How do you organize your fabric scraps?
#32
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Interesting how people sort. I use Bonnie Hunters system. A few years back a wonderful lqs near me started selling leftovers by the yards. Laying out the pieces and charging 2.95 a yard. I went nuts. I do so love scrappy quilts. I bought probably 200 yds and have an awesome scrap collection. As soon as I got them home I ironed and then cut them in 1 1/2" , 2 1/2", 2" strips. I don't cut squares. If I need them I have my strips. I did do a swap where we swapped lozenges 31/2 x 5 1/2 and I have a box of them. And when I need mindless sewing I make hst. I just finished an Ocean Waves with 4,000+ hst and I have a box more. I also loved Bonnies leader/ender from last year, the split nine patch and have been making them. I probably have 4 or 5 projects put away with all pieces done, just need put together. My scraps are saved differently. My 1 1/2" are in a huge tub sort of sorted into med to darks. My neutrals are in another box, rolled up in a wheel - saw this somewhere and wanted to try it. My 2" is in a laundry sorting bag stand I got from the $ store. This is also sorted in light/med, med, dark with my 2" and 2 1/2" neutrals seperated in another large container. My 2 1/2" are in another container darks in one, med in another. Then there is my string container. This thing is huge and getting bigger. Again my neutrals in one, other colors in the other. It does work for me because otherwise my fabric would strangle me. I have several cabinets that are sorted by color for smaller - less than 36", and my closet has my larger pieces - my husband converted an old tv cabinet into fabric storage. It's pretty and useful.
#33
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 292
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I put small scraps that are still useable in one bin and large pieces in another. I do not sub cut until I need that scrap if it is bigger than the small ones. Teeny ones go into the bin for stuffing per pillows.
#34
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The option I'm going with is 2.5" squares. I am using some for a Grandmothers Flower Garden. 2.5" squares are perfect for 1" hexies (measure the flat side, not across). Also amd going to make a postage stamp quilt (I know the "stamps" are suppose to be 1" but hey...... I "try" to cut my squares after each project. Here is how I am organizing, I now have 3 boxes!! I do not have a stash per say. I purchase for the quilt I am making. Now why are there 2 pictures???????![EEK!](https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images/smilies/eek.png)
![EEK!](https://cdn.quiltingboard.com/images/smilies/eek.png)
#36
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I do 5" and 3.5" squares. I even up strips, but don't cut them to a specific width (I make string blocks, so the width isn't important). Anything bigger I leave whole. I organize by size rather than color.
#38
Super Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Ballwin, MO
Posts: 4,243
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I toss scraps big enough to use in a bottom drawer. When the drawer is full, I transfer to a garbage bag; I keep the bags in my bedroom closet. When the closet gets full, I guess I will list a bag on ReUseIt (a very handy yahoo group resource), which I have done before. I don't know if I will ever get to making a scrap quilt, and there's only so much room in our house.
#39
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Central Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA
Posts: 7,695
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Recently I checked a book out from the library written by Joan Ford titled, Cut the Scraps! She suggests cutting scraps into 2", 3.5" & 5" squares. For those of you that quilt much more than I do, do you think these are very useful sizes? What are the most popular sizes used in quilts? If there is one.
I am trying to put some order to my scrap bin. Right now all the scraps are stuffed (and I do mean stuffed) into a plastic file folder bin. They are a wrinkled mess and need to sorted by color. These scraps are all less than fat quarter size and maybe most are smaller than an eighth. Those pieces larger than this are kept in bins with yardage sorted by color.
Suggestions appreciated. Throwing them out is not an option! LOL
Karen
I am trying to put some order to my scrap bin. Right now all the scraps are stuffed (and I do mean stuffed) into a plastic file folder bin. They are a wrinkled mess and need to sorted by color. These scraps are all less than fat quarter size and maybe most are smaller than an eighth. Those pieces larger than this are kept in bins with yardage sorted by color.
Suggestions appreciated. Throwing them out is not an option! LOL
Karen
#40
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Central Missouri
Posts: 462
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I do pretty much the same as Buckeye Rose as I can. I have a large tub of scraps, plus several paper boxes so they have gotten out of hand completely. Am going to have to get serious about getting them organized. I store them in plastic boxes (shoe size) by the sizes I have cut. I figure if I can get a 10 in square out first I can always utilize it in many ways, same with the larger squares until I get to the 5 inch size or less. Then they get cut and in their proper box. I keep telling myself one of these days I will get them under control but I think they breed overnight like fleas (grin).
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