What do you do with your scraps when ...
#11
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Norfolk, VA
Posts: 5,397
I have a tote with lots of different size squares from this large bag of scraps someone gave me. I had just gotten the Accuquilt and it was fun. I also machine and hand embroidery and applique so not alot of fabric is to small to use so very little gets thrown away.
#13
I cut mine into 4 inch sqs, 2 inch sqs, strips to use as binding, and 2 1/2 inch strips - whatever I can get out of the scraps. It seems I hardly ever have enough to get the charm size out of the scraps. However, recently I cut a lot of scraps into 6 1/2 inch sqs. and made a disappearing 4 patch - queen size. I probably would not have made it if I did not have a pile of the squares that I had cut and put away purposely for that design. I don't have a lot of room to store scraps, so I want to get them ready to use at any given time...and I hate clutter with a passion. I think I have enough now of the 4 inch squares for 4 large quilt tops.
Last edited by oma66; 09-18-2012 at 07:25 AM.
#14
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: The middle of an IL cornfield
Posts: 7,014
I cut 2.5 inch squares if I can. Anything smaller gets tossed in my string bin. The strings are of various sizes and not always even from end to end. I foundation piece them into 9.5 an 3.5 inch blocks. My intentions are to make these blocks into a quilt with sashing using the 3.5 as cornerstones. I find making the string blocks addictive. When I'm in a blue mood I can set and sew string blocks without thinking.
#15
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Alturas, CA
Posts: 9,393
I have my scraps in bags, when I get around to cutting them, I start with the largest size for the scrap, but no bigger than 10", then work my way down to 1 1/2", smaller than that, I put into another bag OR cut into confetti sized pieces and have sorted by colors, since one of these days I want to do a confetti quilt and have already got a good sized start on colors. I also cut strips 4 1/2" and down to 1 1/2", then once I have a box full I send to a friend of mine that doesn't have a lot of money, and she's so thrilled to get them OR I give several bags of just scraps to a friend of mine, when I meet her on my way to Fresno.
#16
Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 81
I'm a big Bonnie Hunter fan (Quiltville.com and quiltville.blogspot.com), so about three years ago I sorted, pressed and cut my scraps up so I would use them following Bonnie's Scrap User's System. Now my scraps are making it into quilts. In fact just this weekend I realized I needed a great variety of 1 1/2" strips.
I store my scraps in Sterlite shoe boxes and the next size up (shirt box?). In my larger boxes I have strings, 1 1/2" strips, and 2 1/2" 'dark' strips. In the shoe boxes I have 2 1/2" 'light' strips; 2" strips; 1 1/2" pieces shorter than 6"; 2 x 2 squares and 2 x 3 1/2" rectangles; and 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" squares and 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" rectangles.
A few years ago I spent several months - 15 or 20 minutes here and there getting my scraps under control. I am so glad that I did, as I'm now USING my scraps instead of storing them. Of course, this system doesn't work for everyone and it has to be maintained. Generally, after I finish a quilt I cut up my scraps, although there was one point where everything went into a basket. I really need to work on those before too much longer.
I store my scraps in Sterlite shoe boxes and the next size up (shirt box?). In my larger boxes I have strings, 1 1/2" strips, and 2 1/2" 'dark' strips. In the shoe boxes I have 2 1/2" 'light' strips; 2" strips; 1 1/2" pieces shorter than 6"; 2 x 2 squares and 2 x 3 1/2" rectangles; and 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" squares and 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" rectangles.
A few years ago I spent several months - 15 or 20 minutes here and there getting my scraps under control. I am so glad that I did, as I'm now USING my scraps instead of storing them. Of course, this system doesn't work for everyone and it has to be maintained. Generally, after I finish a quilt I cut up my scraps, although there was one point where everything went into a basket. I really need to work on those before too much longer.
#18
It depends. Most of the time it just gets put in the pile. I prefer not to cut it
until I have a project in mind. I know if I cut it in 1.5" I will need 2.5".
So, for me the bigger it is, the better. I had already sewn my little triangles
when sewing my 9 patch snowball. So I just made two minis - one of which
is my avatar.
until I have a project in mind. I know if I cut it in 1.5" I will need 2.5".
So, for me the bigger it is, the better. I had already sewn my little triangles
when sewing my 9 patch snowball. So I just made two minis - one of which
is my avatar.
#19
Like QuiltnNan, I don't cut for future use. I only cut when I'm ready to start a project. There are storage cubes in a closet with one color in each cube. My scraps are placed on top of the corresponding color pile. If I want to use red, for example, there's only one place to look. This has saved me TONS of time.
#20
I don't cut mine until I'm ready to use it for something. I have a stack of medium size bins I stuff my scraps into. I don't even sort them by color, I just cram them in. I do applique and I also make square in a square quilts for all the girls in my family from the scrap bins. (The boys get a different pattern) I loooooooooooove digging thru the bins looking for the perfect scrap of fabric for the small wall hangings I make.
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