my top 10 tips for successful scrap quilting

If you've read my blog for more than a week, you know that my love for scraps runs deep! I enjoy using my scraps and I want you to be excited about using your scraps as well. If you sew or make quilts, there will be scraps to deal with....like it or not! Might as well embrace them, right?

Everyone is going define the term "scrap" differently. I consider anything that is less than a fat quarter a scrap. It's a very big scrap for me, but for sake of ease, that is my cut off line when I sort. (The size shown above is more my speed, to be honest.) How you define a scrap is up to you!

Here are my top 10 tips for successful scrap quilting:

1. Admit that you have a problem. (Isn't that always the first step?) If you are overwhelmed by your scraps, this may be extremely easy! Do you want to create order and tame the chaos? Admitting that you have a problem (and wanting to fix it!) is a great first step.

Personally, I have a problem with saving everything. Well, almost everything! I save scraps smaller than 1" square, especially when they are this cute! It's crazy...I'll be the first to admit it. I do use them, however, so I continue to save them. I use them for bright birch tree quilts, needle books and ticker tape canvases, just to name a few things.

 

(Rather than admitting your problem, maybe you just need to get really good at justifying your actions, like I did here. Ha!)

2. Assess your scraps. This goes hand in hand with step one. What do you think you will realistically use? If you don't think you will use it, pass it along to someone who will!

Some days are much better for this than others. If you are in a cleaning or purging mood, this is a good time to assess your scraps. Clear them out, pass them along and don't look back!

3. Clean them up. If you have fabric that was previously sewn together (like strips leftover from a quilt backing), cut them apart and remove the sewn seams. If you have odd cuts, whether you've cut out one circle or a complete garment, cut the remainders into usable pieces, like squares, rectangles, strips or triangles.

Let's illustrate this...just for fun.

Here's a random scrap that I pulled out of my bin of scraps that need to be cleaned up. In this shape, this scrap is very uninspiring and maybe even a little bit intimidating.

 I gave it a good press....

...and then I chopped it into usable pieces. These pieces include: selvages (that I save to knit rag rugs), triangles, strings, a larger piece that will go into my color boxes and the tiny pieces for my ticker tape drawer. On the bottom right are the scraps that I will throw away. Now, these remaining scraps are user friendly! The chances of these scraps getting sewn up has dramatically increased.

 

4. Sort your scraps. For scraps that are less than a fat quarter but larger than a charm square, I sort primarily by color. (The quilted storage boxes pattern can be found in Sunday Morning Quilts.)

For the pieces smaller than a charm square, I place like sizes/shapes together, and mix all the colors together. Strings are one of my categories where all of the colors are stored together.

I have a blog post about my extensive sorting system here, if you care to read it.

5. Come up with a storage plan that works for you and your space. It should mimic the way YOU work and your storage limitations. This has to be extremely personal, because everyone has different scrap tolerances. :)

My storage plan is extensive, and it continues to grow, but scraps are my main focus. I have to room to store them, so it works for me. (At least half of the bins pictured here are holding scraps!) My scrap storage methods are in a constant state of flux, depending upon what quilts I'm working on at the time. That is actually a very good thing! The addition and deletion of categories as I begin and end projects helps me maintain good organization.

6. Work on a few long term projects at a time. Scrap quilts aren't quick and I'm not going to try to convince you otherwise. One can only look at a single project for so long. Mixing up a few different long-term projects is a very good thing! I'm not one to do leaders and enders projects (oh boy, I wish I was!) but I find that doing some prep cutting and getting things sorted and organized ahead of time helps. That way, if I have about 20 minutes to sew, I can sit down with a bin or basket of scraps and get a little bit done. Little bits of sewing time add up to finished quilts, eventually.

7. Edit. This may be the most important step! Just because you are making a scrappy quilt, doesn't mean that you have to put every scrap that you have into one quilt. Make good fabric choices along the way. Edit until the very last block is sewn up.

Even on my scrap vortex quilts, where it looks like I just threw everything together, a whole lot of editing (and careful arranging) was done along the way.

8. Cut a fresh edge. Strings (which are generally 2 1/2" wide or less and vary in length) are the hardest category for me to get excited about. One of the major reasons why is because they get stringy!

It drives me crazy, but there is a simple way to fix it. Press the scrap flat, then cut a fresh edge, on one side or both.

 Isn't that so much better? Cutting a fresh edge will make sewing strings together easier and the back of your quilt will be nice and tidy. Cut right before you sew, for best results. Once the string goes back into the bin and gets tumbled around, it will stringy again.

9. Keep the scrap door revolving. This is a bit of an overlap with tip # 2, but I think it deserves a closer look. I have plenty of friends that pass along their scraps to me. I love that, and my quilts are better because of it! Because lets face it...when it comes to scrap quilts, variety is key. The flip side of that is, I have an awful lot of scraps... more than I can ever use in my lifetime. I continually pass scraps along to others, too. I try to put a bag or two of scraps on the free table every month at my quilt guild meetings. This keeps me from getting bogged down with scraps.

10. Make small projects, not just quilts! Pincushions, cards, and pillows are some of my favorite small projects to make with scraps. These projects are quick to finish and give you a feeling of accomplishment that you may need to carry you through until you can complete a larger scrap quilt.

None of these steps are a "one and done" type of thing. Scrap management takes routine maintenance, much like cleaning a house. I hate to say it, but it's true! However, if you take steps toward organization, it will be easier to maintain your scraps. If you have a spot for everything, you will know where to put things away. Getting organized means you will also know where to look when you need that perfect scrap for your project.

I hope that helps! If you have a favorite scrap tip to share with me, I'd love to hear about it in the comments!

Happy Monday to you!