Scrap-saving advice

[Judith T.]

I have Karen's book. I met her in Paducah last year waiting in line for Eleanor Burns Show and Tell. Saving the selvages can become addicting....I made a tote bag from selvages and always get compliments!

Maggie in E. Central Illinois

[Judith T.]

I've been tossing selvages and smaller pieces, but saving bigger scraps. I will start saving those others now too. So many wonderful ideas here on how to used them. How do y'all store them? I'm running out of space!! Sandi in FL

[Judith T.]

I save all left over strips for string quilts... I have on going blocks of those in production. Here is my favorite string pattern directions.


http://<br /> <a href="http://www.a...5to06.html</a>


Small bits are used for MILE -A-MINUTE, FACATCHTA BLOCKS, and Giblets and Gravy blocks... all patterns based on the same principle as crumb blocks. Every one who makes these blocks give them their own name and twist on the block and construction.

I have found this is a great place to bury orphan blocks, poorly constructed blocks and blocks donated by other quilters for charity quilts. We just hack them up and use them for the base of the Facatchata blocks. Every thing get used up and nothing goes to waste. I save all of these blocks in a box for charity quilting nights... they make great blocks for our scrappy quilts.

I also use them to teach others how to do different setting techniques. If someone comes to the session without enough blocks to practice with. They use these blocks. It saves going home not liking your good blocks in a technique you do not like.

I tend to make these crazy blocks in the middle of the night when INSOMNIA raises its ugly head... mindless unskilled sewing... Although some mornings I wake up, look at those same blocks and say to myself " WHAT EVER WERE YOU THINKING?"

http://<br /> <a href="http://www.a...jects.html</a>

Here are the instructions.

Hope these help.

Scraps are also coveted by appliquers .

[Keith D.]

I'm having trouble with LadyRags' links...

And I think I may buy the selvage edge quilt book... Quilts from the Selvage Edge. Of course, I just put together two backs a couple weeks ago and threw the selvage away. ops: Silly me...

[Keith D.]

http://www.angelfire.com/art3/elaine.../A-05to06.html

http://www.angelfire.com/art3/elaine...tProjects.html

Above are the correct links provided by Ladyrags, and they are worth checking out. Thanks Ms. Ladyrags!

[karen f.]

I love that crazy star block on the site from Ladyrags. I think I might have to try that. Karen

[karen f.]

Here's a better link:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/missk/3...7612436932183/

[Paula D.]

I like to buy a minimum of 2 yards of a fabric - so for me, fat quarters are scraps!! LOL Seriously - if something inside says to keep it, then do so, and who cares what anyone else thinks. I say, if it's too tiny to piece, you can always fuse the darling little things.

[Diane O.]

I don't know that I will save my selvedges, I try to cut them off to get as much 'usable' fabric as I can, that there really isn't much of the selvedge to work with.

I also got one of my cat litter buckets, put in an old pillow case and am tossing in all my fabric that I don't want to keep, for what ever reason, and am going to make a cat bed for my cats when I get enough scraps in there. Don't know if they will actually use it or not.. but it's worth a try. LOL

Diane in Colorado Springs

[Diane O.]

Diane,
You'll find that your bucket will fill quickly especially if you ask your friends to save their scraps! A friend asked for scraps at our class two weeks ago and last week she ended up with enough scraps to make a small doggie bed!

I asked for selvages and couldn't believe how many I received!

JoAnne