One Sewist’s Scraps ...

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I’ve honed my scrap-saving techniques over the past year. I keep everything that’s a 2.5-inch square or larger, sorting the fabric by color and storing it in a big old bin o’ scraps.

I’ve since realized that there was another category to consider: those neglected tiny scraps. Some of them are pretty awesome fabrics from pretty awesome designers, and I feel guilty tossing them. Although I don’t want to keep track of these little bits, my friend Chelsea loves scraps of all sizes, so my sewing room now includes a going-to-Chelsea scrap bag.

Chelsea made this Friendship Bag (check out the tutorial) for a Yankee swap with some of the scraps I’ve given her. It’s fitting that I ended up being the recipient of the bag during the swap. See? It’s the ideal life cycle of fabric scraps. Give them away and get them back in a new form!

Made by Chelsea, of Patch the Giraffe

I’ve recently added a third category to my efforts: stuff that doesn’t inspire me anymore. A case in point is Denyse Schmidt’s Hope Valley. For the record, I adore this line of fabric. I had the entire line in fat quarters with yardage on top of that. It’s the foundation of my (aptly named) Hope Valley Quilt, and Hope Valley scraps appear in one of these Jane Market Bags, this Noodlehead bag, my Scrappy Color Wheel Quilt, and other projects I’ve long forgotten about. At this point, however, I’m Hope Valley–ed out, so the scraps and leftover yardage are set aside for another friend.

I’m not the only one who sees the benefit of passing on unwanted or uninspiring scraps. In fact, I’ve received scraps from two friends recently.

First up, Miss Audrey gave me her Bluebird Park scraps, which were left over from this quilt. Eep! I consistently like the whimsical designs of Kate & Birdie but have only ever bought one yard, from the Autumn Woods collection (like Hope Valley, it appears in my Scrappy Color Wheel Quilt). Once the bundle of K&B goodness arrived from Audrey, I quickly set my mind to using the smallest scraps in some cards ...

It’s hard to go wrong when hedgehogs are involved!

Then there’s my Cargo Duffle Bag, designed by Anna Graham of Noodlehead. (For the free pattern, visit the Robert Kaufman site.) Miss Kim sent me generous cuts of Amy Butler’s Midwest Modern line that were left over from a baby quilt. I was going to use them in a gray and yellow quilt of my own, but the fabric didn’t match up to the grays and yellows I had already purchased. Naturally, my solution was to use these scraps in a bag. I’m pleased with the results and look forward to taking this duffle on my sewing retreat this weekend.

OK, this lovely still needs snaps, but she’ll be done in time for Maine!

UPDATE: Both fabric bundles have been spoken for. All that remains is the patterns. Thanks! In the spirit of passing along scraps that I no longer want/need/find inspiring, I have two bundles that are up for grabs. There’s a pile of brights (first picture below) that includes three fat quarters from Amy Butler and others and a pile of charms from Kate Spain’s Horizon collection. The traditional lot (second picture below) is more substantial, with burgundy quarter yards that didn’t make the cut for this quilt, plus pieces designed by Brannock and Patek and by 3 Sisters.

While I’m at it, I also have two older patterns. You’ll have to overlook the rather hideous cover pics (!) and envision the loveliness you can make with your superior fabric choices. : )

If you’re interested, leave a comment below, indicating what you’d like, and I’ll ship it to you. First come, first served. No-reply bloggers, please include your email address in your comment. I’ll contact interested readers via email to obtain mailing addresses. Sorry, folks, U.S. mailing addresses only. These piles are too small to justify sending them up to Canada or overseas. My May giveaway, part of Sew Mama Sew’s Giveaway Day event, will be open to international addresses. Promise!

Linking up to Scraptastic Tuesday, Sew Cute Tuesday, Let’s Bee Social, Needle and Thread Thursday, Finish It Up Friday, and TGIFF ...