Scrap Shapes and Sizes?

Most useful depends on the size of scraps you USE. *grin*

I have three bins of scraps. One is 6.5" squares (you baseball swappers know why I have that size), one is 2" x 3.5" rectangles, and the other is 1.5" strips. I don't sort by color or value (hey, it's too much fun to paw through all those pieces! LOL)

Good points! Not being a baseball swapper, what do you use those squares for?

The baseball swap, of course! *grin*

Or perhaps you were really asking what I use the squares I *receive* from the baseball swap for. Lots of stuff -- any time I need a bit of color, I grab that basket first, because there are hundreds and hundreds of squares there (I think this is my fifth year in the swap, I back two teams, and I get 300-400 squares a year in the swap between the two teams). I've done a couple of quilts that use nothing but BBS squares, and I'll probably start another one as soon as I get one of my current projects done.

The one I'm going to start is simple -- take the 6.5" square, cut two 1.5" strips off, then cut two 1.5" strips off the skinny end of the rectangle you end up with. Cut the remaining square down to 3" (because some of the swappers are a bit *ahem* challenged at measuring and cutting their squares). Frame that 3" square with the strips you cut from a different BBS square. Repeat until you don't feel like making any more. Mix 'em up and sew them back together.

Is the block like the one in this quilt?

like that idea! Though I don't have nearly as many swap blocks as you do!KJ

Howdy!

Well, they *are* scraps so I don't cut them again into any particular shape or size until I'm ready to use them. I mean, they're scraps.

When I'm ready to use the scraps, like any other fabric, I make time for the cutting, the planning, the stacking, the rootling of stash, drawing of diagrams/patterns, all the stuff that goes into the quilt; cutting is just one of those steps.

Good luck!

Ragmop/Sandy

I make them the size I need for whatever is in the works. Otherwise they live in the Black Hole Basket. I keep some little triangles (the ones left from trimming off flying geese and such) by the machine to use as leaders and enders, sewing into pairs. Then trim down to the next "regular" size. And sometimes when I have lots of those, make into blocks. The blocks don't have to be "for" anything, but eventually they add up into enough for a top.

Odd small shapes get cut as I go for the current hand-piecing project. Right now, it's 60-degree triangles about 1.5" tall, which uses quite small bits.

The Basket is useful for applique too. Roberta in D, Queen of the Scrap Heap "dogmom" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news:x6idnRTwLId8pD3YnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@io.com...

I have several of those plastic shoeboxes and as I cut fabric for a project, I trim any strips or squares down to an even size and toss into the appropriate box. Hand me down scraps get the same treatment, but I'll fussy cut some if there's a good motif to try and save. Then when I try a new block or need some quick nine patches or something, I have stuff already (at least close to) the size I need.

On Sat, 6 Jan 2007 18:08:37 -0600, dogmom wrote (in article ):

I have no organization too mine. If it looks like it might be useable some time in the future, I toss it into the mega scrap bin. Maybe this is why I've never actually made a scrap quilt?

Maureen

Check out

She has tips on the site about organizing your scraps. I save 1 1/2" strips, 2" strips, 2 1/2" strips (leftover binding), 2" squares (for starters and enders), and a variety of others. I have been able to make several scrap projects this past year, and will be making a few more, as I haven't emptied any of my scrap bins yet! I found the pre-cut strips and squares more user-friendly than the huge bin of "stuff"!

That's a cute one!

Mine will be slightly different -- the frame around each square will be a single fabric, the frame will be smaller proportionally, and I wasn't planning on setting it on point. But yeah, same idea. :)

I've got shapeless blobs. Since I do applique the left overs are not necessarily a nameable shape. I don't trim them at all, so they are just whatever is left after cutting; thin strips, long triangles, Ls, twisted stars, curved bits and all. I think organizing them would be a full time job so I just put the usable sized ones all in one place. Someday I will have enough different odd shaped pieces to make crazy quilt blocks out of them. Debra in VA See my quilts at

I see. I'm glad you mentioned the pattern though. It gives me some ideas about my BB swap squares. But perhaps I should wait for another Cubbie's season to get more variety! KJ

Looking at their roster moves this off season, backing the Cubs will once again be an exercise in stash reduction. At least we will get lots of good karma! ;-)

And here is why I shouldn't have given up caffeine -- I first read the "l" in the last word as an "o". I was scratching my head trying to figure out WHAT that had to do with fabric scraps! ROFLOL

There is a quite simple cure for this dilemma! Just don't sort and cut them, simply put them into a box, and take them to the Post Office and mail them to me. I will take good care of them and do all the sorting, fondling, and sewing of the unruly lot!

~KK in BC~

Oh my! Have some coffee or cola. Debra in VA See my quilts at

A few times over the years I have decided on specific scrap projects. I prepare a box large enough to hold an entire quilt project. I photocopy the directions and make specific notes about size and what is needed. As I handle differenct fabrics I cut the proper size strips or squares for the project. On the photocopied instruction sheet I keep a tally of the number of pieces I add to the box. It is surprising how quickly the box fills. I don't always wait until the box is filled to start the project but whenever I start, the project goes faster because some of the fabric is already gathered.

Right now I have a box for a charm tumbler quilt in Civil War fabrics. The template is living in the box with the cut fabric. The pieces are grouped by color and held together with a safety pin. This way I can check if a fabric has already been cut. Remember for a charm quilt I only want one piece of each fabric.

Another box holds the pieces for a Snowball quilt us>What shapes and sizes do y'all make your scraps? Do you find certain widths

I *love* that quilt. I'm really curious about how the blocks are made--trying to figure out whether there are any strip piecing and/or rotary cutting secrets for streamlining...

--Heidi

Plattsburgh (UPstate) NY

===

KJ wrote: