Saving Scraps
 

I have been researching information regarding organizing scraps. Some say by color, others by size. I am at the end of my rope trying to decide what to do with my scraps. I am really not into scrap quilts. However, I will consider quilts with controlled scraps. For example, using three or four colors, but I just cannot use flowers with geometric designs and many colors that are not my favorites. I know you quilters will be happy to help me with my dilemma. I do use scraps as practice pieces for HST or QST, etc.

I do color first. Whites, neutral light, pinks, purple, blues, reds, green, yellows, orange, brown/tan, grey, black. Small pieces and strips less than 2x2 square and 1 1/2" strips go into a large pillowcase for doggie beds. The less chaos for me the better. Haven't been doing a lot lately other than trying to make some sense of my room.

Since you are not really into scrap quilts, how about thinking of it as future projects. Keep like scraps from the same collections or the same quilts together in large zip loc bags and add to them when something else "fits" It may be a good way to keep ufo's down.

Check out Bonnie Hunter's method. I have friends who swear by it. She has a blog - not sure what it's called.

You could give your scraps away. I've listed bags of scraps (and many other things) on ReUseIt and have always had takers. Then they wouldn't be a burden to you but would still be used.

and here's the link to Bonnie Hunter's Scrap Users System:
http://quiltville.com/scrapusersystem.shtml

I try to keep them organized, I don't always do it. When I start pulling them out to use I finish up the organizing.

So, do you think you'd be at all inclined to make a controlled scrap quilt with your own organized scraps, or does the fabric totally lose appeal after the quilt is done? I'm trying to figure out if the scraps would be a burden regardless how you organized them.

If you really don't feel at all inspired to reuse them, perhaps try selling them by the stuffed large envelope full or even putting up a fun little quiz with a giveaway of your scraps on this board. Some people get a huge bang out of seeing a stuffed envelope full of "brand new" scraps .Seriously. Others quickly tire of the leftovers. It's a personality thing (or sometimes just a space thing) but either way, if you don't honestly you'd use them no matter how you organize them, then consider some of these other options.

Like you, I didn't like scrappy quilts for a long time. Now they are growing on me and I have recently made a few scrappy quilts that I really like! If you really don't think you would like to make a scrappy quilt, give them away or sell them--just get rid of them so you won't feel guilty about them anymore!! But just in case you want to keep them, my method is first to sort by size. Anything 1/4 yard or more is in my yardage stash on comic boards sorted by color. Far quarter size are together also sorted by color. Then I have a small bin of strips for string quilts. All small scraps of squares and rectangles are in a separate bin, attempted to be sorted by color but usually just jumbled!