make another one.

Might it be possible for you to share with us how you pieced that border, or direct us to where we might find the pattern? It's beautiful!

That is a great quilt, maryb119.

Iceblossom, thanks for sharing the idea of sorting scraps by theme! I have never done anything with my scraps except shove them into plastic grocery bags and stick them somewhere. But this makes sense to me and I can actually imagine doing it.

https://www.allpeoplequilt.com/magaz...9-a343e734a655

Has an articles on how to sort scraps and also an article on UFOs. It might be worth getting the February 2022 edition.

I think this thread inspired me to clean up my scraps! I used my Accuquilt yesterday to create bonus HST and trimmed a lot more today with my rotary cutter. I was able to use some scraps for the BH 2021 Mystery Quilt. Still, I need to put “Make a quilt using mostly my scraps” in my list of projects for 2022.

I made a king size crumb quilt and I still have bins of scraps. I throw away anything smaller than 1" square and anything less than 2" square goes into my crumb bin. I have my scraps sorted by colors and I cut them into strips or squares according to the pattern I am making. I have even used 1" strips to crochet rugs that last forever. I made a shower curtain out of my scraps once. You cut your fabric into 2.5" strips and cut the long strips into 7" or less. Put them into a laundry basket and reach in and grab a strip and start joining them. The only rule is no 2 strips that match are sewn together. Roll these strips until you have a ball about the size of a beach ball. Decide how wide you want your project and cut off that length from the ball of scraps. Sew rows together and then line. I sewed along the lines between the rows and then put binding on it. I made button holes at the top for the shower hooks and I have been using it for over 30 years. Naturally you don't use a batting. It was a lot of fun and easy to make.

Fabric Galore - I'd love to see a picture of that! While I made a curtain for the door of the master bedroom ensuite, I never thought to quilt a shower curtain.

Your scrap collection sounds like mine - I'm still struggling with throwing away anything, even if it's smaller than an inch - but I'm starting to see the futility of keeping every tiny scrap and can envision a system like yours that allows me to keep some small stuff but to get rid of what is really not quiltable. I have made some progress - I learned from Kate at The Last Homely House (YouTube) that you can compost cotton scraps and so that's where all of my block trimmings go. Looking forward to seeing how much they have broken down when I dig out the compost bin in the spring.

This has been a great thread - so many super ideas! Looking forward to more posts. :-)

I keep my scraps in containers. Most of them are either stripped 2 1/2 wide or if the piece is larger 6 1/2 squares. These are used to make children's quilts and donated to the Linus Project. I have also given to other charitable events as they come up so the pieces are ready for me when needed.

The 2 1/2 in strips can also be used for bindings for these quilts.

I just started using some scraps to start a string quilt! :)

https://i.ibb.co/9W8ckzY/16925-C0-E-...16-F506877.jpg