This past summer has been a wonderful time of learning for the fiber artist in me. I have viewed dozens of tutorials, focused primarily on quilting. “Don’t ever throw away your scraps,” is advice that I heard from an art quilter, early in my training. Well, I took her advice, and look where it has got me. I desperately need a system for managing these fabric pieces!
By nature I am not a messy person. I like to make my bed and wash the dishes. When I began my journey with fiber, I organized a space which I believed possessed ample work room and plenty of storage for tools and materials. It was great, as long as I stuck to yarn crafts. But once I ventured into fabric work, things went wonky. (FYI “wonky” is a technical term used by quilters.)
I share my closet with the family’s camping equipment. It also houses the ironing board, a small set of drawers and shelves for my yarn stash. The stash is relatively modest, but it now fills the shelves. My bookcases contain paint, books, tools, my fabric stash and sewing machine. But the scraps have proven recalcitrant. If left tossed in a basket, they are impossible to work with.
So this is my plea: Who of you has solved the Scraps Dilemma, and will you share your solution with me, a frustrated fiber artist?
Daily Fiber 
Am looking forward to hearing solutions!
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My husband suggested a bonfire. I told him that was a solution, but that I would wait to see what the community suggests.
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I noticed that some of your scraps are small. Those are the ones I throw away. When I make a quilt I save the scraps that are at least 12″ X 12″ square. Anything smaller either gets made into triangle blocks, long scraps are used for log cabin quilts. All other scraps are put into a plastic bag and given to a friend who has a friend who makes dog beds for the Humane Society.
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Nice! Thanks for the suggestions on what to keep. Now if I can find someone to give the small scraps to. Does the friend sew with the scraps or use them as stuffing in the beds?
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I do not know the woman who makes the dog beds. My friend who takes the scraps says she uses the scraps to stuff the bags. I don’t know who supplies the outer fabric for the bags. Maybe the woman has a huge stash she is trying to use up.
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Hi Laura Kate, I understand your dilemma! I keep a few fabric scraps for trying out stitches. I keep the larger scraps (if I like the fabric) stored neatly in a plastic container that is meant to go under a bed but I keep it under a table. I have a friend who shares her favorite pattern scraps with me so maybe you could give your extras away? I’m sure a thrift store would take them too. 😊
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Thanks for the suggestions.
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