What size is it scrap? And how to store!
 

I've got some new storage cabinets (Thank goodness) and I have started to sort out my fabric . I'm stressing over how to judge when a piece of fabric is classed as scrap and how to store them when it is scrap. I seem to have so much I need to do a few scrappy quilts I think! X What size does your fabric become scrap and how u store it? X

I think anything, any size, if you want to keep it, it's a scrap! Store it how ever you want. Are you obsessive, then iron it, fold it and store it. If not, then keep it how ever is easiest for you. My scraps are in bags and boxes and when I need something I just dig through it until I find what I want. Not totally disorganized! I do sort by color.

Hi, I've been getting into the habit of cutting my scraps down to useful sizes. You might like one of these links: http://quiltville.com/scrapusersystem.shtml or http://hummingbird-highway.com/do-yo...-scraptherapy/. I've used tips from both of these sites, and they have great scrappy patterns, too.

I think definition of a "scrap" varies from person to person. My own definition has changed; now I consider fat quarters to be scraps! (That's not a bad thing, btw, scrappy quilts are my favorites)

I have two bins for scraps - "big scraps" and "little scraps". My big scraps are anything I can cut to a "regular" size; my little scraps are more like what people call "crumbs" I think. Ever so often I go through and chop up my "big" scraps into strips, squares and rectangles and sort those into my little drawer bins. Those go into my "scrappy" quilts. The irregular small "little scraps" get used in my "crazy" quilts.

My "big scraps" are sometimes pretty large. I like to use LOF for cutting borders and I keep my backing trimmings so I end up with a lot of pieces that are a couple yards long by anywhere from 3 to 12 inches wide - I consider those scraps unless it's a good blender or solid and there's enough to border another quilt; then I'll bundle that up separately. But if it's a specific print I don't think I'll use again anytime soon...into the scrap bin it goes! I toss fat quarters in there too, unless it's a really special fabric or something I bought for a specific project. Even half-yards will end up in there sometimes - sometimes I buy a fabric online and it's just not what I wanted once I get it. Into the scrap bin it goes!

I've yet to meet a fabric I couldn't chop up small enough to make it work in a scrappy/crazy quilt. :)

As I finish a project, if more than half a yard, I fold, if less I cut into 2 1/2 strips if full width, if smaller 2 1/2 squares. 5 in strips if full width and 5 in squares, strips can be used as borders or binding. 5 in squares are charm pack size. And 1 1/2 strips with left overs.

Anything skinnier than 2.5" and smaller than a charm goes in my scrap bin. Anything smaller than 1.5" goes in the container storing scraps for dog beds.

Anything less than 1/4 yard is scrap to me. I do have separate bins for scraps--one for WOF strips, one for less than 5"square pieces and one for everything in between! I leave all scraps in the largest size as is and only cut them down when using them.

I agree. That smaller scrap may just be the right size you need but only the slightest trim. If I have a 3" scrap, I don't cut it down to a 2 1/2". I just might need that 3".

Oh boy. I save *everything*! I'm currently in my no-waste mode. :)

Over 1/4 yard I store folded up in one area. Under 1/4 yard I cut up into smaller squares or rectangles, whatever works. I store those in bins which are marked with the size. I'll use them for a crazy quilt later. Or a border.

I try to have a piece of every fabric go into the bin of scraps that are at least 2.5" wide. Those scraps I'm sewing onto adding machine tape, to be used as a border later.

Anything that could be used for an I Spy quilt gets cut up into 5" squares. I save 5 of each for myself (for quilts for nieces/nephews), and trade the rest on-line.

I cut up the leftovers from all that into 1.5" squares, to be used for a postage stamp quilt. Or to be traded on-line.

The leftovers (crumbs) from all of the above gets tossed into one of several drawers. I sew those pieces together randomly until they're big enough to cut into a 5" square, which I'll use for a scrap quilt later.

Whew!

I try to keep my scraps sorted by colour. I cut weird shapes out of fabrics sometimes for appliqué so if I can't fold it up flat again it goes into the scrap bins. It's always a challenge...not wanting to part with fabrics but where to store the bins...

I keep different widths of strips that are common sizes for blocks I make. I have bins for 4.5", 3", 2.5", 1.5" strips. Smaller scraps, or odd shape stuff goes into the basket for crumb blocks (3.5"). Quiltville.com has some great ideas for taming the scraps too~

The method or storage system to use is the one that works for you.

I am transitioning for a lifetime of "keep every scrap, don't cut until you need it, waste nothing" to a policy of "make it easy to find and use". So I like a plan that gets the scraps out of huge bins and into readily usable shapes and sizes.

I like to put my smaller scraps into ziplock sandwich bags and store them by color. Then when I need a scrap of a certain color I can dump out the bags, shuffle through them and not have the fabrics get more wrinkled during the search. I reuse the bags again and again.

Good question. I kind of agonize over this from time to time too. Right now I'm using the Scrap Therapy model & I have quite a bit to cut into usable sizes. I will probably wait till school is out & I'm off work as it is pretty time consuming.

My scraps are the crumbs, chunks or trims left from cutting out block pieces or cleaning up the edge of a larger piece. If the piece still has both selvages it is not a scrap.

anything smaller than a fat or 1/4 linear.
those to me are yardage.

Thank u for your stories of what u do. I think I might treat anything less than a fat quarter as scrap but I'm not sure about cutting them yet. I'll get some smallish bins and sort in colour like I have with my stash. Well most of it as I have one big box that I keep my SPECIAL fabric in. U know the fabric u take out and Stroke and are loathed to use cos it's tooooo lovely lol

Me too! I save everything because I want to art quilt and I have no idea what may be useful. I even save the salvages.

I don't cut my scraps to a particular size until I need them. I consider a scrap anything bigger than 3/4" square and less than 1/8 yd. Less than 1/8 yd pieces are sorted by color in the small Sterilite drawers. 1/8 to 1/2 yd pieces are folded and stored in the medium size Sterilite drawers. Anything over 1/2 yd is ruler folded and stored on a shelf like a book. There are always a few exceptions to this, but in general I find this works pretty well for me. I've been through several sorting variations and I'm sure I'll change again when this one no longer works for me. The only real constant in life is that things will change.:)

Me too. I don't like searching for a given color so would rather have them sorted by color and size. I can't do chaos. I fold anything over a yard on comic boards. Fold FQ's together by color, and cut remaining 'scraps' in 2 1/2" strips, 5" sqs, or 2 1/2" squares. Selvages of 1" go into a bag and the rest is trash or filling for dog beds. I still have boxes to go, but I am getting there and find I use more of my stash this way. To each his own.

I have a system that works for me, but most of my quilting buddies would say it was crazy. Usually I get scraps and crumbs from my buddies- I am a scrap quilter for sure. I trim the gifties into usable sizes and sometimes strips for string blocks. 1-1/2" squares to 5" ones and use the rest of the usable trimmings for crumbs. Anything that you can't get seams in to make a crumb block goes into the current animal bed pillow. I am working on a postage stamp quilt with the 1 -1/2" blocks, and have almost 1000 5" crumb blocks in a container, I like variety with them so when I want to do stress free quilting I play with them! (you see what I like best?) I have enough stash to keep me happy for the rest of my quilting years.

Storing scraps
 

The smallest scraps I keep are two inch.
I bought stacking small drawer units and store my scraps in these. It has been a very efficient way to deal with these scraps.

Our guild had a guest speaker this month who is a professional organizer and quilter. she organizes her scraps in bags by color to use later in applique' I am going to try this. I have saved anything less than a fat quarter in a bin. Some I give to another guyild member who then uses them in quilts for charity. Some I cut into 2" strips for log cabin blocks.

I don't throw away anything either. I store all my scraps by width. I use shoe boxes for my scraps. Don't know if this helps but here is what works for me.
1. Under 2 inch
2. 2 to 21/2 inch
3. Under 4 inch.
4. Assorted squares
5, Assorted pieces of batiks

For my larger pieces I went to the dollar store and bought some plastic shoe boxes for anything fat quarter size to 1 yard, I have about 8 of these. Anything bigger than a yard is folded in a large plastic totes. I have 4 of these. I like all my fabric folded and organized to look like book bindings. It just makes looking for fabric much easier. Hope this makes sense?

I sort my fabrics into 1. yardage, 2. large pieces (more than 1/2 yard but less than yardage), 3. Large pieces (anything I can cut a few squares from), and 4. Crumbs (I can use for paper piecing until they get just too small), 5. Dog bedding.

Thank u all. I've only been sewing/quilting for only two years so it's all new and I'm feeling my way x just shocked in how many small cut bits well smaller than a fat quarter I've accumulated and I'm not even a prolific sewer! ! So now I have some ideas I will try and chose what way to go with them. I nearly just threw them out of sheer frustration on not knowing a good way to go x so you've all saved the day or my scraps in any case lol

I keep scraps of almost any size; in fact, my sister saves her scraps for me too. I like scrappy quilts, and even small scraps come in handy for applique work. I have a couple of plastic containers with drawers, sorting the fabrics by color value.

I'm in the disorganised school of scrap storage. I just have 2 crates and they all go in there. I do also store strips in drawers, sorted by width. But they're just for fabric that's already been cut into strips - I never get around to cutting up scraps until I need them. I keep wondering if I should do some work on them and get them sorted more coherently, but I have too much else to do!