Do you actually USE your scraps??
10-29-2009, 01:18 PM
#72
Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Lewisville, TX
Posts: 3
I stand in awe of people who actually have their scraps organized and use them regularly. I always have plans to get my scraps in a condition to easily use them for projects. I'm just at the point where I think I'd like to make a scrap quilt......but guess it will have to wait until after Christmas....I am so jammed with projects that need to be done by Christmas I could probably sew 24/7 and not get everything done. But thanks everyone for all your ideas on how to use your scraps. :-o
10-29-2009, 01:33 PM
#73
Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Hamburg, NY
Posts: 117
I am guilty of having a LARGE bin of scraps. I do use some of them when doing a scrap quilt. I also save all my half sq triangles, neatly pressed. I usually wind up giving my scraps to my daughter's qult guild as they make fire victims quilts and and also lap robes for the couty home residents. So they really never go to waste. Although this question has me thinking, because I have a great pinwheel pattern that looks great with scraps. Don't hold your breath waiting for me to get at it though.
10-29-2009, 02:20 PM
#74
Power Poster
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 12,930
Originally Posted by trolley station
Although this question has me thinking, because I have a great pinwheel pattern that looks great with scraps. Don't hold your breath waiting for me to get at it though.
10-29-2009, 03:01 PM
#75
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Central Washington State
Posts: 5,997
I throw anything away that is smaller than an inch wide.
Not everyone likes scrap quilts, and some people are better at combining their scraps than others, but I like scrap quilts, while admiring those who make complete quilts in complete colorways.
I'm thinking that some day I will just pick one block and make it until I pass on ... like a signature, but that hasn't happened for me yet ...
and I do make scrap quilts, probably because the first quilt I remember was the one on my babysitter's upstairs bed where I had to take a nap. I could spend hours up there tracing the quilting with my finger. I will show pictures later ... but, yes, I use my scraps! <g>
Truthfully, no, never. :oops: I don't like scrap quilts (please don't hate me, they're just not my style). I honestly have no idea why I keep the "shavings" from my quilts. Probably some deep seated motherly teaching about "waste". :roll: So, if you define 'scrap' as smaller than an index card, the answer is no.
How do you all wind up with scraps that are big enough to make quilts out of anyway? I can understand bookmarks, coasters, and small items like that, but full sized quilt blocks? How big are the scraps you use?
Not everyone likes scrap quilts, and some people are better at combining their scraps than others, but I like scrap quilts, while admiring those who make complete quilts in complete colorways.
I'm thinking that some day I will just pick one block and make it until I pass on ... like a signature, but that hasn't happened for me yet ...
and I do make scrap quilts, probably because the first quilt I remember was the one on my babysitter's upstairs bed where I had to take a nap. I could spend hours up there tracing the quilting with my finger. I will show pictures later ... but, yes, I use my scraps! <g>
Originally Posted by ghostrider
Originally Posted by LucyInTheSky
Do you actually USE your scraps??
How do you all wind up with scraps that are big enough to make quilts out of anyway? I can understand bookmarks, coasters, and small items like that, but full sized quilt blocks? How big are the scraps you use?
10-29-2009, 03:08 PM
#76
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Central Washington State
Posts: 5,997
Originally Posted by amandasgramma
I SAVE all my scraps. I recently started putting together a sunflower sue quilt using the scraps because I have so many. But darn it, I went to the quilt shop to pick up some different threads to match the appliqueing, and some how :roll: some fat quarters jumped into my bag. Then I went to another store, and they were having a big sale, and MORE jumped in my bag. To make a long story short..........I now have MORE scraps than when I started! :mrgreen: My feelings on this are that if you try to get rid of the scraps, they'll multiply. I think it's called "survival of the scraps".....it's a natural instinct. :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
See Charismah? I told you <g>
10-29-2009, 03:24 PM
#77
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Central Washington State
Posts: 5,997
WHen I first started quilting, I watched every quilt show on tele. It took awhile for me to be convinced to cut off the "dog ears" on the triangle blocks, but finally I did.
Well, I don't know how to make a "few" blocks, I always do it for DAYS, so you can imagine that I had a lot of dog ears that I had to cut off. It would really bug me to look in the trash can and see all those pieces of fabric.
Even for me, who have come by hoarding by hereditary (my grandmother did it - - this is NOT my fault! :wink: ) I understood that I had to throw scraps away.
The day my daughter suggested I use my little scraps and dog ears to fill a bean bag for grandson, I thought I had died and gone to heaven! I proceeded to make scraps small enough to go in there! Made quilts to add to the filling, and I just flew through fabric making quilts and scraps/batting for the bean bag ... don't get excited people ... it does NOT work!
so, depressed, I went back to grinding my teeth every time I had to throw away the dog ears! I wasn't quite manic, but it was definitely having an effect on me.
I don't know where the idea came from, but the day my daughter came out to the bunkhouse with a pretty half pint canning jar and lid, I KNEW what I was going to do with it! And, I did!
I don't remember how long it took me to fill that jar up with JUST dog ears ... but, it is now part of my decor and I have not worried about the dog ears, ever again!
But, I still develop a tic every time I have to trim a block and throw away .5" on one side ... four times ... that is TWO inches!
And, when I have to square an end to fabric? I purposely cut it very generously so that I have more than slivers -- of course, not so much with fat quarters.
I will post some pictures of some of my scrap blocks ... waiting for inspiration for a quilt! (trying to think of a background that will tie them all together -- or something :lol: )
Well, I don't know how to make a "few" blocks, I always do it for DAYS, so you can imagine that I had a lot of dog ears that I had to cut off. It would really bug me to look in the trash can and see all those pieces of fabric.
Even for me, who have come by hoarding by hereditary (my grandmother did it - - this is NOT my fault! :wink: ) I understood that I had to throw scraps away.
The day my daughter suggested I use my little scraps and dog ears to fill a bean bag for grandson, I thought I had died and gone to heaven! I proceeded to make scraps small enough to go in there! Made quilts to add to the filling, and I just flew through fabric making quilts and scraps/batting for the bean bag ... don't get excited people ... it does NOT work!
so, depressed, I went back to grinding my teeth every time I had to throw away the dog ears! I wasn't quite manic, but it was definitely having an effect on me.
I don't know where the idea came from, but the day my daughter came out to the bunkhouse with a pretty half pint canning jar and lid, I KNEW what I was going to do with it! And, I did!
I don't remember how long it took me to fill that jar up with JUST dog ears ... but, it is now part of my decor and I have not worried about the dog ears, ever again!
But, I still develop a tic every time I have to trim a block and throw away .5" on one side ... four times ... that is TWO inches!
And, when I have to square an end to fabric? I purposely cut it very generously so that I have more than slivers -- of course, not so much with fat quarters.
I will post some pictures of some of my scrap blocks ... waiting for inspiration for a quilt! (trying to think of a background that will tie them all together -- or something :lol: )
10-29-2009, 05:10 PM
#78
Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 34
I have been layed off since June and if it weren't for my scraps I wouldn't have been able to sew any quilts. My friend got my sister & I on to what to do with them a couple of years ago. Now we create and sort at the same time. keeping the 1.5'', 2'', 2.5'' etc. in separate containers. Then you can make all kinds of 9 patches, stripes and so on. If you google scrappy quilts, you will be surprised how many sites there are !!!!
10-29-2009, 05:18 PM
#79
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: montana
Posts: 620
yes, I now use scraps down to the tinest scrap. make a pillow for your Humane Society, fill it with all the batting & fabric scraps. Sew shut. the animals love them & so do the workers. amazing how fast you can accumulate enough for a pillow.
I cut scraps into 1.5" strips for foundation block piecing and log cabins. make a jelly-roll out of these strips (sewed end to end). then make a log-cabin block around a bright middle. 10" squares make good charity quilts.
you don't match ends, just keep sewing on each side, trim, keep going.
I also cut 2.5" squares. I have made 2 big tops out of these. 2.5 strips & 3.5" strips are useful sizes. one of our quilters loves small sizes, so we give her anything over 1.5" that we don't want. she makes the nicest borders out of our scraps. don't get hung up on too many sizes.
I have found that cutting the scraps up into usable sizes right away is the easiest way to control them. if you need a leaf, etc, you can easily use one of the squares you have cut. with 20+years of quilting, I have seen a lot of scraps. elaine
I cut scraps into 1.5" strips for foundation block piecing and log cabins. make a jelly-roll out of these strips (sewed end to end). then make a log-cabin block around a bright middle. 10" squares make good charity quilts.
you don't match ends, just keep sewing on each side, trim, keep going.
I also cut 2.5" squares. I have made 2 big tops out of these. 2.5 strips & 3.5" strips are useful sizes. one of our quilters loves small sizes, so we give her anything over 1.5" that we don't want. she makes the nicest borders out of our scraps. don't get hung up on too many sizes.
I have found that cutting the scraps up into usable sizes right away is the easiest way to control them. if you need a leaf, etc, you can easily use one of the squares you have cut. with 20+years of quilting, I have seen a lot of scraps. elaine
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