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Today's post is about organizing fabric scraps. Do you organize your scraps? If so I want to know how you do & if your system is working for you.
Last year before I knew I was moving I did a few posts on organization. Part 1 & Part 2. Organizing by color worked for me back then. Once we decided to move I made a GIANT purge of my scraps to guild members. Almost 100% of the fabric in the colored scrap bins didn't make the move so I knew I'd need to start a new system here.
I did keep my "pre-cut" scraps.
What I mean by this is leftovers from pre-cut bundles. This includes 2 1/2" strips, 1 1/2" strips, 5" squares, and 10" squares.
I've got a bin of strips.
Most of them ate 2 1/2" strips
And then a small amount are 1 1/2" strips
This bin is all my black & white scraps, regardless of size.
This bin holds 10" squares, 5" squares and some charm packs.
I also keep scraps by project. I'm not really sure why I do this, since I can't ever remember going back and using them all together.
Another bag of scraps from a project. I have way more of these bags than I want to count!
I also keep leftover binding together.
Last year before I knew I was moving I did a few posts on organization. Part 1 & Part 2. Organizing by color worked for me back then. Once we decided to move I made a GIANT purge of my scraps to guild members. Almost 100% of the fabric in the colored scrap bins didn't make the move so I knew I'd need to start a new system here.
I did keep my "pre-cut" scraps.
What I mean by this is leftovers from pre-cut bundles. This includes 2 1/2" strips, 1 1/2" strips, 5" squares, and 10" squares.
I've got a bin of strips.
Most of them ate 2 1/2" strips
And then a small amount are 1 1/2" strips
This bin is all my black & white scraps, regardless of size.
This bin holds 10" squares, 5" squares and some charm packs.
I also keep scraps by project. I'm not really sure why I do this, since I can't ever remember going back and using them all together.
Another bag of scraps from a project. I have way more of these bags than I want to count!
I also keep leftover binding together.
I also have a few small messy bins of random scraps, but I'm getting better at not saving every little tiny scrap.
So let me know how your organize! Also do you use your scraps? I don't make scrappy quilts often so I'm not really sure why I spend so much time organizing my scraps!
If you are working on Project Life, scrapbooking, or a scrappy quilt share a link here!
© Blog post written by Julie Herman
For more information visit http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/
21 comments:
I'm moving as well so I just organized mine last night, how timely! I also save binding together and i used to do the rest by color, but now ive decided to group the scraps purely by size (this included breaking up my bags of project scraps). I'm hoping this will increase my willingness to work outside complete collections. The exception is 'kid prints' which I save all together in a separate bin (and a further subcateory exception of trademarked prints [seuss,, mickey, clifford, etc.] which I do store by collection.) Scrap on!
I have a long term, large-scale hand piecing project that requires 2.5" squares, so any scraps that I have that are strips or smaller than an FQ get cut to 2.5". I keep all of those in a shoebox.
Honestly, I try not to keep a lot of scraps. It just gets to be too much with all the saving and never using. I don't have a lot of space so I have to make a lot of choices in terms of what I save and what I toss.
I do the "scraps by project" a lot for some reason, too. I save all those bags you buy linens in (very sturdy clear zippered things) and I put each project into a pouch of that. I think I'd like to start a big project like the above commenter where I can just mercilessly send scraps. scraps can be so overwhelming...they are not as fun to cut and organize as yardage to me!
I've been wondering why I keep scrap bags by project, too. I think it's just convenient at the time!
I organized mine once, but now I just throw them all in a bin-I don't use them often either.
All of my stuff is so unorganized. Not just my quilting either. My crochet, my cross stitch, my beading and the list goes on.
I've added your button to my side bar so hopefully I'll remember to participate each week.
I REALLY want a craft room.
I keep project scrap bags and I do use them! I just used some scraps to make a draught excluder for my sister as she has just moved into a cold flat. Do you call them draught excluders? Sausage-like things you put by the door?!? :-)
I used to keep project bags but it was not working for me. I went to colour bins. I like it! I keep my charm packs in a bin like you. : )
I do scraps by fabric type (I make my kids clothes out of knits, velours, fleece, plus I like keeping my quilting cottons separate from my flannel prints), and then roughly by color. Haven't thought to put them in bins; I'll have to pick some up the next time we're out shopping!
I've got a scrappy quilt on my agenda. We homeschool, so my scraps tend to get used for art projects a lot. :)
Julie, I dedicate Sundays to scraps because I have soooo many! I linked to today's scrap quilt (an original by me!) but also wanted to share my post on how I organize my scraps:
http://52quiltsin52weeks.blogspot.com/2011/12/sundays-are-for-scraps-behind-scenes.html
Thanks for the button, I'm adding it to my blog!
my favorite quilting projects end up being scrap based...forces me to go well beyond matchy matchy.
but now...i find myself having to "make" scraps!
My scraps are a mess! I am encouraged by you ladies! I cut so much I find I just can't keep the scraps organized. I only want to get rid of them!!
I have a lot of 4" strips which are kept in bins organized by color. So fare that's as much organization as I've managed. I need to do more.
My method is similar to yours, but the best part I have found is to be sure to have see-through containers. Otherwise, once it goes in there, it's forgotten!
I love scraps and working with them! I enjoy the 'puzzle' work with scraps!
I try to keep also same colours together and also I keep left overs from projects, left over bindings together as well.
Your fabric boxes look so beautiful and they really invite to create!
As I'm working on a project, I set aside scraps that I can cut into precut sizes I save - squares 5", 2.5, 2, & 1.5", as well as some rectangles such as 2 x 3.5 for flying geese and strips 1.5 x 8" for a project I'm working on. The small squares fit nicely in these plastic jelly jars I found at Michaels and look good on my shelf. All longer strips are separated. Anything that's odd shaped, or I feel I have enough of, I put in a large ziplock bag, for donation to the Children's Museum I take my niece too. They have an area for kids to make collages w/ various items including fabric. It makes me happy to think of kids getting excited by the pretty scraps of fabric they can use.
I enjoyed reading all the comments. I use Dollar store baskets, I dont like Lids, if I want a scrap its on a basket and a dedicated shelf, I sort alot by size automatically. But I do have scrap laundry baskets, my grandbabies love playing in.
WOW, your organization astounds me! I am in awe! You are officially the Queen of fabric organization in my book!
I've started trying to use up all of my project scraps making pieced backs or coordinating pillows. I loved your post about making miniatures, I'd love to try that with my next set of scraps. Anything that is left over after that gets handed off to someone in my quit group that makes scrappy quilts. I have to admit, I used to throw away the scraps - my quilt group all about died when they heard!!
Last summer I organized all my fabrics by color, juvenile, Christmas,and floral. The I took my smaller scraps in a bin all together. Of course the fabric that I bought specifically for project I kept together, I also inherited some kits from my mother and those are together as well. I'm pleased with everything except my scrap bin but haven't decided what changes to make so for now it stays.
I have enjoyed reading all of the comments! I have been doing more quilting lately and I have been trying to figure out how to organized scraps. Your post is right on time! I think I am going to try to sort by color and see how that goes!
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