What ELSE Do You Use Your Scraps For?
 

Scrappy quilts, binding, pet beds, pot holders, mug rugs...what else do you use your scraps for? I have 3 big boxes of them and I need ideas. Thanks.

~ Cindy

I cut them in strips and use them when I wrap gifts or on gift bags to make a bow/ribbon.

I use the 100% cotton ones as mulch in my perennial beds.

zipper pouches, coasters, pin cushions, needle cases, tote bags, heat/cold packs, applique pieces, book marks,….

If you crochet or knit, how about rag rug? Stitch cotton together with tulle for dish cloths.

I use a few green ones to tie up the hollyhocks to their stakes :D And when I get the scrap tubs overflowing I share them with anyone else who wants them, it's hard to keep up with the scraps no matter how many scrappy quilts you make.

For paper piecing

crazy quilts

Watch the u-tube video that Jenny has on making an easy pet bed.

Really! I never thought of that!!!!!how long for cotton fabric to breakdown?

it adds some pretty color while things are still in the green phase, before the flowers bloom

There is always the rugs and baskets with the fabric coiled onto clothesline too.

placemats, small appliques, potholders, rice bags, hand warmers, CD pouches, hot mats for the table, dish draining mats, etc.

Anything that is bigger than 2", I make crumb fabric and made fabric. Bonnie Hunter has crumb ideas and Victoria Finlay Wolfe has made fabric quilts on her blog and her book, 15 minutes of Play, is all about it. I leave a basket of scraps on my treadle, and when I have a few minutes between things, I treadle some scraps. I use Bottom Line thread to piece these so there is not thread buildup on such small pieces. Or find a quilter like me who uses scraps.

If you or maybe a child has a wild imagination you can do this. Cut tiny shreds and over lay the piece with chiffon or netting. Then "draw" on the surface!
LOL

Dog/cat beds for the local animal shelter. Prayer pockets for church.

I make fabric bowls and baskets.

Sometimes I add them together to make different colors binding for one quilt as well....

Along with other listed ideas, I make 3.5" crumb blocks, use pieces to fill in a stuffed toy needing repair, and picture projects like Mary Katherine showed.

Sometimes I cut them into 1/4" or 1/2" strips and iron them onto fusible interfacing, making a new fabric that can be cut and used for anything. Most of the really small scraps I save in a bucket to use as stuffing for pet beds or (lumpy) pillows.

It lasts about 18 to 24 months. I would not put it on vegetables because of the dyes etc. It's amazing to see the fading/fade resistance of fabrics. Some fade almost to white in a couple weeks and some retain their color the entire time. I snip into large confetti pieces because I've read that birds can use long strings to build nests and then get tangled up in them. I just get a dishpan of scraps and use rag quilt scissors. Just keep plunging the scissors into the fabric & snip. Good TV watching activity. I also use scraps of cotton batting, even tho it has a poly scrim.

I have a friend who just throws them in the yard and the birds help themselves. When you clean the birdhouse out each fall you can see what they chose…
I saw a bird try to pick up a wad of dog hair I had thrown in the yard one day. It was a nuthatch and he pulled and pulled and finally gave up - it was too wet and matted…
I like the mulching and tying ideas, too! I had forgotten about using old fabric for holding tomato vines up to the stakes...

fabric boxes, lunch, totes and favors bags.

After a while and several bins full of scraps I find it best to give them to someone that can use them. They are no good just crammed in a bin waiting for me. Then I start over filling the bins.

I love to make rag wreaths to decorate my door seasonally.

I use them instead of fiber fill in pillows.

I was told NOT to put cotton scraps out for the birds. The cotton gets wet in the rain, and can kill the eggs or babies by not drying fast enough. I spaghetti slice then chop fleece scraps and throw them out for the birds, and now when I toss them, the birds are right there to scoop them up every spring. They are warm and insulating for them and dry quickly.

Just had a funny thought- with all we have been hearing about drones spying on us, can you just imagine a drone flying over my neighborhood, and seeing all those brightly colored birds nests in my neighborhood? The headline would read "Military Drone identifies new variety of nest building Bird!"

DH bought a drone. He thinks it is the best thing ever. It does take great videos of the landscape.

I have a scrap pile for the DGDs to play with - they do all kinds of things - hand warmers, Barbie clothes, crazy quilts, tote bags, tote decor, t-shirt decor, hair decorations, they try it all

I use them for Locker Hooking and I just ordered rug braiding tools.

I use them in making fabric covered, coiled bowls and coasters. You'd be surprised how far a 3/4" x 5" scrap will go.

Best,
deb in Maine

Check out Crazy Mom Quilts. She uses a LOT of scraps.
http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/

Thanks Aurora! I googled locker hooking and was interested indeed. Now I will need to check out walmart for the tool (hope mine has it)

Also make doll blankets (applique or crazy quilt style) - patchwork bears (or other animals) - dolls and doll clothes - - - - can you tell I like dolls (still!!!) :-)

Marysewfun

I use them primarily for applique. It is hard for me to throw any fabric away, now I have a rule that it has to be larger than a half dollar to find its way into my scrap bin.

Mariposa got me hooked on making crumb blocks awhile back. I had enough to make a quilt. Have alot more too now, but they go in a big garbage bag i have for applique pieces.

Decorative pillows, bed pillow cases, doll bedding (quilts and pillows), book covers, drawstring bags...

What scraps? As an engineer I calculate out EXACTLY how much fabric I need. Drives the women at the local quilt store crazy when I order 47/52 of a yard of fabric.

Nah really, I make crazy quilts, Latilla quilts, french braid table runners with my scraps.

Oh yes, a good place for scraps is Ricky Tim's flying geese. I bought a ton of backing fabric (a nice dark batik) and use the scraps for the middle color section of the geese. I have about 90 3x5 geese waitng for a flying geese quilt to evolve.

tim in san jose

Well I use my scraps in making book covers, scripture covers and I do them all as crazy quilts. Thats what I do. I decorate the seams with beads, ribbons and stitches , whatever suits my fancy. Sometimes on the inside of the scripture covers I even place a watch. Cause ya know we all get a little "antsy" sometimes. hehehehe The only thing I don't do is use batting , that way I just cover the back where the stitches are with another fabric so they can't be seen. Then it looks very pretty. If I knew how to add a picture I would but alas , I don't .

I'm thinking crazy quilt shopping bags. We bring our own bags to the grocery store and I always get nice comments on my homemade bags. I use dog food bags as liners and they hold up forever.


~ C

The crazymomquilts blog is awesome! Thanks for that tip!

~ Cindy