mirish2

I do think pre-cutting helps reduce stash. When you have a number of strips ready to go it is easy to grab some and start sewing. I have started pre-cutting a group of "co-ordinated" fabrics. I pull together a group which has lights darks and mediums and cut 2.5 strips. Do not worry about the "subjects" of the fabric, just look at value. These are great for jelly-roll tops or for bordering other blocks. It also works great for kits, it you have someone in your quilting group or friends circle, who will sew but is intimidated by trying to put together enough fabric for a quilt top. I love, love love the Accuquilt strip cutters. I also use the 6" block for D9p tops.

maviskw

Since you are making quilts for donation purposes, you said you want to make them fast. Thirty years ago I started cutting up left over fabric from clothes and yardage that had been around for thirty years before that. I cut 6 inch strips and then 6 inch squares as much as I could. (Most of the rest went into 6 inch by "whatever".) Now I would cut Jelly Rolls, too.

I have made dozens of charity quilts from these; mostly Trip Around the World and Stairway to Heaven. With these you could use rows or rounds of the same fabric. A few were Charm quilts, and if you set them on point, you have something really cute. (I sewed the "whatever" strips into 6 in. squares also, and turned them so the seams of every other one went up and down or side to side.)

My point is that if you start with bigger squares, you get your quilt finished faster and get the fabric out of the house faster. Yeah! And use some of it for pieced backs, too.

nancia

Give the bits and pieces that are cut off to someone who will make pet beds for shelters. Thanks!

dorismae904

I have been saving all my bits and pieces in a pillowcase in the hopes os making pet beds. Can anyone tell me a good size to make the beds and a suggestion for the type of material used for the outside of the bed.

Carol34446

You need a sturdy material for dog beds, old jeans, upholostery material, but some thing washable too. There are dogs from 3lbs to 120 and they all like beds, so they can be any size. Our dogs are small and we will have 2-5 in one dog bed 16"-24" across.

wolph33

awesome now you have tops ready to grab the pieces and put together.I do 2.5 inch strips and 5 in square with my scraps

orangeroom

I have my smaller stash in two different set ups. If I don't have enough to equal a fat quarter, or if I just feel like it, I'll cut scraps into 2 1/2" strips and store them flat in a designated area of my cabinet. If I have a fat quarter or up to a yard, I'll fold it into a fat quarter size square and store it on the top shelf of my cabinet...sharing a shelf with the flat strips.

cricket_iscute

Thank you for the input, everyone.

I went down to my sewing room today and spent four hours cutting squares and triangles on the GO. I got a nice bunch of them, but it didn't decrease the fabric supply by much. These were smaller pieces for an already-started project, and I will be cutting large ones later for any new charity projects. I haven't starting cutting strips yet and I would imagine that is where I will see the decrease in the fabric. In the meantime, it's nice to have pieces cut and ready to sew.

Rose Marie

I need to go thru my scraps again, they are multiplying.
Been making 3 1/2 inch half square triangles with as much as possible. Will someday make a quilt out of them.
Half sqs are very easy to use in so many ways.

Taughtby Grandma

My scraps multiply on their own, no matter what shape they are in.!!