Martingale posted to their site and sent a newsletter about how I sort my scraps, but
omitted some info.
They also have their scrap books on SALE this week.
So to clarify, I generally do not cut down my scraps to fill my boxes of specific sized strips. I do for the squares and triangles, but only if the right sized strip is about 10" or shorter. Most of the scraps are truly leftovers. I set aside in a separate drawer the chunks or other larger scraps till I know what I want from them. The shorter odd width strips are also set aside for either string quilts or odd-width log cabin quilts. Once this system is set up it takes very little time to maintain. You could sort and file your scraps as you go or throw them in a small basket on your cutting table and empty it periodically. I am ready to do it again now.
Fabric for most of my quilts are carefully chosen to color coordinate or be in the same style. I do NOT do the kitchen sink variety where any and every scrap the right size is used. I do not hesitate to cut a strip from the main stash to use in a quilt. If i don't use it all, it goes in the basket then later gets filed in the correct box of strips.
Also since I use the Easy Angle ruler for cutting triangles, I do not need one box for 2 1/2" strips/squares and one for 2 7/8" strips or squares when I only need the 2 1/2".
I am sure many quilters don't generate enough scraps to use this system, but there are many of us out there that use a similar system and find it very efficient. Hope this helps.
To view the scrap quilts I made in the last year, click on "2012 top" in the sidebar under labels.
They also have their scrap books on SALE this week.
So to clarify, I generally do not cut down my scraps to fill my boxes of specific sized strips. I do for the squares and triangles, but only if the right sized strip is about 10" or shorter. Most of the scraps are truly leftovers. I set aside in a separate drawer the chunks or other larger scraps till I know what I want from them. The shorter odd width strips are also set aside for either string quilts or odd-width log cabin quilts. Once this system is set up it takes very little time to maintain. You could sort and file your scraps as you go or throw them in a small basket on your cutting table and empty it periodically. I am ready to do it again now.
Fabric for most of my quilts are carefully chosen to color coordinate or be in the same style. I do NOT do the kitchen sink variety where any and every scrap the right size is used. I do not hesitate to cut a strip from the main stash to use in a quilt. If i don't use it all, it goes in the basket then later gets filed in the correct box of strips.
Also since I use the Easy Angle ruler for cutting triangles, I do not need one box for 2 1/2" strips/squares and one for 2 7/8" strips or squares when I only need the 2 1/2".
I am sure many quilters don't generate enough scraps to use this system, but there are many of us out there that use a similar system and find it very efficient. Hope this helps.
To view the scrap quilts I made in the last year, click on "2012 top" in the sidebar under labels.
1 comment:
Thanks for the information - managing scraps is an interesting challenge. I used to just toss them into a storage drawer with other fabrics of the same color, but now I find they get overlooked. So I'm doing more stripping and storing the same size strips together, regardless of color. Finding room for drawers and in drawers becomes a problem as the stash grows!
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