Iceblossom

I am lucky enough to have a sewing room which is currently undergoing a major cleaning and reorganizing effort, I've been lazy and haven't done it for about 5 years so I have a lot of disorganization to fix. It's the smallest bedroom we have, less than 10x12'. Unfortunately for me, the closet holds long term storage non-quilting items I'm not willing to give up yet, like a full sized Jenny Lind spool bed that's been in the family for decades, my/my son's cradle, sleeping bags and other things, it would otherwise hold most of my fabrics. Instead of the closet, I have two rolling wire rack Costco storage units, a large bookcase (not all quilting related), a desk, a sewing table, and a small non-moving set of shelves. I have taken some "before" pictures, when I get done I will take some "after" shots. There is so much storage when the ironing board is set up there isn't much room, basically a clear path from the door to the wall that goes between the desk and table.

I mostly work with scrap quilt so most of my stash are small pieces (typically under 1 yard). Plus I've been quilting since 1978 so I've accumulated a lot of fabric. I used to keep my scraps in a hamper and that worked well enough for awhile... but it wasn't pleasant going through the hamper -- I had to dump everything out every time and it was lumpy and and tangled and everything always needed ironing so I decided I needed to do something better.

First thing I did was decide I didn't have to save every single piece of fabric. If you are going to make a string quilt, fine, put the long ragged ends in a box specifically for that. Me, I decided that 6" was really what I wanted to keep (I've changed my mind to 6.5 as being more useful), although I will save trimmed WOF lengths in 4.5", 3.5" and down to 2.5". When the yardage gets low it gets cut into the largest strip size possible. The strips I keep sized sorted and roughly colored sorted in a box specifically for them. Cut and stacked neatly they take up much less space than they did in the hamper. When I start a project, I go to the strips first.

Larger pieces of fabric are kept in color or themed sorted boxes, including fat quarters. Because I'm behind on my quilting and because what I really love to do is piecing, I have two large clear plastic tubs with unfinished tops, combined with their backs and bindings. One large tub of "pieces big enough for backs" that don't have tops yet.

Because of my style of quilting (typically using charms or no more than 4 of any given fabric), it often takes considerable time to collect enough pieces so I have small project boxes. For instance I am just about done cutting fan blades for a Thanksgiving themed fan quilt. Another box has my "postcard" quilt pieces together (i think after my recent trip I might just have enough!).

If you work in an office (or know someone who does) the "paper boxes" (cartons reams of paper come in) are a lovely size, not too big/not too small, and sturdy enough to stack 4 to even 5 high. I know a lot of people like clear storage but my fabric may indeed sit for years so I like the light protection cardboard offers, I line the boxes with acid free tissue paper. Note: you should NOT store cardboard boxes on a cement floor, moisture will wick in. Now that I no longer work I buy the heavy duty (light weight is not enough) office file storage boxes.

I also offer charms to people wanting specific things, post here or send me a private message. I have a number of themes/novelty fabrics as well as more standard fabrics. It can be nice to get stored fabric from someone like me because it isn't what is out in the stores that you can find yourself. This is a sincere offer! I really am trying to not buy new fabric (not with much success...) Since I was diagnosed with my vision issues a few years ago I have already given away about 9 full black plastic garbage bags of fabric.

quilttiger

Quiltville.com is a marvelous web site by Bonnie Hunter. It is so fun to explore the site. Bonnie has marvelous tips on handling scraps and her free designs are great for using up scraps in every way imaginable. She also has published pattern books.

Beachbaby12

Yes, was just going to post about Bonnie Hunter - she's a scrapaholic and has wonderful methods, great blog, instagram - love reading and trying her methods. Yes, and great books she's written, new one coming up in December. I am trying to do some of Bonnie's techniques of using scraps - it's all a transition but some get ideas. She is quite an inspiration too.

JENNR8R

Any scrap piece that is about fat-quarter size gets folded into an approxiamate 5" square and stacked on my top stash shelf in a closet. Anything smaller than that gets cut into 2.5" squares and put into one of two shoe boxes. One box has no duplicates of fabric, and the other has many of the same fabric. I belong to a swap of these squares on this board. This year on my birthday I will receive 1,800 different fabric 2.5" squares from all of the swappers. I put them in the no duplicates shoebox. On their birthday I give them 50 different squares from my shoebox with many duplicates. This way I have thousands of 2.5" squares that are not duplicated stored in a shoebox. When I'm ready to swap, I get those squares from my duplicates shoebox.

I hope all of that makes sense. Bottom line I have the 2.5" squares in two shoe boxes. The pieces that are a little larger get stacked on shelves.

Innov8R

I love the plastic shoe boxes. I find that I can separate my scraps by size/ color or any criteria I want and label the boxes. The boxes stack neatly in places I'm not able to use for anything else or they can go up on shelves. I love the flexibility of these inexpensive (about $1) boxes. I love being able to bring the whole box to my work table when I am looking for pieces to include in a quilt. I use my Studio 2 cutter to "clean up my scraps into particular sizes. I use Moda's precut sizing to guide me when cutting scraps. I figure if my scraps are in standard precut sizes, I will be able to find a pattern to use them. So far it's working for me.

Onebyone

I don't save scraps to use anymore. When I did, I found I rarely used them and the bins and drawers were full of scraps. Now I put my scraps in a large tub and when it's full I take it to my guild's free table or to a retreat I'm going to. Everyone loves to dig through a scrap bin. I do to but not my own. I don't get rid of any scraps from the quilt until the quilt is finished. I get tired of hearing but that is such a waste to get rid of them. I'm okay with that, no guilt at all. My goal is to make the quilt or project not to use up fabric scraps.

DDuMouchel

I think a key thing to consider is what is a "scrap" to you. For some, if it's the size of a fat quarter, that's a scrap. To me, that's yardage -- but I work a lot with 1.5 inch squares and strips. My biggest challenge with scrap organization -- any organization at all, to be honest -- is that I am careless about putting things away. I tend to create piles, which can topple over and once something is on the floor it can stay there a LONG time. I'm working on it -- reinstituting the Flylady principles here ...

cashs_mom

That's what I'm trying to do!

Moira in N.E. England

As I’ve only been quilting for a couple of years I have some scraps but nothing like the mountains some industrious quilters seem to have.

I recently decided that when I’m ‘between’ projects I will make house blocks from the scraps of the last quilt. I now have about thirty 6-inch blocks completed and will keep adding to the pile until I’ve got enough for a small quilt.

oksewglad

You will like this quilt with your "precuts" It's what I plan on doing with mine. It can be made smaller, say 7 three piece units in 3 rows for a 41.5 x 50 baby or lap quilt. And a less than 1 1/2 yards of backing fabric.

http://www.hancocks-paducah.com/SHOP...ern-56-5-by-70

You are so right in finding our own way...our minds all process differently so what works for one does not necessarily work for others. And if it means giving scraps to someone else that's okay. There are some folks who love to have scraps because they can indulge in their creativity on a limited income or like me getting others' scraps of fabric choices which I wouldn't normally buy. These scraps take me out of my box and stretches my ideas of quilting.