I had a scrap management epiphany when Bonnie K. Hunter visited the Lincoln Quilters Guild and explained her system of cutting scraps into squares of varying sizes. You can learn more about Bonnie at her website:
http://www.quiltville.com/. We (my hubby is also a member of the quilt guild) eagerly snatched up copies of two of her books.
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She also authored a second book, Scraps & Shirttails II: Continuing the Art of Quilting Green, which is on my wish list, along with her 2012 book: String Fling: Scrappy, Happy and Loving It!
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We also bought Adventures with Leaders & Enders: Make More Quilts in Less Time! How could we resist after reading this promo?
If you have ever found yourself paralyzed by your stash,
overwhelmed by scraps you just can't bear to toss out, arm yourself with a new
rotary blade for your cutter, make yourself a cup of tea and start reading.
This book is not only full of beautiful scrap quilts that can be made in
between the lines of other sewing, but also contains many ideas for getting
your ever burgeoning scrap stash under control, into usable sized pieces that
work well with one another, and ready to be sewn into quilts you've always
wanted to make.
That was ME! I was paralyzed by my stash and overwhelmed by scraps I couldn't bear to toss out.
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I have also read books by Joan Ford. She dubs her scrap management system "Scrap Therapy." Her leading book on the subject is Cut the Scraps!
But alas, the road to ... um.... you know where ... is paved with good intentions. So, after a quick read, the books sat on my shelf and the scrap pile continued to GROW -- exponentially, it seemed.
But with my new resolve to tackle the scrap heap in 2014, my hubby volunteered to help. Bless his heart!
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He's been "whittling away" at the scrap heap, armed with his rotary cutter, for a few hours each day. We now have nicely-squared scraps ranging from 2" to 5" and every 1/2" increment in between!
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They're temporarily being stacked in a fruit box, but it is filling up fast. We'll soon need to transfer them to large ZipLoc bags or medium-sized clear plastic tubs, sorted by size.
I think it's fitting that the box has a halo, because Jerry is an angel for helping me manage the scraps.
TTFN
LeAnn
An angel indeed...what a sweetheart for cutting all those scraps! Cutting them into squares seems like such a good idea. That way when you're ready for a project, they're all cut and ready to go! I need to look into similar ideas for my paper stashes!
ReplyDeleteYes, I hope to make some scrappy doll quilts with the small squares, and possibly some charity quilts or lap quilts with the bigger ones.
Deletethat is so great that your hubby enjoys participating with you in your art! I've been thinking of going to the Salvation Army and getting some shirts to cut up! Less expensive than fabric stores, I think. {:-D
ReplyDeleteYou'd love the Scraps & Shirttails book. Bonnie Hunter suggests buying XL shirts at thrift stores -- more fabric, same low price :-)
DeleteCutting them into squares is a great idea and how nice of your hubby to help you with all that work!
ReplyDeleteYes, and I think he's actually enjoying it. He even went out and bought some solid colored cottons because he thought all those prints would be too busy.
DeleteWhat a great idea! Awww - so nice of your hubby to help, too.
ReplyDeleteYup. He's a keeper:-).
DeleteVery cool! I'm sure that you will find a million uses for fabric squares. How sweet of your husband to help out.
ReplyDeleteYes, I really appreciate his help!
DeleteWhat a great idea! Do you think he'd come to Maryland and cut my scraps, lol !
ReplyDeleteHa.Ha. Not likely. He's not much of a traveler.
DeleteThanks for the book recommendations! I would love to see some of the ideas in them!
ReplyDeleteYou are so lucky! If Brian sees all my scraps out, he runs the other direction! However, he does like to help me choose my binding fabrics for my projects. I just love to get out my scraps! I'm always thinking of ways to use them up, but then I'd have to make more!
ReplyDeleteHa.Ha. Jerry has grumbled a little about me adding to the pile with each new order. But I just can't bear to part with them.
DeleteWhat a great hubby!
ReplyDeleteI hope you show us a project or two inspired by these books.