Are you a REAL quilter? Do you have a scrap bin? Scrap box? Scrap bag? Are you like me and can’t stand to throw away even rather small pieces of fabric? Do you have intentions of ‘someday’ using all those little pieces in a quilt? If you answered yes to any (or all) of those questions, then this is the place for you to be! I am about to begin a new ’small group’ within my quilt guild, well, hopefully anyway. And you are welcome to join us!!
When I piece a quilt, I cut the pieces for my top, then stuff anything that is left into a rubbermaid container beneath my cutting table. My grandchildren think this is their toy box, but that is not the main purpose. I actually have two or maybe even three large tubs under there, the ones with the flip open lids so I can open them, toss in scraps, then shut them. Well, they come pretty close to shutting anyway…
Our guild meets on the third Thursday of the month, and I have put an article in our guild newsletter to invite anyone who is interested in eliminating their scraps to meet with me after the meeting. I hope to chose a day/time to meet once a month. The first meeting, we’ll all bring patterns that can be made using only our scraps (well, maybe a few yards of background/border fabric can be added). Then we’ll start cutting up our scraps. Once we have our piles and pieces all cut, we’ll start sewing.
I have no idea how long this will take…some will probably go home and cut, some won’t. No matter, it is the process that I am after here, not the finished projects.
I am not even sure what I will do with the quilts I make…may donate them somewhere, may give them as gifts. Who knows?!
The patterns I have chosen so far include three quilts from the latest issue of McCalls America Makes Fast Quilts, Autumn 2009.
Two Scoop Sundae
Scrappity-Do-Dah

And Summer at Mom’s. This one has some applique and I would really like to try to do that. We’ll see…

So, I bought (at the Dollar Store, love that place) four clear plastic shoe box sized containers. Each is marked with the name of the pattern and what size/shape pieces are needed. I am thinking that once they get full, I will transfer the pieces to something larger and keep using these as I go…

As I go through my scraps, I press each piece if needed, cut the largest pieces first, then the smaller ones. Anything left that is larger than, oh say, 2″X2″ go into the fourth box with is marked ‘crumbs’. Bonnie Hunter makes adorable quilts she calls ‘Crumb Quilts’ from these smallest of pieces. I am also (so far) not putting anything into those big bins. As I use a fabric, I go ahead and cut it into my quilt pieces and crumbs and toss the tiny little bits that can’t be used. It will take some discipline, but enough is enough!!
So, if you are up to the challenge, just post a comment to this post. I’ll post updates from my end, and check to see how you are doing!! I can share some patterns after we meet, and I am sure the others will have ideas about cutting/sorting/storing our new quilt pieces. They will no longer be scraps as they now will have a purpose…eventually. If you have ideas or suggestions for the rest of us, please add your two cents!!
Wish me luck….