scrap sorting and inspiration

 

every sewer has scraps. many people save some of the large pieces that are obviously still useful. lots of the little stuff just gets thrown away. i understand the mentality of not wanting to deal with scraps. i really do. but i just can't part with them. when i've invested in designer fabrics, every little piece is precious to me. i know it could be used for something if i just hang on to it. there are problems with this, however. like piles of little bits that stick around forever. messes. 

 

the good news is there are lots of ideas out there for using scraps. just google it; you'll see.

 

or check out this beautiful book, sunday morning quilts, by amanda jean nyberg and cheryl arkison.

i can not wait until i have enough scraps to make some of these amazing quilts. but i just haven't been quilting long enough or made enough scraps yet. in the meantime, i diligently store every single bit of fabric scrap i produce. amanda jean and cheryl not only show you what to do with your scraps in their book, they also help you classify and store those lovely little bits.

for now, my system is pretty simple. i have a large white wire basket (found at marshall's) where i throw pieces as i work on my projects. it sits under the dining table where i work, so it is readily at hand.

 

certain types of scraps are further sorted and housed in sterilite see-through plastic boxes i got at joann.

 

i keep all selvages so some day i can make one of those awesome selvage quilts i've seen in blogland. the selvage blog is a great place to get an idea of just how many things selvages can do.

those pretty little triangles that are born every time i make binding go in a box all their own so i can make a specific quilt in sunday morning quilts. i love that it will be a sort of scrapbook of all my quilting projects.

and i even keep all the skinny, stringy pieces that are just too little for anything at all. i keep them for stuffing other projects. i also throw all of my cut threads in here, too. i don't remember who gave me the idea to use those pieces for stuffing, but i think it's brilliant.

like i said, i keep every little bit. all of it. even the threads.

and this morning, when i was sorting scraps from yesterday's quilt class, my 5 yr old daughter (#4) begged "the skinny pieces" off of me. pretty please, mama? i was loathe to give them to her since i do have plans for them, but i swallowed my greed and shared. even my heather bailey strings. ouch.

 

she made off with quite a stash of my super skinny strings and told me she was going to make necklaces out of them. can't wait to see how that turns out. i love all the crafty self-initiative she has had lately.