Open Line Friday-HELP! What To Do With Scraps?

109 responses to “Open Line Friday-HELP! What To Do With Scraps?”

1. Squares, strips and bricks!

2. I am making scrap rag baskets with my scraps. All I need is about 1 inch strips, like when I square a quilt piece. It’s very exciting not throwing them away. But I Ned to know what to do with triangles. Any ideas?

   1. flying geese just add the rectangles onto sides

3. I’m using my scraps to English Paper Piece hexagons. Spent the last year working on them, and I have a box now of hexagons, you can use odd sizes like triangles, or strips, and the hexagon papers come in sizes from 1/4″ to 3″+, so you can use all sizes of scraps.

4. Send them to me! Half kidding, I just love scraps. I separate strips by color and put them in plastic shallow boxes. I cut 2.5″, 3″, 5″, 6″ ones from scraps and put by size in plastic drawers. Random size scraps, I sort by colors and put in plastic shallow baskets. People give me scraps thankfully. I have collected patterns to use. I use the 2.5″ ones as leaders and Enders when sewing and build up a collection of four patches real quick for quilts. I use my treadle as a crumb assembler for crumb blocks, usually 6.5″. I make wonky log cabins. These scrap quilts are given away as comfort quilts for chemo patients. There are great websites like http://quiltville.blogspot.com http://filminthefridge.com and favequilts.com and lots more. My blog, http://artinsearch.blogspot.com shows some of my scrap quilts. Scraps are my favorite things! There are no ugly fabrics once they are cut up small. I use anything over 2″.

5. Super topic. I use scraps for applique work but scrap levels don’t seem to reduce very quickly. I look forward to the suggestions you’ll receive.

6. My really small scraps I put in a pillow case and when it is full I sew it shut and donate it to the animal shelter. Makes a great pillow/bed for a dog. I even put in my scraps of batting.

   1. Teri: this is an awesome idea! I will starting doing this straight away.

      1. I’ve been doing that for years! Last year we moved and I got my guild to give me all their scraps. I’ve made almost 100 dog beds for our shelter! They love them, the dogs love them and we’re keeping the scraps out of the landfills. I don’t feel like I’m throwing good material away, I’m re purposing it and it makes me feel good!

   2. One of my guild members does that, too. So that’s where my little bitty scraps go – and batting, too.

   3. Those must be what I think of as scraps-anything less than 1/2″ wide. I have trouble “letting go” of event the smallest piece of scrap. I don’t call 1/2 yd a scrap. I posted a use for the very tiny scraps.

   4. This is one of the best ideas I’ve heard of in a long time….thank you.

   5. Thanks for the idea to use a pillowcase. I have a box of scraps too small to use for a dog bed but was putting off actually doing anything because the thought of buying material that cost more than I could buy a dog bed for was bugging me. A pillow case is a much better though.

7. I use my leftover strips for string quilts. I have made many blocks from those. I sew them on a foundation (size of your choice). I am in the process of making a Crumb quilt with the really small scraps like on Bonnie Hunter’s website. I do this while making other blocks, and use them as enders instead of cutting my thread every time. I have quite a pile of them made right now. I also have a tub full of all different sized squares, and I need to do something with them. I cut them from 2.5 to 6″, no quarter in cuts. I don’t deal with triangles – I sew the leftover ones together to make small pinwheel blocks. I have a friend that uses the little triangles to make wonky star blocks.

8. I’m a ‘scrap’ quilter so if you’re stuck, send them to me love, send them to me!
   I use all scraps in my quilts, in mug rugs, in mini wall hangings, in all my charity quilts. Most popular shapes are 2 1/2 squares, then triangles sewing into squares. Scraps are especially great to make your own fabrics and then cut them into shapes – perfect for traditional styled quilts.

9. I don’t really organize them other than tossing them in a big plastic container. Every so often I pull a bunch for a scrap quilt then I cut what I need according to my inspiration.

   I always want to try precutting squares and stuff, but I have an insane amount of scraps and I’d get distracted partway trhu and plan a quilt anyway. 🙂

10. The smallest scraps I use are 1″ X 1″. I have made nine-patches out of those for a Jack’s chain quilt top. I also use those for the start of log cabin quilts, sewing two of them together, one red for the center, and a light scrap. To that I add 1″ X 1 1/2″, etc. until the blocks measure 6 1/2″, with lights on one side and darks on the other. I also have a 1 1/4″ log cabin scrap quilt in progress. They seem like small pieces to begin with, but once the centers are done the work is easy–and a good way to use small scraps and end up with quilts that are pretty awesome!

11. Log cabin blocks for strips and pinwheels for triangles. They make great borders!

12. I have a wall of cubbies in my sewing room. One set of nine cubbies has colored wire baskets, so scraps go into the baskets for future scrappy projects (usually string quilts) and applique work. Problem is, they are all overflowing instead of reducing in size!

13. This is a great question because I’m always looking for ways to do more than just save my scraps.
    I do a lot of applique so I like having a supply for applique work.
    Here’s another great way to use up some scraps that I saw at Sew Can She blog:
    mini log cabin blocks. I am going to make some this winter.
    Here’s the link: http://www.sewcanshe.com/blog/2013/12/30/its-here-the-2014-its-a-new-year-sewalong

14. I’m working on a Trail Mix quilt. It uses 1 1/4″ pieces. I also cut 1 1/2″ strips. Bonnie Hunter says if a fabric is still ugly, you haven’t cut it small enough.

15. I vowed this year to spend one hour a day exercising….SEWING!! I meant to say sewing! (Wow where did that come from! heehee!) Sewing only from my scraps. It sounds so easy and then I get hung up on color and design and there are just so many scraps I’m overwhelmed and I can’t even cut a bigger scrap cuz what if I “need” it later on something….oh bother!! I’m hopeless!! I’ll be checking in all day for help too!!! Thanks Lori for this bringing this subject up!!

16. That’s all you have? In that tiny box? haha
    I have a box, billowing with scraps. Right now I am working on a project for sewing club – making SunBonnet Sue needle holders (can’t wait to finish it. Creative and fun but I have had enough of this) So, my scrap box is right in the middle of my sewing space and bits on the floor as well, just looking for little pieces for hats and dresses and other things. After that, I will clean it all up and put it away.
    I really love the ideas shared here!
    All of you are very creative (peeked at your blogs)
    Have a lovely day with sunshine.
    It will be 47º in Northern Virginia near the blue Ridge Mountains
    ~Rosemary

17. I’m afraid I don’t DO anything with them at all! They just pile up and up and up. I did recently buy hundreds of 3/4 inch hexie papers. With all the mindless TV I watch in the evenings, I imagine I could sew several every night using my leftovers. Though at 3/4 inch, they are not likely to make much of a dent in my scrap heap!

18. Scrap quilts are my favorite to make. Using whatever size scraps it takes to make string blocks or crumbs or half square triangles or just plain squares are mostly what I use (along with hexies and applique ) since I started out being a fabric hoarder many years ago my fabrics do vary in colors and designs but have yet to find a scrap quilt that didn’t look just wonderful combining all those different fabrics. The important thing is to balance the not so beautiful fabric scraps with the most lively wonderful fabrics that make them shine.
    For me the hard part of scraps is how to handle them and while I store like colors in bins to keep them separate I don’t have too many cut into any shape whatsoever. They are just scraps and can go up to a yard in size. Anything over a yard gets rolled on a cardboard piece (8×10 I believe) and sit on a shelf so I can see them better.
    I have a small bedroom that is my stash place and often think I should have someone come in and tell me how to organize it better.

19. One thing is to “prevent” scraps when you can, e.g. get in the habit of always taking the few seconds required to sew that extra seam a half-inch (or so) away when you are “snowballing” a corner. That way when you trim away the extra you’ve already made a HST. My Scottish blood (it’s in the Ford part of my name) is appalled at what so many toss in the trash. Just stop and think about what you’ve paid for that cotton – especially nowadays!!! The modern wonky blocks (stars, log cabins, strings, spider webs, etc.) don’t even required that you square up your scraps before using them. Just sit at your machine and grab out another piece. Even 15 minutes a day can add up to something wonderful.

20. I have 7 large plastic containers that I put my scraps in…. red, pink; yellow, orange; black, brown; blue; green; white, and a separate one for batiks. Almost all of my quilts are scrap quilts! 🙂 I’ve also collected over a hundred pairs of jeans to make quilts for charities. I like the idea of using even the tiniest pieces for stuffing in pillows for animals.

21. Lot of great ideas. I have a couple of small baskets where I stick my my scraps all sizes and colors after every clean up . Then I have 6 granddaughters they come over and sort by color ( that’s the learning part) put in baggies then they can have for their own use some they have me take to the preschool for the other kids for projects. They are always creating some kind of doll clothing or cat toy

    1. The key here is to get a child to come “play” with your fabric! Very smart!

22. Great discussions!
    I store my scraps in plastic labelled boxes. My favourites are 2 1/2″ squares and 1 1/2″ strips. I do keep a box of small scraps for applique. Usually anything over 1″ in that box – great for leaves, petals etc…. Wish I could show photos of my last 3 quilts which are off being quilted… They were all scrappy.
    Btw, in Tasmania we are just on the tail end of a heatwave – a bit cooler than the 40+ that some mainland places have experienced. Although we did have 37 at our holiday cottage a few days ago. Our highest in the state was 40 that day. 40C is approx 104F. But it will be low 20s for the next week. 20 C is approx 68F.
    Any weather is good sewing weather!

    1. I wish I could see your three quilts. Shirley

       1. I wish too! I am just a basic everyday quilter, well, topper really! I have someone quilt them!

    2. I can’t even remember hot right now! I hate both extremes of weather… Do you cut your squares as the scraps become available or do you cut them when you need them?

       1. Hi Lori and all you lovely quilters, I usually cut them when they become smaller pieces. I try to do this as I am working, however, depending on time I put them in a basket. Then have a scrap cutting session. I just cut the largest size I can. These might be those strange bits off an L shaped a fat quarter. You know those fiddly bits! If I am planning to make a particular block, eg. Log cabin, I will madly cut 1 1/2″ strips. If I go anywhere I can just pick up a box and make 9 patches, or log cabins. When I go to retreats I can’t concentrate so its easy going making simple blocks (less chance of making mistakes!). We also spend 3 out of 4 weekends at our little holiday cottage and when all else fails I can just grab a box!
          I have the following boxes: 1 1/2″ strips (and a blue one for one day!), 2 1/2″, 3″, 3 1/2″, 4″, 4 1/2″, 5″, over 5″, and strips. Also a binding box. I piece all different bindings for scrappy quilts.
          If the fabric is a fave I don’t cut it, but it’s not usually a small piece! In each box I usually put them in colours.
          It sounds like a lot of work, but once started it is easy to maintain. I started doing this about 5 years ago. I remember being so overwhelmed the very first time. I think each person needs to work out what’s best for them. I have a friend who just throws all her scraps in a basket or box. Then spends sooooo much time looking for pieces!
          We have had scrap swaps. Once we had a 2 1/2″ strip swap (I think minimum length was 10″). We bagged up 100gm bags. You just took out the same number of bags as you put in. Was a lot of fun. For this I did have to cut some from fat quarters. Is a great way of getting rid of some ‘ugly’ fabrics! A few friends also give me their scraps. What joy it is to receive a gift like this!
          I have created so many wonderful quilts from scraps and love having that confidence I thought I would never have of putting completely different fabrics together – and surpisingly it works!
          Would love to share some photos… I have just completed another 2 tops using 9 1/2″ 9 patches.
          I am a Library Manager, so maybe I just like cataloguing everything into shapes and sizes! It’s all about retrieval – knowing where you can get your hands on relevant info – just like finding a scrap or colour…
          Have a happy day everyone! From Tasmania x

       2. Thank you for all your wonderful ideas. I need a Library Manager! I need your organizational skills in my sewing room!

23. Bonnie K. Hunter to the rescue!! I finally jumped on the bandwagon in 2010 by learning what Leaders & Enders are (think of building a quilt in between the one you are currently piecing). Then I implemented her Scrap User’s System in 2012. I’m am A.L.W.A.Y.S. ready to piece a quilt at a moments notice. I had 15 years worth of scraps and tamed them a little at a time in the evenings after work during 2012 – 2013. Wish I’d known this when I was first getting into quilting. You can check it out at her blog http://www.Quiltville.blogspot.com under the Tips and Techniques tab. Once you go scrappy, there is no going back! It has re-energized my projects and made piecing exciting again.

    1. Thanks for the link. What a great idea! I love scrap quilts, too–but managing the scraps can be a nightmare. This gives me a lot of ideas!

24. I recently read about Bonnie Hunter’s “leaders & enders” type of quilting. I decided to try it. Can’t believe how fast those start stacking up while doing another quilt. I cut my scraps into 2.5 inch squares and started sewing little 9 patch blocks, using the leaders and enders system. It does take a little time away from your main project that you’re working on, but you save SO MUCH thread, and I love that my project does not ever ‘bury/bog down’ into my sewing machine. This is, of course, because my little 2.5 in sq leader or ender is left in my machine for the next stitching.

    1. What a great idea! Takes a little pre-planning, but really easy to do!

25. I love scrappy quilts! I cut my scraps into strips — 2″, 2.5″, 3.5″ and 4.5″. These turn out to be the sizes I use the most. (I cut the scraps into the largest size strip possible based on the size of the scrap. — you can always trim something down later.) When the scrap bins get too full I’ll make a scrappy top, often one of Bonnie Hunter’s free patterns on her blog.
    I also keep strips that are less than 2″ but more than 1″, though I have never done anything with them. If I don’t do anything with them (like string blocks or tiny log cabins) by the end of this year they’re going into a dog pillow!
    Bonnie Hunter is right: If the fabric is still ugly, you haven’t cut it small enough!

    1. Thank you Mary for your ideas and the laugh–if it’s still ugly, you haven’t cut it small enough. Sometimes I’m left to wonder how/why I picked a few of my ugly fabrics?!

       1. LOL..oh my that’s going to make me laugh over and over…I have a few I’m not sure I can cut them small enough…they were in the bargain bin for a reason…duh..what was I thinkin’! Now I can at least laugh at them…:)

       2. I have started a “what was I thinking?” pile to donate. I don’t think I have enough time left in my life to cut up ALL of my ugly fabrics!

       3. Oh I haven’t laughed so hard in a while…is there a way to donate ugly fabric anonomously…I’m kind of embarressed by some of mine…LOL!

       4. My friend jokes about giving her ugly fabrics to CNIB for the blind people to use in their quilts.

       5. LOL!

26. Some great ideas here. I stuff mine into plastic bags in colour families. Every now and again I cut squares and rectangles like Bonnie Hunter suggests. I have another draw full of strips for log cabin style blocks. These get used for Charity quilts. Love the idea of stuffing pillows for pets, at least that gets rid of the tiny scraps. Thanks for all the ideas.

    1. I have been doing the plastic bags by color for years, but this year I have vowed to get them in a more usable order and am going through those bags and cutting them into 1.5, 2.5, and 3″ strips and then when I can 5″ squares. In the process I couldn’t help but start a quilt after an inspiring picture I saw on Pinterest. I just wrote a blog post with pictures about it the other day.

       1. I forgot to mention that JoAnn’s is having a 50% off sale on all bins and organizers now also Ott lights and more. This is both online and in the store so I loaded up on bins yesterday and had fun filling them last night.

27. I use them for applique, too, but frankly at the pace I do applique I would be buried under scraps in no time. I use Bonnie Hunter’s scrap saver system but when I see a box of scraps such as pictured above, I immediately think of Victoria Findlay Wolfe’s “15 Minutes of Play.” Made fabric. It’s genius and makes really cool quilts.

28. Our quilt guild gives little quilts to NICU patients (max size 20″x24″) — i have been trying to tame my random scraps by making modern/wonky/crazy-pieced items that i then practice free-motion-quilting on! the patterns tend to hide some of my “learning” issues…

29. This is my project for today. I make crumb blocks out of scraps I get from my quilting friends. Sew two pieces together then sew those into four pieces together and keep sewing them together till I can cut a square out of it. I then sash those together and make a quilt from them. Great for donation quilts.
    Dorothy

30. My SIL is a member of a homemakers group. Long story short, one night, they took scraps & ironed them on to double sided fusible interfacing, then removed the back paper. Then, they held them above fabric & snipped off little pieces, letting the fall where they may, until they filled a space such has a wreath, snowman, Christmas tree, etc.
    Next step was to fuse them to the fabric. Of course you may need to make small adjustments before fusing. After fusing, they made a quilt sandwich, & you know the rest…..

31. scrappy guilts, I use recycled material from yard/tag sales–favorite being those bed skirts, i use middle cut into 12″ squares and just lay scraps onto and use zigzag stitich and I have a block… then put into bin and when I have enough I make a quilt top and finish it with flannel as batting and sheet for backing. Then off it goes to the homeless shelther…..

    1. Great idea. I have a couple of those bed skirts.

32. Mine are stored by color in tubs. Not specially cut, as I don’t know what I am going to do w them yet. Feels awesome to make a quilt from the tubs;) It’s a free quilt top;)

33. You can sort them by prominent color. I store mine in a big clear bag, the kind comforters and quilts come in…..until I’m ready to use them, then I make crazy quilt blocks out of them.

34. I have all my scraps in a laundry basket under my sewing table. If the scrap is under 1″ it goes in the garbage, anything over that goes in the basket. But it overflowing. I hadn’t wanted to use Bonnie’s scrap system because I do a lot of applique. But this year I am going to bite the bullet and start cutting. And I’ll probably start a leader ender project too.

35. Last year, they were collecting blocks for Alberta flood victims. One such effort was based on making slab blocks as described in Sunday Morning Quilts. This is a link to some of the quilts that were created. http://naptimequilter.blogspot.ca/2013/08/second-round-of-just-one-slab-quilts.html

    These are scrap based and rather addicting to make. The results can be gorgeous. If you look around a bit, the tutorial for the block is out there as well as being in the Sunday Morning Quilts book.

    I’ve stopped cutting my scraps into sizes. I sort them by color and they lend themselves to the slab method very nicely this way. When I was cutting them to sizes it seemed I always had the “wrong” size for what I wanted to do.

    1. Wow! I love those slab quilts! Thanks for the link!

    2. Nice looking quilts and a wonderful project.

    3. Love those slab quilts! Thanks for the link….another idea for my busy mind!!

36. I have a really pretty, rather large, glass vase and I toss all my scraps into it. After awhile they fill up and create a beautiful kaleidoscope of color. It pleases me, so if I never actually sew them into anything, I’m okay with that!

37. Cut them into strips and knit them into rugs.

38. Don’t know if my first comment went through. Thanks for all the great ideas. I made draft stoppers from my smallest stuffing scraps recently. They work great! Used some odd leftover strips for the tubes.
    I sort my scraps by ideas, fall, bright, black based, batiks. That way when I want to make a scrap quilt I already have a base to start.

39. As hard a time as I have with beautiful scraps, it’s the scraps I don’t want to reuse that’s my problem. I have a hard time throwing them away because it feels wasteful. I just saw this week one solution. Use as a filling for a floor cushion. my grandson will love it.

    Link here: http://www.made-by-rae.com/2013/11/how-to-square-floor-cushion/

    Ramona

40. Although I love scrappy quilts, I can either make scrappy quilts or cut up my yardage, and the yardage wins. LOL I have a quilting friend in WV that doesn’t have a lot of money, so twice a year I send her a large flat rate priority box, with already cut up squares and strips, sometimes stuffing in other things, like thread. The larger pieces of scraps are given to another friend that I only see maybe once or twice a year. The scraps that are to small to be “useable”, I make into dog beds and donate them to our local Humane Society. Nothing goes to waste here, I even save all my threads, with the intention of making “thread bowls” one of these days.

    I enjoy your blog.

    1. Great idea, you are a wonderful caring friend! It is an absolute joy to receive a gift like that. And also making the dog beds, seems everyone is doing it, I had never heard of it, but sounds good. I may ask my Tuesday night groups for their scraps!

41. I cut many of my scraps into standard size squares and turn them into postage stamp quilts and related projects–large and small. My standard sizes are 1-1/2″, 2″, 2-1/2″, strips and larger charm squares (5″). Larger than that I file by color for future quilts. It works for me…

42. Learn to foundation piece. Scraps are always handy for that.

43. http://tomrussellquilts.wordpress.com/2012/08/05/a-look-at-my-2013-quilt-cruise-workshops/

    Tom Russell has the perfect project for your scraps.

44. I use my scraps the box’s you pictured I consider yardage. haha I cut into 1.5, 2, 2.5 and 3.5 blocks. 1.5, 2, & 2.5 strips. Anything else I put into a jar on my cutting table. When it gets full I give it to my teacher daughter for the preschool teacher to use in art class. She seems to want them very much. I’m talking 3 & 4 year olds to use with blunt sissors and paste to make pictures. I recently sold a quilt the lady picked from 20 quilts. The one she fell in love with was Yes a scrappy one. You can see the picture of her and the quilt here. http://comfortquilts.blogspot.com/2014/01/sold-quilt.html

45. I precut mine into squares or strips and then also save the tail ends of binding. I make preemie quilts out of the color or print appropriate ones. The rest I use for VERY scrappy donation quilts. I also let my granddaughters use them for their sewing projects. I have two (11 and 12) who are going to be very good quilters someday. Their color choices are much more, shall we say adventurous, than mine! LOL BTW I’m really enjoying this blog. I’m new to it.

46. Squares, strips. I like the idea about flying geese.

47. I use my scrapes for many different quilts. The first is appliqués, the second is hexagons quilts, and the third is Dresden quilts. I have made some beautiful quilts using my scraps

48. I like Bonnie Hunter Quiltville.com methods for cutting storing and using scraps. That said, I recently made Artful oven mitts, using a pattern I received from Maria Shell. Took all those bits and pieces and “made” my fabric for 11 mitts.

49. I just love scraps and I only make scrap quilts to give away, with small strips about four inches long I sew them onto adding machine tape, you know the sew,flip and sew method trim the sides up using the paper as a guide, then I have a ready made piano key border for another scrap quilt

50. I see you got some Bonnie Hunter links. She is the best for scrap quilts and how to organize those little pieces. For ugly fabric-she says if it is still ugly it isn’t cut small enough. I think the ugly fabrics get lost in scrappy quilts and actually add interest to them.