Scrap Organization: Afraid I will cut and then regret!
 

I want to organize. I really do. And I don't even have my fingers crossed behind my back!

My fear is I will take a semi-decent size chunk of fabric, say 4-6" and cut it into either 2.5" triangles, or squares, or whatnot, and then find out later on I need a bigger piece.

Do any of you "regret" cutting your stash into usable shapes, only to find out you should have left it be?

I think that is what holds me back as well. I know Bonnie Hunter has an awesome scrap savers system and it seems to work well for a lot of people, but I think along the same lines as you do :) What if I needed a 3" square and I cut it all into 2.5"?

LOL... I guess I wasn't much help, but wanted to let you know that you are not alone, and I think the best solution for us is to organize by color, not by size.

I cut mine into the biggest size possible. So if the scrap is 4-6", cut a 5 or 6 inch square. You can always cut them down later if you need to. I have never regretted cutting stuff up. It saves so much time when you are ready to put together a project. If I had to stop and cut a bunch of small squares when I was ready to go on something, I would probably just find something else to do!

That is why I don't precut any of my scraps. When I have a project, I pull them out, choose what fabrics I want to use and then start cutting.

my system looks like Tartans. It works well for me.

I have very limited storage space for my stash, so what I do is keep any scrap that is fat quarter size or larger ruler folded or folded on comic boards in my storage units that are for yardage. If it's smaller than a fat quarter, but there are multiple pieces, then I wrap them together around a comic board and they go in a drawer that's for scrap pieces I don't want to cut. Anything that is smaller than a 10" square gets cut into the largest size I can get out of it. I store these precuts in their own storage unit by size and value. So 10" squares are separated into 3 piles, light medium and dark. Same with 5" squares, 3.5" squares and 2" squares. I also store some 2.5" strips if I have a scrap that is longer than 10 inches. By cutting my scraps, I have been able to maximize what little storage space I have and I find that I am more likely to use them that way.

Everyone is different, what works for me might not be a good fit for your way of working.

Rob

I cut my scraps into the largest size I can use...such as, a 6" piece would be 6" square or rectangle/ strip. A 10" square stays a 10" square. Smaller pieces or odd shaped pieces are cut into the largest size I can get. I cut squares, rectangles and strips. I do not cut odd shales ( triangles etc) until I need them then I cut them out of what ever square is the right size to get them. It does matter what kind of quilts you make. If I made lots of trip around the world Tyler quilts I might cut everything into 3" or 2 1/2" squares. Or if I made many bars rail fence quilts I would cut everything into bricks or strips. I cut my scraps into sizes I know I will use, or be able to cut needed shapes out of.

Same here. You just may need that piece to be that size. I have a boxes of colors. The smaller pieces are on top then graduate to larger whether square or not. I have finally found a way to use my skinnier strip stash. I've started 'locker hooking" We'll see what happens but DH has been playing around with it also.

I'm not a big fan of making Bonnie Hunter quilts and have decided to keep my small scraps just as they are. I do occasionally go through my junk scrap bin (it's different from my good fabric scrap bin) and use my GO cutter to cut either strips or whatever I have in GO dies, sometimes it's large triangles, sometimes it's 5" charm squares. I keep my good fabric together and have went back many times to my favorite pieces to cut smaller pieces. I would hate to cut it up, I just won't do it.

I leave "scraps" as they are, but separate in strip type vs. chunks. I can make crumb blocks out of chunks, string blocks out if strips, or both to make whatever then cut out what I want from that....if I do decide to do say 2 1/2" scrappy, then out comes the GO/die and dig into all to get a stack before going into fq or stash

These are all good ideas, actually.

Am I the only one who secretly is thinking I should cut all these into shapes and then if I don't have what I want I get to go shopping for more?

I am so so working against myself here.
LOL

I only cut my scraps into smaller pieces. I also do what Geri B does, get out my Go! and cut whatever shape I can get out of them. I leave anything fat quarter or larger alone. I have bins for certain sizes: 2 1/2, 3, 5 inches and so on.

I rarely cut my scraps into manageable sizes, rather I measure the small section of the piece and throw it into the bin for that particular size. Then when I start a new project using scraps I know I can pull out that bin and find numerous scraps that will fit. Right now I"m working on making scrappy sashings and borders for 4 embroidered blocks I found in a plastic tote from back in 2004. Took out my bin for 2.0 and 1.5 to search thru for solid black scraps to surround each block. I hate to chop up a perfectly good scrap till I need it.

Nope, I was on the exact same wavelength! After all, lilac in 2.5" is SO much different from periwinkle in 3" when you gotta have it:) .

It's so much that I've regretted cutting down to smaller sizes, but rather been ecstatic (or relieved, depending on the desperation) to find a piece that's large enough, even by 1/2" .

I find that sorting by color into clear, lidded shoeboxes help keep the smalls (FQ and smaller) contained but separate from bigger pieces/yardage.

That said, once I'm completely tired of a fabric and have used it six ways to Sunday, I don't care WHAT size it is, it's OUTTA here!

And then you could always stuff dog beds with your scraps.

I have had pieces that would have been usable for my project if I had left them "as is" instead of cutting them up.

I need major sorting and organization but I have had some success in cutting up scraps as they accumulate. I still have a large bin to go through. I cut for 3 projects. I cut some 2 inch strips for my ongoing leader and ender nine patches, 2.5 inch by 16 inch strips for another scrappy trip around the world (Bonnie Hunter), and strings for a string quilt. So, if in the course of sewing and cutting on my other projects I have some scraps that work for those three things I cut them and put them with their project, otherwise I put the chunk back with the same color fabrics and move on.

Mine are only sorted in bins by color. I haven't yet got anymore organized than that. I keep thinking I will make some scrap quilts but seems like something else is always coming up that I want to do. Maybe this winter I'll get them out & decide on a pattern & use them up. Or at least some of them. It will be fun once I get going on it.

I have two systems going, but have plenty of space to store the stash.

1. Shoe boxes of pieces < fat qtr that I hesitate to cut up. Blue, green, yellow and brown, red and pink, etc.
2. Handmade precuts from my stash 2.5 inch strips, 5 inch squares, 2.5 inch squares pretty much cover the sizes I will use.
++ Fat quarters are folded and stored by color group or specific category (i.e. Civil War repro or batiks). This tray fits into a clear plastic tote holding larger yardages.

I tend to plan on selecting fabrics for certain types of quilts over the long term. It seemed forever before I had acquired a nice selection of conversation fabrics for kids! I'm in the stage of finishing UFO's and only purchasing backings -- and -- cutting from my own stash for new projects.

I cut up the very small pieces but leave the bigger ones alone. I'm like you- I know I will regret cutting them up so I don't.

this way has always worked for me.

I cut scraps and "unwanted fabric" into sizes I use on a regular basis. 2.5" strips, 5" squares, 3.5" strips are the ones I cut the most of. The strips can always be cut in squares or rectangles. And then as I go, I cut the leader/ender project size I am using. Still working on Bonnie Hunter's Tumbler LE from 2015 and have another ongoing LE that is still not large enough. I also use shorter scraps to cut for piano borders (scrappy is great) and also use "one of a kind" strips in making ahead scrappy binding bundles. I call this my mindless sewing times.

The key question is what type of quilts do you make? Then decide how you want to cut your scraps...I'm much like zozee. My reason is I make miniature quilt blocks and often use setting squares or triangles to unify my scrappy blocks...a coordinating 2 1/2" strip may be what I need for an outer border or binding...it does me no good to have it cut up into squares..so the clear shoebox of one color is the place for me to store the odds and ends.

I am with you, the pieces have to be pretty small for me to cut them to a specific size. However, a lot of my smaller pieces I keep to do paper piecing for hexagons or for yo-yos.

Right now I am just keeping my scraps as is so I can make either a mosaic quilt or a mile-a-minute/crumb quilt.

Same here...In addition to my FQ drawer, I have a crumb bin, a strip bin, and a bin with larger scraps.

I only cut into yardage for scraps if it is a fabric I really don't like. I'm a batik girl and if I get a muddy color, I'll cut it down. Usually my scraps are cut from strips or triangles that are trimmed off blocks. Though I have been known to cut into fq or precut size when my scraps run out of brights. If the scrappy quilt needs reds or yellows I go into my color bins and pull the smallest piece in there to cut from.

Agreed. For now I am leaving my scraps as is until I use them. While I haven't made a scrappy quilt, I really do use them a lot here and there to add to current projects. I never know what size I'll need and can't bring myself to cut things up just to have organized scraps.

I try to cut the biggest square I can out of the scrappy material and then work on down in size, 6 1/2, 6, 5 1/2, 5, etc down to 1 1/2 which is the smallest I will go. I have plastic shoe boxes to store the cut pieces by size in. Needless to say I need to get busy have three large tote bins full to cut. I also cut strips 1 1/2 and up to 3 1/2 wide any length I can get out of the material, storing the strips by size also in plastic boxes. I think whatever works for the individual is the say to go, some like one thing others another, so whatever works for you. I find it nice to go to a box of cut scraps the size I need and see what I can find.

Hey, I resemble that remark! :D

Rob

I do the same thing, and I also store my fat quarters in with my scraps. I have so few of them, it becomes "out of sight, out of mind".

NO, I start by cutting the largest piece I can get first. say strips 10x10 inch, 5 inch, then 2.5 strips. I can cut the 5 in blocks when needed. The smallest I cut is 2 inch strips, No blocks. I will cut 2.5x 5 in bricks and squares out of the smaller pieces. I keep strips by color.

Trust me, if you haven't used it in 2 yrs, cut the darn thing. LOL. Make a Log Cabin or something.

Yes, I have regret cutting my fabric a time or two. Now, I only cut fabric if they are smaller then 5" wide. And, truly, I am starting to leave my 2 1/2" wide fabric in strips. Because, they can be cut down as needed or used as a jelly roll or even Binding strips. And, after a fashion, I finally figured out what sized I use the most and only trim to those sizes.

Good luck finding what works the best for you.

I am with you. I leave scraps as is. I do use them...but you really need some system of organization that works for you so you can find the specific scrap when needed.

I've looked at various options for scraps and found a few things that are specific to how I quilt. I don't do a ton of quilting so my scrap variety is small. Having multiple totes or bins for various sizes isn't something I have space for. I decided a while ago, that the parts of scrap cutting that work for me at the 2.5 and 3.5" squares. My goal is when the drawer for each size is full I'll make a quilt with those pieces - so I have an end game in mind, not just random cutting up my scraps. An added bonus is that I have raided those drawers a few times when looking for "just one more" square for a work in progress. I now get a sense of satisfaction when cutting down random scraps as I make a quilt. Having all the odd little pieces around is no longer driving me nuts.

When I'm done with a project and have scraps leftover, I put them into the tote named for the closest size they could be cut down to. If its a fairly good sized piece of fabric but too small to fold back up, I put them into one of the 2 smaller totes I have just for "large pieces. So when I go to work on a new project I know I can look in there for decent sized pieces 1st. Just the other day I went to the "large pieces" 1st to cut a bunch of 5.5" squares. Working on Missouri Star's cathedral window method and found my 5" squares didn't work so went there for all the reds and then to the "fat quarter" bin. Found enough to do the job. The 5" squares went back into the "5" bin" for another project.

I don't cut up my scraps - agree with ManiacQuilter 2. I just pull out when I have a projects and use, then start cutting.What it all comes down to is personal preference, and what works best for you.

I think this is a dilemma we all have! I separate scraps by color and put them in gallon size plastic bags. If the pieces are a bit larger and can be folded, I measure them, label them and put them back in my color separated 12 quart totes. Somehow, the little stuff accumulates...someday a quilt? Yes, I am afraid to cut them up before I need them.

I spent most of the weekend trying to get my scraps under control. I did a lot of pressing and cutting. I have some large pieces of fabric that I'm going to use to make blankets for the animal shelter or just drop off at the thrift store. Some of that fabric is 25 years old and poly/cotton blends. It needs to go somewhere!

A couple of years ago I cut a lot of fabric into 6 inch squares and made two quilt tops. I still have one of those not quilted. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with these smaller scraps I'm cutting this week.