749janet

One of my New Year Resolutions was to get my quilting scraps organized. I am a scrappy quilter and buy most of my material from the Good Will, Thrift Stores, garage sales or Craig’s List—seldom do I buy brand new material.<o></o<o></oHere is how I organize my material: If it is less than a yard and doesn’t have a lot of “cuts” in it I’ll fold it up, anything over a yard I wrap on cardboards. I’ll let my scrap material pile up in a large box and then when it gets full I cut it up into quilt pieces. I have several quilt patterns that use the same size pieces, so my standard size pieces are: 2-1/2” squares, 2-1/2” x 3-1/2”, and 2-1/2 x 4-1/2”. Anything left over from the material I’m cutting gets cut into a 1-1/2” square and is put into my on going “postage stamp squares” container. The container measures 15” x 22” (I didn’t want you to think it was just a shoe box size). I LOVE making postage stamp quilts! ! All of the quilts I make are couch size throws and measure approx. 42” x60”. <o></o<o></oI put the right amount of pieces for each quilt that I’m making into a zip lockbag along with the name of the quilt and how many pieces of each size is needed. Right now I can file these away until I’m ready to start on them. <o></o

Luv Quilts and Cats

I like the way you organize your pieces. I have a question on Postage Stamp quilts: do you sew the pieces by hand or machine? Is it hard to sew such small pieces on a machine?

tessagin

I've been putting my 1 1/2" squares into my bin for dog beds. Usually the odd shaped ones. Hard for me to handle the smaller squares. I also have pieces for different quilts cut up but I use the clear containers I've only been able to find at Michael"s. I usually get them on sale for around $4. I can include the pattern with it. Fits in my sewing tote.

SheriR

Wow I'm impressed. I have a bin of 2.5" squares. Bagging them into "kits" would really help, especially if I was doing it as a leader/ender project.

PenniF

How about coming over to my house and organizing me???? My scraps are in a LARGE plastic bin, zipper bags from buying sheets, paper sacks and tote bags. I sure could use your help !!

EmiliasNana

HOLY COW. I love organization but you are the winner. Would love to have your system. I have projects organized by fabrics and in zipper lock bags with the pattern, but my scraps of less than FQ size just keep growing and growing with each quilt I make. I started cutting them into 2 1/2" strips, 2 1/2" sqs. and 5" sqs. but it got so tedious. Maybe your post will inspire me to keep going.

fred singer

wow awesome job

francie yuhas

What are your favorite patterns? You are inspiring.

749janet

I sew my postage stamp quilts on the sewing machine. I make up a block of 36 pieces (6 across and 6 down). Once I get all the blocks made I can arrange them as to how to sew them together. Doing it this way helps to balance the colors out on the over all quilt.

Nammie to 7

Great system!