stitchingcrazy

You are an inspiration! I must try and start sorting my scraps in the near future. Well done.

Grandma Peg

Really like your scrappy log cabin.

Sandrea

I feel defeated before I can even start on scraps because I am afraid they will not go well together in a scrappy quilt. Does anyone else ever feel that way? I have a lot of scraps but they never seem to coordinate well. Therefore I never get the urge to start a quilt with them. That log cabin quilt was so beautiful. I wish I could do that.

Sandrea

Is there some sort of secret to knowing how to put your scraps together so that they will look good together in a log cabin quilt??

trolleystation

My scrap bin is a 'twin' of Tartan's

wildyard

I think the only trick is to remember the dark and light needed to make a log cabin show effectively. That and not thinking about the individual strips regarding print and color. It's a scrappy, they will be good!! Reach in and get one, if it's not the same as the last one, it works!!!

The key is to let go of trying to control the individual pieces and just let them fall where they may, other than as I said above, duplicates and light/dark. Many people even use the duplicates as they come up, but that is an individual preference.

AlvaStitcher

i just spent a couple full days cutting and organizing scraps too!! LOL. But I just put all the strips in a box so now I must go thru them and sort to size. Gave me something creative to do while waiting on clues for Bonnie Hunters mystery quilt.

Jane Quilter

you are an inspiration......................

loisf

I don't mean to sound like I know everything about scrap organization. I don't. But I can tell you what helped me. I had read Bonnie Hunter's scrap organization system, but I was always hesitant to do it. I didn't want to cut fabric into small random-sized pieces, because I might need them for something else. So the first thing I did was to decide on a couple of quilt patterns that I liked and wanted to try, and then I started cutting those sizes. I thought scrappy log cabins were cool, so I started cutting 1.5" strips for them in lengths from 2.5" to 12.5". (I personally like to make log cabins with precut lengths, but I know many people use long strips and cut as they assemble, so that would work too.) I also like one of Bonnie's patterns called Star-Struck, which required 2.5" squares and strips, so I started cutting those sizes when possible. I had a bunch of left-over binding strips (I use 2.25" widths), so I cut them down to 2" widths which are more useable. Years ago, I had started cutting 1.5" squares out of tiny pieces that wouldn't work for anything else for a "someday" postage stamp quilt. I also found Bonnie's pattern String-X which uses strings at least 5" long, so I kept anything less than 1.5" and at least 5" long. I kept anything that could be folded (usually at least 1/8 yard) and sorted them in drawers by color. I knew a lot of folks would consider them scraps and cut them up, but I couldn't do that. To me, they were still yardage. I threw the tiny bits into a bag to give to someone I know who uses it for dog beds or appliqué. Now I had a plan in place for these organized scraps, so I started sewing.

I am not one who likes totally random scrappies, but log cabins work for me, maybe because you still organize by lights and darks. Sandrea, I used fabric from all 50 of the quilts I have made in those scrappy log cabins. I'm here to tell you that anything works, from Asian fabric to civil war prints. The Star-Struck quilt that I'm making from the 2.5" squares and strips is quite color-controlled. Therefore, I'm using only the appropriate-color neutral, brown and red scraps and also using other fabrics from my stash.

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I don't know that I'll ever do any other totally random scrappies, but you can do a lot with log cabins. Anyway, that's my story. All those messy scraps were driving me crazy, so I feel so much better now.

Wanabee Quiltin

Just beautiful Log Cabin quilt !!