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-   -   what is scrap and what is trash? (https://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1/what-scrap-what-trash-t132021.html)

Pieceful Quilter 06-22-2011 01:13 PM


Originally Posted by PaperPrincess
I've taken the very small pieces and the 1/8 - 1/4" spagetti strips and put them in a box. I took my extra heavy duty chenille scissors and snipped them up even smaller (while watching tv). Just stuck the scissors in the box & snipped. I took the confetti & used it as mulch around my perennials. 100% cotton is biodegradeable. I know that the colors will fade in the sun, but it looks like it's doing a good job as mulch and looks so pretty.

What a clever idea!!

spartan quilter 06-22-2011 04:58 PM


Originally Posted by PaperPrincess
I've taken the very small pieces and the 1/8 - 1/4" spagetti strips and put them in a box. I took my extra heavy duty chenille scissors and snipped them up even smaller (while watching tv). Just stuck the scissors in the box & snipped. I took the confetti & used it as mulch around my perennials. 100% cotton is biodegradeable. I know that the colors will fade in the sun, but it looks like it's doing a good job as mulch and looks so pretty.

What a neat idea. I must remember that, and it also gives color to your beds. Smart woman!!!

Tennessee Suzi 06-22-2011 05:56 PM


Originally Posted by gaigai
I am not a scrap quilter, so I don't keep anything smaller than a half yard (and probably shouldn't keep those). I tend to buy a minimum of three yards of anything, and if I like the fabric a lot, I'll buy the whole bolt.

Anything smaller than an 1/2 yard goes into a big tub of scraps that I seldom look at.

I also have a lot of FQ's, but I've stopped buying them because I don't think I've ever used any. (And please, no pm's asking to me to sell/donate etc)

My rationale now is that they are BAIT!! A certain friend of mine here on the board, loves scrappy quilts. When she was here recently, I let her go through and take what she wanted. We shipped a 23 lb. box home to her. So the rest are BAIT to entice her to come back and play! LOL

Feel free to send these less than yard pieces to me and let me know how much the postage is!! I would love it. HAPPY QUILTING

margecam52 06-22-2011 06:48 PM

When I stitch a square to the corners of a larger square..I stitch where needed and then 1/2" away from that...I then cut off, leaving the 1/4" seam allowance...and that leaves me a little half-square triangle to use elsewhere. I don't save anything under 4" square, other than these triangles.

Annz 06-22-2011 07:48 PM

I'm not sure but I used to save everything but now I throw out all the too small pieces.

fireworkslover 06-23-2011 07:50 AM

I used to throw away scraps smaller than a few inches. But now after using strips that were 1/2" wide and cutting them into tiny triangles to fuse into a star, I save strips as small as 1/2" wide. My fabric is stored in plastic boxes with covers, so even the tiny strips get put in their respective color box. It works for me and I guess that's the important part.

pollyjvan9 06-23-2011 08:48 AM

Because I love scrap quilts and also do a LOT of applique I save almost everything!

Gaigai, I wish I had your pocketbook!

Quilter672 06-23-2011 11:13 AM


Originally Posted by hlponyfarm
how small a piece of fabric do you keep? do you keep the little triangles that you cut off? do you keep little pieces for possible applique? or do you throw this stuff away? JoAnn

I used to discard the tiny triangles, small strips under 2", etc. But now I have a bag hanging on my sewing room trash can that I just drop unwanted snips of fabric, threads, etc into...when the bag is full, I give it to someone who makes beds for animal shelters and the snips are used as "stuffing." Most shelters love getting these beds in any size!

Pat

Maire 06-23-2011 05:38 PM

I & my sewing friends save all our scraps, anything that cannot be used in a quilt goes into various sized simple pillows made from unwanted fabrics & donated to the animal shelters for dog/cat beds.

Momsmurf 06-23-2011 07:35 PM

I've seen quilts (esp. ones from Japanese quilters) where the pieces were really "snipped ends" itsy, bitsy things.
They would put it between netting and fuse it. These were intricate picture quilts...beautiful. Me? I save them and give it to the birds or squirrels. :lol: :lol:


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