Saving scraps...

I love my fabric and used to save every last itsy bitsy teeny tiny scrap! Only problem was that I was only sporadically using my scraps and becoming overrun with crates and bags of scraps.

I don't have the biggest of sewing rooms and have every inch carefully packed with my treasures! So sometime early 2009 I decided to de-scrap my stash and devise a more productive way of saving scraps. I was sitting in my sewing room, seemingly staring into space, pondering what to do with my scraps.

My answer was hanging right in front of me! About 10+ years ago I attended a hands on Watercolor Quilt class at an expo. The small wall hanging was comprised of 2 inch squares of fabric. Not just quilting cottons but all types of fabrics. 

The inspiration for my scrap saving system!

Since I sew anything from clothes, to handbags, to equine creations and quilts I have all types of fabric scraps. I decided that from that point on all my scraps would be cut down to 2" squares and anything that did not fit this bill gets thrown out. (Well 95% of the other scraps get thrown out... sometimes I just cannot part with some things!)

I sewed up a drawstring sack that hangs from a hook on my wall and now after every project or two I cut the scraps up into 2" squares and deposit them into the sack.  Someday, when I have enough squares I plan on making one awesome queen size charm quilt for my bed. Until then I have a nice orderly way of saving my scraps and keeping my sewing room neater without bins full of wasted material scraps!

 From a pile of scraps (above) 

to a pile of squares (below)

The only rule I have is to keep the scraps on my cutting table until they are cut up, this way I am not tempted to tuck them away until later. Cause I know they would just then accumulate into one giant scrap heap!