Do you feel guilty when you toss out scraps?
08-10-2023, 02:47 AM
#21
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2022
Location: Northeast
Posts: 682
I had been saving, never all my tiny scraps, but 2.5" squares and any strips, even an inch wide, if it was longer then 12", thinking some day I wouldn't mind making a quilt with those. But the more I got to looking at all of the narrow strips and small squares I had saved from cuts and from left over bindings, it dawned on me these past few days that one, I didn't really feel like I would ever make a quilt from small pieces or narrow strips, and two, wow it would use up a lot of thread to do anything with these pieces.
I've decided that from now on, instead of letting scraps build up again, I wouldn't keep anything from 2.5" size unless it was at least around half a strip size, (20+ inches) from a jelly roll, and from yardage if it wasn't 5" square or larger.
That way, I'd still have 'scraps' to make sample blocks, or needed a piece of that same fabric for a regular block when I was using that same fabric.
I make my quilts from fabric lines now or multiple jelly rolls and not just from random fabric like I used to do. I gotten to the point that even when I purchase a panel that I want to use or jelly rolls, I get yardage fabric from the same line to use with it for backing and borders. I keep in stock some fabic for backgrounds, white, black, and ecru, in multiple yardage that I replace once I get down to 3-6 yards, so I always have a stock of it.
I've decided that from now on, instead of letting scraps build up again, I wouldn't keep anything from 2.5" size unless it was at least around half a strip size, (20+ inches) from a jelly roll, and from yardage if it wasn't 5" square or larger.
That way, I'd still have 'scraps' to make sample blocks, or needed a piece of that same fabric for a regular block when I was using that same fabric.
I make my quilts from fabric lines now or multiple jelly rolls and not just from random fabric like I used to do. I gotten to the point that even when I purchase a panel that I want to use or jelly rolls, I get yardage fabric from the same line to use with it for backing and borders. I keep in stock some fabic for backgrounds, white, black, and ecru, in multiple yardage that I replace once I get down to 3-6 yards, so I always have a stock of it.
Last edited by quiltsfor; 08-10-2023 at 02:56 AM.
08-10-2023, 03:28 AM
#22
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Maryland
Posts: 2,589
I'm right there with you! All of my scrap bins are rapidly approaching the "full to overflowing" mark and I have two 40 gallon tubs of scraps waiting to be cut into useful pieces. My only excuse is that I sew with friends who keep their spaces neat and tidy by donating their scraps to me. I've made some great scrap quilts both big and small.
08-10-2023, 04:25 AM
#24
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: Corpus Christi, Texas
Posts: 1,896
I used to be a closet scrap-tosser! I tossed all scraps. Didn't know any better. Then....I wanted to make a scrappy rose quilt from YT, but had no scraps. Especially red! So, I twaddled down to JA to purchased fat quarters and 1/4 yard pieces to use.
Now I save 2.5" strips in a gallon baggie for a future jelly roll rug or bowl, pieces larger than my hand in a plastic storage bin, and pieces bigger than my arm get their own bin. I found that I like making controlled scrappy, that is, not just random, although I do like others' random quilts. Here's the culprit that started cluttering up my sewing room with scraps.
BTW, the first pic shows my chaos in the tiny space that used to be my sewing area. Now I appreciate my workroom.
Now I save 2.5" strips in a gallon baggie for a future jelly roll rug or bowl, pieces larger than my hand in a plastic storage bin, and pieces bigger than my arm get their own bin. I found that I like making controlled scrappy, that is, not just random, although I do like others' random quilts. Here's the culprit that started cluttering up my sewing room with scraps.
BTW, the first pic shows my chaos in the tiny space that used to be my sewing area. Now I appreciate my workroom.
08-10-2023, 07:58 AM
#27
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2021
Location: British Columbia
Posts: 606
After reading so many posts commenting that nobody wants your scraps, I'd like to offer a scrap-buyer's perspective. I know that thrift stores don't generally want bags of "junk" that takes them hours to sort through, but if you've got the time/patience/inclination to organize your scraps somewhat and get them into baggies (and even labelled) I am sure there are people (like me) who would be delighted to have them. I've bought (and made use of) bags of off-cut HSTs (guessing from FGs), rolls of less-than 2.5" strips of varying lengths and ziplocs of "100% cotton random pieces". It might be a decent compromise for those of you who feel the guilt when tossing but don't want to use them yourself. :-)
08-10-2023, 09:06 AM
#28
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: northern minnesota
Posts: 2,398
I do save scraps and frequently use them. I have started grouping them by color anything smaller than a fat quarter. I do like doing controlled scrappy quilts where I have a few colors but make them scrappy. I haven't had too much trouble giving scraps away at guild meetings. My grocery bag of batik scraps disappeared a few minutes after I mentioned them along with three partially completed antique quilts. I knew I would never finish them. I do save some scraps in shoe boxes if they have been cut into certain sizes and not used like 2.5 inch strips or 2.5 inch squares.
