The Small Stuff
Posted on March 6, 2023 by prairiemoonquilts in Stash TalesI started talking last week about how I sort all my fabric and scraps. It got so long-winded, I decided to split it into two posts, since I have a lot to say about all the little scraps I keep!
If you missed that first part, it’s HERE.
And I’ll pick up where I left off with the smaller pieces and what I do with all of them . . .
Little scraps:
These are the scraps that I “process”. I have two big boxes of un-processed scraps at the moment that I am slowly working my way through.
Here’s the process:
If it’s a large enough piece to fold and put into the bins, that’s where it goes.
If it’s too small for that, but so large that I don’t really want to cut it up into small pieces, it goes in the bag with other pieces that size, sorted by color. These are the ones I currently have in bags in a box under my cutting table while I decide what type of storage arrangement I want for them.
If it’s a small scrap, then it gets cut into one of my pre-cut sizes. I cut the following sizes for pre-cuts:
1 1/2″ squares
1 1/2″ strips
2″ squares
2″ strips
2 1/2″ squares
2 1/2″ strips
3 1/2″ squares
3 1/2″ strips
4″ squares
5″ squares
6″ squares
7″ squares
8 1/2″ squares
10″ squares
I keep them in the drawers of this cart:
I used to have them in bins, but they were difficult to use out of, since the bins were stacked. This rolling cart makes them much easier to get to, both while processing and when I want to use out of them. And since taking this photo, I have labeled the drawers, so that makes it even easier.
I will say the drawers are full, but since I use out of them a lot, they’ve never gotten to the overflow stage, so this seems to be working really well for me. And some of them even have empty space, so that makes me feel good.
As I’m processing scraps, I also cut pieces for various scrap quilts that I have going on, so not everything goes into these drawers. Lots of it gets put into projects right away, such as my Postage Stamp quilt, my Yo-Yo quilt, my Improv Herringbone quilt, my Pineapple quilt, my Snowball quilt, and many others that I use as leader/ender projects.
Irregular pieces go into the “Chunk Bucket”. I use out of these for appliqué pieces, crumb piecing, and for my Tile Quilt, and various other things.
Strings go into the string bucket, and I have a couple of string quilts started, so I sew a few together every now and then to move those along. It’s my attempt to keep the buckets from overflowing!
I also have a lot of triangle trimmings. Some of them I save, since I have a triangle project going right now:
The ones I don’t want go into a bag and I send them to my friend, Barb, who does absolutely amazing things with them. Barb also takes all my selvages so they don’t go to waste.
And right now I’m working on two quilts that use pieces as small as 1″ square. If you are interested in working with pieces that small, I’ll post a tutorial for what I’m doing a bit later on. I’m sure I’ll post about the quilts, once I get them far enough along to have something worth showing.
I also have some small baggies that have tiny pieces in them, sorted by color. These are pieces too small for the Chunk Bucket, but too big to throw away, because they come in really handy for appliqué projects. I’ve cut many a leaf and berry from those bags, so I keep them . . . for now. There may come a day when I no longer want to mess with pieces that small, but for now, nothing goes to waste around here!
So that’s how I sort everything. You may need to sort yours differently than that, based on how you use it. If you don’t do appliqué, for instance, or you never sew strings, those are pieces you won’t need to keep. You can save them for a friend who does amazing things with them!
I’m gonna talk next week about the process of processing, and as this series continues, I’ll talk about how I use my scraps, so stay tuned for some more pattern ideas, scrap quilt updates, and tutorials!
This has been a very interesting series. I’m a scrap saver too, but don’t have that many sizes sorted. Also, you reminded me that I need to sew some string blocks.
I do my scraps a lot like you. My strings aren’t cut in many sizes like yours, but I cut my long narrow-ish pieces into strips. I do cut my square blocks and sort by size, not color. I don’t do anything over 6 1/2″, though. Thanks for sharing with us.
Yowsa, after your last post I took at my bin below the cutting table… I am trying not to chuck the full bins into a closet and forget about them. I am doing 1.5 strips, 2.5 strips 2.5 squares and 5 inch squares oh and 2.5 by 4.5rectangles. I seem to generate whole neighborhoods of 5 inch squares. I am cutting 1/2 triangles from the low volume whites and blues..
The leftovers and scraps are taking one whole closet area at my house. No matter how many quilts I actually make. This is how our grandmothers died with baskets and pillowcases and fabric flour sacks full of stuff. Bless their little hearts. We sure understand. I am making some table runners from scrappy stuff now. At least I can get those quilted.
where did you get the “cart”?
I’m a “nothing goes to waste “ kind of girl too. It’s a good thing I like scrappy quilts too. I’d be interested in learning how you use your 1” pieces. I have enjoyed your posts on the way you think about scraps!
I like the cart idea much better than what I am doing, which is using the plastic container the cat “treat” food comes in. I look forward to hearing about your 1” squares. That is on my bucket list!
I’ve tried to simplify my scraps and no longer precut as many, only 1.5, 2 and 2.5 strips and squares. The rest that is smaller than a fat quarter is getting sorted into colors and in a cart very similar to yours. I will use those to cut leader ender and projects as I am ready to make. I have a bin for strings and one for tiny pieces. Tho I am throwing out more of the tiny trimmings after making some pet beds and not getting any takers for them, which was quite disappointing. My cats love the ones I’ve made them. Probably will bag them up with batting scraps and pass on to others. Sometimes I just have a hard time not being overwhelmed with all the small pieces. You amaze me with how many ways you use yours.
Oh no!!! Now you’ve given me ANOTHER “must do” project – your tile quilt!!!! I’ve been hankering for some hand sewing project I can keep in a basket by my couch to work on in the evenings. I think I’m gonna do that with your tile quilt instructions. 😀
Great rolling cart! I like the double wide set up and the variety of drawer sized. Looks like a perfect choice.