Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Scraptastic Tuesday - April winners!



Wow, it's Scraptastic Tuesday again. Before I award the prizes, I wanted to talk about scrap management and scrappy project plans, yet again. My scraps are out of control and I have not been motivated to use them. Here are my thoughts:

  • Organization: I have organized my scraps by colour, and I took all the strips of any width and put them into their own box. That resulted in me finishing Villa and I just need to continue using those strips. The problem is that I keep thinking I should try some different strip pattern and then I get stuck on which pattern to start. And I never open those boxes of other size scraps. My plan:
        • Make a pinboard of blocks and quilts that use scrappy strips - both uneven width strips and strips that are the same width, and then maybe I can focus when I have time to sew and make one or more of those quilts or blocks.
        • Cut 5" and 2.5" squares: My bins have smaller pieces left, so I think if I cut those pieces into 5" squares these can be combined with left over charm packs, and if nothing else I can make giant plus quilts. And I want to make some pixellated style rainbow sort of quilts and 2.5" squares should work. I do hate cutting fabric but then again, when I can't decide on what to sew, cutting squares might work and lead to the start of some sewing.
    • Scraps multiply: Every single time I make anything, there are more scraps. And I have started looking at my bits of fat quarters and I know that many people consider anything less than a fat quarter to be a scrap - which means that much of my "stash" is actually scraps as I put those partial fat quarters back on the shelf. My plan: 
          • Look at partial fat quarters as I have them on the cutting table to use them for projects and if I cannot imagine a use for them if I fold them and put them my shelf anytime soon, then cut them into strips, including one that is 5" wide if possible, and add the strips to the box of scrappy strips. The 5" wide strips can also be cut into squares, but to start I will probably keep them as 5" wide strips as that leaves more options (skinnier strips, squares, rectangles, etc.)
          • Work through my "stash" shelves by colour and decide which fabrics I will likely never use and add those to the donate box, cut other smaller pieces into the strips and squares as mentioned above, and press and refold the pieces that I want to keep in the stash and put them neatly back on the shelves. This will also count as a spring cleaning which is a bonus.
          • Start throwing out small little scrappy bits, no matter how guilty it makes me feel. This would include the left over bits in the scrap bins. I might offer them to my MQG first, but truly, I don't use these little bits but having them around makes me feel guilty. This will be the hardest part.-=0-=
      • Accountability; Planning is not enough. My plan:
          • Report back here at least once a month.
          • Evaluate my scrap use at the end of June, to correspond to the end of Q2 of the FAL. 
          • Try not to start 15 new scrap projects, but instead to limit the new projects to a small number so that they will also be finishes.
      Enough, it's time to thank our lovely sponsors, and award the prizes for the April Scraptastic Tuesday Link.


      A huge thank you to our generous sponsors for providing the following prizes which will be awarded randomly among those of you who link up.
      We will be emailing all of the winners shortly. Thank you for sharing your April scrappy inspiration and please plan to join Nicky from Mrs. Sew and Sow and I again on the second Tuesday in May 10 - for the next Scraptastic Tuesday link.

      By the way, if you are looking for some scrappy inspiration, a visit to the links is worth your time.

      Best,

      Leanne

      14 comments:

      Live a Colorful Life said...

      Scraps--*sigh*. I definitely need a plan. And I have started separating solids from prints. So now I have TWO huge bins of scraps...

      Nicky said...

      now all that sorting is quite an undertaking but I can help with one of those - check out my pinterest boards 'what to do with scraps' and 'squares and rectangles' - that might help!

      Jennie said...

      That's a very thorough overview! With my really scrappy bits that I can't justify keeping we've discovered that the local primary school reception kids love them for making collages and happily take all donations!

      Jennie said...

      That's a very thorough overview! With my really scrappy bits that I can't justify keeping we've discovered that the local primary school reception kids love them for making collages and happily take all donations!

      Mary Huey said...

      Some of my favorite quilts began in the scrap bin!! Are you aware of the #bescrappy fun on Instagram with @gogokim and @yardgrl60 that started yesterday?

      Teresa S. said...

      Looks like I won the Fat Quarter Shop gift certificate! I'm Teresa @stitchingal on IG. I don't think that you have my email address. It's either tstanulis@mac.com or tstanulis@verizon.net. Thanks so much and thanks to Fat Quarter Shop!

      Debbie said...

      yes, scraps are a constant dilemma. I think I can embrace your suggestion of working through my "stash" shelves by color...donate, cut up, or keep?? I have a big basket of miscellaneous scraps that I should do the same thing with...

      Rosa said...

      Great tips.I separated solids and prints, and then prints by sizes(1-2,2-3,3-4).

      Congrats to all the winners and thanks you for the link party.

      trudys_person said...

      My scrap management plan is similar to yours - I cut anything smaller than a FQ into 5" and 2.5" strips, or 5", 2.5" or 2" charms. I sort my 2.5" strips by longer than 16", or shorter, because you need 16" strips to make a Scrappy Trip Around the World. This seems to be my go-to quick baby quilt now - I've made 5. I've made a couple other charm quilts - Moda Bake Shop is a great source. And I'm using the 2" squares to make Arkansas Crossroads blocks as a leader-ender project ... no deadline, no rush ...

      Teje Karjalainen said...

      Oh scrap, I wrote the post and forgot to link because I was too busy...unfortunately at work and not with my precious scraps! Congratulations to all the winners! x Teje

      Linda Smith said...

      I put all of me tiny scraps in a big bag, along with the unusable pieces from the thrifted men's shirts that I cut up for fabric. Once that big bag is full- which happens quite quickly- I use it to stuff a dog bed to donate, or a floor cushion. Voila. No more tiny scraps, No more guilt.

      Archie The Wonder Dog said...

      Good luck with your scrap sorting!

      Megan said...

      I'm nodding my head knowingly about throwing out the teeny tiny scraps. I had bags and bags of them, thinking I'd use them to stuff throw pillows, bit after three years of hoarding, that never happened. I finally threw them away last week, and it felt so good!

      Terri in BC said...

      I highly recommend checking out Bonnie Hunter's scrap-users system on her blog quiltville.blogspot.com. I start my largest cut at 5" wide, and work down from there. Since I have started using her system, I've become very efficient at using all my scraps, even the strings and crumbs!