sad to say..a trunk, and its full.
Mary

I just drop my scraps into a rubbermaid tub and dig out what I need when the need arises. I will get on a cleaning/sorting binge every now and then - will iron my scraps, cut charm squares and strips into several sizes and these I keep sorted in individual plastic see-through shoe boxes.

Organization? What is that. I have them in totes, bags, whatever is handy at the time.

I store mine by color in those opaque shoe boxes,selveges, and 'strings' left after squaring up go into a bag ; I use those for tying in the garden, the future selvege quilt I have planned, and a wrapped clothesline bag I want to make... but before they go there, they lay in a pretty pile on the work top until all my blocks are made for that project.

I had my scraps in the totes that go under the bed by color. Just bit the bullet one day and got rid of all of them on Freecycle.
I now have two plastic trash cans that I need to go through and clean out.

My scraps currently are sorted into rubbermaid bins three ways: (1.) Strips; (2.) Everything Else; and, (3.) Totally Jumbled & Unsorted. hahaha... I will be making a string quilt very soon and figure That will sort the TJ&U by default.

(just in case no one has told you ~ scraps have breeding parties while we sleep.)

I have heard that it is not a good idea to store fabric in a plastic bags - doesn't allow the fabric to breath as cotton is a natural fiber.

I store mine according to size of pieces - I know you all think I'm nuts, but I read an article in Quilt magazine (aug/sept 2009) on how to organize your stash, i.e., chunks, charms, chips, strays, strips and strings - check out the article Pg. 90. It took some time but now when I need scraps, I know what to look for! enjoy!

I cut my scraps into 2"..2.5"..3"..3.5"..squares..the rest I do strips of 1"..1.5"..2"..these I use to sew on dryer squares and cut to 6.5" squares..I store the scraps in individual grocery sacks..

Now, that is an idea!

At my LQS we have a trash bin that has scraps in it. Fun to look through and see what I can use. Everyone contributes and everyone uses. Lots of fun:)

i have a clear plastic shoe organizer, the kind you hang on the back of the door. I don't have a lot of scraps, but they are sorted by color and folded into the shoe pockets, it is easy to pull out what I need and it is out of the way.

I love 4 patch and 9 patch quilts. If my scrap is big enough it is made into one of these at the time.I store the quilt squares by size in ther own shoe box . Rolled up strips are in their own shoebox. Bigger odd sizes are stored in color groups in an old wooden trunk. Since I love scrap quilts I use my stores fairly often. I do wish I had more clear plastic boxes so I could see at a glance what I have without opening any extra boxes. Diane C.

i just spent three days ironing my scraps and cutting them into 2 inch strips to make quilts with. I'm working on a pinapple quilt now, actually making two at a time, one for me and one for a gift.

I have been reading your replies. Great answers there and the first one.. if you don't know is a warning..
Our Scraps become our STASH and the storage becomes a problem. I always think, I have so much I will NEVER have to buy fabric again.. then.. there is a little something that I just need and come home with more.. <grin>
Good luck.. lots of good answers.
For me, the blanket zipper bags as suggested are great. clear and zipper is wonderful, handle.. Then again.. full dresser has been used for years! and years! oops.. that is what I mean.. too much gets accumulated. STASH. :)

Pinapple quilt. one for me and one for another. GOOD FOR YOU! have been quilting for over 30 years and always for others.. gave away what I did.. and did not take pictures! wish I had done that too!

My scraps are stored in those plastic shoe box type storage bins, sorted by color. when I have spare time I cut them into strips and squares so they are ready to use!
Its a real time saver when you get to making scrap quilts.

Go to www.Quiltville.com and checkout her Scrap users system.

I use my accuquilt "go" and cut into squares or strips. Then I store in stackable drawers with the color and size marked on the front. If I don't have several squares or strips of the same color, that goes in the mixed color drawer. When I'm ready to make a quilt, I get the colors I want out of the drawers. If the squares are as big as a fat quarter, they go in a different drawer, again by color.

I SORT MY SCRAPS BY COLOR AND SIZE. IF I HAVE 1/4 YD OR LESS IT GOES IN ONE BOX AND IF 1/4 YD TO 1 YD IT GOES IN ANOTHER. ANYTHING MORE THAN 1 YD IS FAIR GAME FOR ANOTHER QUILT.

I have a couple of large boxes under my bed, and some more in my quilting area but the best way of storing that I have found for my quilting class is an unused Shopping trolley :idea: works a treat, and a reasonable size :twisted:

Hahahahah,,, love it. :D

I use a plastic tote, as all others got to small. :lol:

"Bales"? Now that's funny (and probably oh so true for many of us!}

I just spent the last two days "organizing" my two large rubbermaid tubs! I could not get the lids to shut and the scraps were piling so high that they could barely fit on the shelf!! So, I organized by using plastic gallon food storage bags to store colors. I threw away all tiny triangles and other very small pieces (why did I keep them in the first place??). I love log cabins so I kept all sizes of strips 1" or larger. It looks much better now and the lids ALMOST close, but I can slide the bin onto the shelf now. I've been quilting for about 12 years and I think I've kept scraps from the beginning from the looks of some of the "ugly" fabric scraps I threw away! ;-)

yeah that's my problem, I have given almost all of my work away. I resolved to make two of everything and keep one for myself. I don't know how long that will last though.

I have to double doored cabinets with wire bins that slide in and out of the shelves chuck full of scraps. They are sorted by colors. I have sorta started organizing within each bin by squares, strips and big chuncks to make it easier to grab what I need. Don't turn the lights out in your room though because they propagate in the dark!!!

I have three 8 X 11 see through boxes with lids, that I sort small scraps into, labeled Country, Brights, and Cottage. I also have a basket that a lot goes into, then I take them to a lady in our quilt guild that can afford much fabric, and she makes lots of scrappy quilts. Makes both of us feel good that way.

When I'm cutting out a quilt I keep any scraps intact that are at least 3" x 3". Everything else I cut into 1.5" or 2" squares and toss them into a basket I keep on my cutting table. I used 2500+ of these 1.5" squares to make my brother and sister-in-law a quilt (Irish Chain). The only problem I had was with the hand quilting because of all the seams. The quilt turned out very nice and VERY colorful.

I started out with small plastic grocery bag. Then I found a cute little trash can with a lid and put a label on it that said quilt scraps. I now have a large bag a well and it is growing. But I was able to find a couple of pieces big enough to cut 40 4x4 squares for a quick quilt for my daughter's baby that will be born in late Feb or early Mar. I once used all my scraps and made a quilt. Scraps are fun and I like going through them so I don't sort them by color or size.

I cut blocks from my scraps, from 2 1/2 inch to 6 1/2 inch and store them in plastic shoeboxes. I just started so I am sure they will outgrow these boxes. The crumbs I am using in crazy quilt blocks so they are stored just in a box that I can dig thru.

I also have an accuquilt go. I bought some totes and have them as the same size together. I have alot as making clothes for family and grand daughters. I am fixing to my more totes.lol

That is where the fun is in finding something that you forgot you had and had not see it for a while! LOL

I, too, have more scraps than one can imagine - and those my mother had. Neither of us has ever thrown one away. ;-/ I finally sorted them using the plastic sleeves/tubes that newspapers, printed material come in. They are available in several sizes and I can roll up each fabric (or similar ones) put them in the plastic bags and store them in drawers or boxes or whatever, each in its own color family. When I need to did through the scraps for a piece, it is not quite the jumble as I had when trying to tie them in bundles. (Yes, I know plastic is bad but this really works well.)

I thought I had a lot of scarps but some of you got me beet. Today I decided to sort my scraps and I put the current ones in a container by size. I make scraps quilts and it is easier to have them sorted by size. I still have a queen size plastic bag full of scraps, I used to donate them to the senior center in my area, but now I make quilts out of them. I have been quilting for 7 years. I'm glad I don't have 7 years worth of scraps. When I have a new student I see how they sew by giving them scraps to sew together. I used to cut out all the fabric at one time without knowing what size quilt I was going to make, I stopped cutting like that.

I belong to a very small group (5 in all) we have been talking about bringing a small bag of scraps to do a grab bag with or we can just exchange scrap bags or better yet put them all together (mixed up of course) and each person can refill the bag they brought. I don't know if we will or not as of yet.

Some of them I have cut into 2, 2.5,3,3.5 & 4" strips or if not enough for strips then into squares. I store them in plastic containers and have made several 9 patch quilts from some of them. I also have some in the downstairs closet in a large bag that I havn't gone thru yet and they have been in that bag for forever. Maybe some day. :wink:

I sort mine by color but use sterlite boxes so I can see the color inside.

Hi,
I'm new to the quilting board, but I have found a scrap system that works for me. First, though, I asked all my quilting buddies to donate all their throw-away scraps to me because I make beds for shelter dogs. These make great stuffing! Some things they toss, however, are still usable for "string" blocks. So, I bought 2 LARGE plastic storage boxes & started with all my scraps in one. When I use scrap, I toss the rest of it into the 2nd box. That way I won't use the same fabric twice, which is cool in a string quilt! If I ever get to the bottom of the 1st box, I'll just reverse & keep on quilting!

So far, my scraps haven't stayed scraps very long... they either get used in another project, or they get thrown away. I think scraps multiply at night while we're asleep.

I use those zipper bags too M.I.Late; in fact.....I use everything I have on hand for my "scrap stash"... lol
BTW, we are neighbors as I see you are in Spring, Tx! I'm in zip 77070 right next door to Spring.

Judy in Tx