Using Up Scraps
09-04-2022, 09:39 AM
#11
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 202
Two years ago I vowed not to buy any more fabric until I used up what I have. I've made about 8 quilts in the last two years and gave away a couple good sized bags of scraps yet somehow have ended up with way more fabric than I started with. I'm amazed at how it multiplies like magic.
09-04-2022, 04:54 PM
#12
Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: VA/tidewater area
Posts: 74
Scraps
Save yourself now from falling down the Scraps Rabbit Hole!! LOL. After my first scrappy quilt left pieces of fabric literally covering my sewing area, I organized and said, "Never again!"...Until next time! I'm currently working on a scrappy quilt. Finished all the blocks and waiting to be joined together. I like a method (don't know what it is called) where each scrap strip is added next to previous. Here's my first.
09-05-2022, 04:16 AM
#13
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: Corpus Christi, Texas
Posts: 2,044
Thanks! I made up the pattern after seeing a similar block. Not difficult at all.
- I cut the foundation squares, 10"(?)
- Used my iron to make two "guide" lines
- 1. diagonal-corner to corner
- 2. 60 degree line
- sew strips to diagonal side, then
- sew strips to 60 degree side
09-05-2022, 05:58 AM
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: USA
Posts: 379
So here are some trueisms I have learned over the years - do any sound familiar??
- the goal of all scraps is to reproduce. They do it on the sly, in the dead of night when all quiilters are asleep - it is a conspiracy
- all fabric in the stash that has been used must be replaced by more than was used
- there are never enough fabric in the stash to make the needed number of blocks needed for the quilt
- there is never enough matching fabric in the stash to complete the quilt
- there is no fabric in the stash that matches the focus fabric of the quilt
- if you have enough of the matching fabric, then your rotary cutter slips or your fabric is folded when you cut out the most critical or largest pieces
- if you give away half of of your scraps, the remaining ones expand to fill the space
- when you buy all the fabric you need to make a particular quilt you either loose a pattern, put the fabric in a "safe place" and can't find it or (my most common problem) you make another quilt first and use some of the special fabric.
- when you go to the store and find the same fabric you were short of, you get home and discover the dye lots are different and it doesn't match
- the goal of all scraps is to reproduce. They do it on the sly, in the dead of night when all quiilters are asleep - it is a conspiracy
- all fabric in the stash that has been used must be replaced by more than was used
- there are never enough fabric in the stash to make the needed number of blocks needed for the quilt
- there is never enough matching fabric in the stash to complete the quilt
- there is no fabric in the stash that matches the focus fabric of the quilt
- if you have enough of the matching fabric, then your rotary cutter slips or your fabric is folded when you cut out the most critical or largest pieces
- if you give away half of of your scraps, the remaining ones expand to fill the space
- when you buy all the fabric you need to make a particular quilt you either loose a pattern, put the fabric in a "safe place" and can't find it or (my most common problem) you make another quilt first and use some of the special fabric.
- when you go to the store and find the same fabric you were short of, you get home and discover the dye lots are different and it doesn't match
All the rest are absolutly from my quilt statch as well. :}}
09-05-2022, 06:15 AM
#15
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Carroll, Iowa
Posts: 3,487
Quilted Twins and Bonnie Hunter are great sites for scrappy quilt patterns. I've been using up mine this way. The scraps from one quilt just went into a Quadruple Irish Chain quilt. Couldn't call it a Triple cause it had more rows than a triple. Wondered why none of the triple chain quilting patterns would fit correctly...DUH.
Lately most all of my quilts have been from scraps from other quilts. But for whatever reason my scraps don't diminish in time but multiple as if they're procreating during the night.
I haven't bought yardage since November 2018 as I put myself on a "NO FABRIC BUYING" spree until I can find room for all the fabrics I have now. I've got them tucked under the quilt frame, under the pressing station, along the cutting table. You name it, I've got them stashed somewhere but not ont he shelves where they need to be. My scrap bins are over flowing too.
Lately most all of my quilts have been from scraps from other quilts. But for whatever reason my scraps don't diminish in time but multiple as if they're procreating during the night.
I haven't bought yardage since November 2018 as I put myself on a "NO FABRIC BUYING" spree until I can find room for all the fabrics I have now. I've got them tucked under the quilt frame, under the pressing station, along the cutting table. You name it, I've got them stashed somewhere but not ont he shelves where they need to be. My scrap bins are over flowing too.
09-05-2022, 06:23 AM
#16
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Delaware
Posts: 1,027
Save yourself now from falling down the Scraps Rabbit Hole!! LOL. After my first scrappy quilt left pieces of fabric literally covering my sewing area, I organized and said, "Never again!"...Until next time! I'm currently working on a scrappy quilt. Finished all the blocks and waiting to be joined together. I like a method (don't know what it is called) where each scrap strip is added next to previous. Here's my first.
09-08-2022, 02:15 PM
#19
Member
Join Date: Jan 2022
Posts: 86
I've started doing pieced backs to use up leftover fabric from the front.Typically a simple medallion of some sort. I knew a customer who swore by what she called her fabric journey quilts where all leftovers were cut into a specific size/shape and added onto a single top over time until it was big enough to suit her. I tried it once and hated the end result so much I chopped it up into doll quilts for the nieces and nephews. 😆
09-10-2022, 04:02 AM
#20
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Portage, Michigan
Posts: 7,812
Any block pattern can be turned into a scrappy pattern!! I do many, many scrappy quilts but I find that I get overwhelmed if I just look at a bin of scraps and don't know where to start. My method is to choose a background of cream or white/white, scraps of course, and then choose one color from my colors scraps or bin of smallish pieces. This makes for a very scrappy quilt with a bazillion of variations within one color way. Some time I will chose one contrasting color to use consistently throughout the quilt to sort of make every thing work nicely together. (Green/white & yellow quilt below.)
Other options is to use traditional color groups such as red/white/blue or purple, turquoise, blue or black and white. Often with the black and white I will add one color for pop!
This method works well for me. It leaves me focused, keeps the scraps down to a manageable level and has made many donation quilts that I am proud to pass on to someone else.
Other options is to use traditional color groups such as red/white/blue or purple, turquoise, blue or black and white. Often with the black and white I will add one color for pop!
This method works well for me. It leaves me focused, keeps the scraps down to a manageable level and has made many donation quilts that I am proud to pass on to someone else.
