Scraps

[Pearl]

May I ask how you organise your scraps? 

Currently, mine are thrown in two boxes, one for bigger scraps and one for smaller scraps but when I'm looking for something, I have to look through both boxes.  I'm wondering if it would be better to organise them by colour (or just to throw the small scraps away).  My sewing room is a mess and I usually end up working in the dining room.  I think if I got better organised, I might achieve more.

TIA

[Bodgeitandscarper]

I try very hard to throw small bits away, and haven't amassed toooo many bigger bits yet, having only really started sewing again the last 18 months or thereabouts, so they are all piled up together.  When my sewing room is finished, I need to be organised!

[fajita]

When I first thought about saving scraps I was just going to cut my scraps immediately into the biggest squares they would cut into, and store them by size. I think I will still do that.

One day.

[Tamnymore]

There's a charity shop near me where they sell unwanted fabric and haberdashery so I take scraps in there. They bag up matching fabric pieces and they sell very well. Of course, inevitably, I come out with more than I take in! 

[Lowena]

I have one clear plastic box for left over jelly roll strips and one for left over charm squares.Everything else .................

[Pearl]

I have one clear plastic box for left over jelly roll strips and one for left over charm squares.Everything else .................

I know, Low, and I have emptied the bin three times while I've been sorting and I have a bag for the charity shop, but I do think it would be liberating to tip the whole lot into the bin.   

[Lowena]

The sense of freedom is great Pearl...you know in your heart that you should keep scraps, but know equally well that you'll never use them Liberate yourself...I'm here to hold your hand 

[maliw]

Strips go into a box - I started a strip quilt ages ago (haven't done any for a long time ) and squares in another. Not sure what for but my feelings - it will come in useful!!!!. When I don't know.

[BrendaP]

I have learned by experience not to cut left over fabric into any sort of square or strip, it's bound to be wrong when you want to use it.  My P&Q weight leftovers (FQs and smaller) are stored in 5L Really Useful boxes.  I started with three, but I've now got 9 stacked up under the work desk.  Organised by colour groups.  Bigger pieces are in a couple of larger boxes.

[Sewingsue]

Really Useful Boxes are brilliant for so many things.

[Lowena]

They're the sort of boxes I have, but much cheaper as they're from Poundstretcher

[Pearl]

I have IKEA Kallax with Drona canvas boxes.

[LeilaMay]

POLITELY SNIPPED
May I ask how you organise your scraps? 

TIA

Can I ask "How big is a scrap?"

There must come a point where although a piece might be useful to someone -  I'm thinking quilts made with postage size rectangles or something here - it's never going to be used BY YOU? Or you made something in a certain colourway for someone, but it's not you and you don't like it enough to really use it again?

Then I'd get rid of it. Only keep bits you like, and I'd colour sort them roughly if it helps.


You could as others do, and send 'em to charity shops - you could (gawd help us) start a colurways themed scrap swap here LOL But don't let it be a burden, if you don't want them, let them go

 

[Pearl]

The sense of freedom is great Pearl...you know in your heart that you should keep scraps, but know equally well that you'll never use them Liberate yourself...I'm here to hold your hand 

Thanks for the handhold, Low.  The smaller scraps are sorted!  Instead of picking out ones to throw away, I picked out the ones I want to keep.   

As for how big is a scrap.  I had been keeping some very small pieces.  I kept changing my mind about colour whilst making August's BOM and had lots of 2 1/2" half square triangles.  Not any more. 

[Vegegrow]

Scraps are dangerous.. ask me how I know ... Imi sent me a huge bundle and I seem to have become addicted to bears.. and baby bears.. and 'A certain bears quilt competition' quilt was made from teeny tiny oakshott triangles gifted from Imi