to ask how you all keep your fabric scraps organized and under control.
Do you sort by color?
Do you get rid of some once your bin/bucket/whatever is full?
Do you sort by size?
Help! Please?
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Were I to file fabric scraps, I would keep three bins for sizing (small, medium, large) and then arrange the scraps by color.
Take that for what it's worth, since I don't sew.
lol…I hear you!
Smaller bits of mine go into boxes on shelves sorted by colour. Otherwise I just have a couple of huge cane baskets I chuck the larger bits into and I rummage round frantically searching for what I need when I need it.
It's the curse of everyone who has a fabric collection!
I have all my fabric on shelves in a closet organized by color, as well as by cotton, flannel, and other fabrics. I put anything that can reasonably be folded on that shelf. If it is too small to fold, I put it in my "scrap organizer"…aka, a clear plastic shoe organizer hangie thingie that I bought from Target. You can see what I mean here:
http://getyourcrafton.blogspot.com/2009/07/my-happy-place.html
Good Luck!!
Lynette
i don't have enough "scraps" to warrant containment of any special kind. mine are currently in a neat little pile (less than 4 inches tall). i toss anything smaller than 4×4… i'm lazy that way (unless its a fabric i really love).
i also don't sew as much as you do.
I have a big Ikea bucket that hangs off the side of my desk and holds the smaller ones. Right now it's bulging! I'm going to make some yo yos to decorate future projects and hopefully use some up!
The bigger ones (almost FQ etc) go in with the rest of my material in one of 2 large plastic tubs.
I found a place in Canada that I donate it to and they make quilts for NICU babies
This way I don't feel bad about getting rid of it and I don't have to store or sort it!
I'm totally going to keep reading this. I'm sick of them falling out of my closet! And I don't sew that much. I just find myself saving old clothes to "reuse" them! Driving myself and my husband crazy.
I sort by color. I throw out if the fabric doesn't fit in the bin any more…which is a heartbreaking chore.
I've heard of people that cut them all up as soon as they're done with them, or sort them by color. I don't have any kind of system, I simply put the scraps back in the bag I took the material out of and shove it back in the drawer!! Good luck!
I'm interested in people's answers.
I "sort" by throwing them all in a basket and I pick through it once in awhile when I need a certain piece. There's got to be a better way…
Ugghh!! If I were organized, which I'm not. . .I would probably use a big metal ring with plastic bags on it. I would sort them by color and by size. But, in reality, they are shoved into a basket all mish mash. But, a girl can dream!!
my scrap bin is starting to bulge! I plan on tossing anything that's super tiny and things that I don't love. I do keep a separate bin for larger scraps.
I sort ny color. Pieces at least 2 inches and longer go to my "one day I'm going to finish these quilt pieces" pile. Shorter ones go in a drawer with thread (short pieces cut when sewing. I know… )that I use to stuff nightmare monster eaters and other small softies.
My scraps are organized in the same way as my fabrics: boy prints, girl prints, seasonal prints, other than cotton or flannels (so my vinyl's, decor weight, etc).
I do a lot of smaller projects, so I dig through those before cutting into my yardage.
I have mine hanging in our guest room closet off of childrens pants hangers. That utilizes my floor space for shelving. Anything smaller than 4 in. gets chucked, and all of my 4"-6" get saved in their own bucket for quilted note cards, hair prettys, appliques, etc.
I just keep all the scraps in the little plastic drawers you can get at wal-mart…I organize them by color tone (so like all reds and pinks in one, browns and blacks in another etc)…but I may steal the shoe hanger idea.
I keep all of mine shoved in various plastic shopping bags in random spaces in different closets….and under my desk! lol!
I have "buckets" I sort by size. My "Buckets" are large (1 cotton and 1 flannel), meduim (1 cotton and 1 flannel), kids and donate. I don't do color because I usually want them to be the same kind of fabric and I sometimes make projects on themes not color.
I have a lot of fabric. Obviously too much, since I have SOME in a closet organized by color, with batiks in a separate pile. A huge plastic tote holds flannels, another Christmas and Halloween fabrics, a third has UFOs. I have a multi drawer organizer on wheels that holds scraps, organized by color. Used to have them sorted by size, but right now sorting by color seems easier. Then I also have cubes stuffed with in progress stacks of stuff with the patterns included.
My books and magazines take up another whole closet shelf and small armoire!!
My husband thinks I should open a quilt shop! LOL
I throw most of my scraps into a bucket. If the piece is a little bigger, they are in a bin sorted by color. all types of fabric goes in the bins.
I am an addict quilter. I have more than a thousand yards of fabric – from 1 yard to 15 yard pieces. For scraps: fat quarters are arranged by color in 4 CD holders from Ikeya that are 7' tall. Anything smaller than a fat quarter has been cut into strips and is in very large lidded bins – not by color but by size, altho' there are separate bins for brights used for baby quilters. Strips are 1", 1.5", 2", 2.5", 3" and 3.5" as they work best for quilting. I also have bins with squares from 2.5" to 5". It's all very neat and usable altho it tends to keep breeding into more fabric at night. And I love your blog!
I use every scrap down to size 2" X 2" so I have to save a lot of stuff….I like to use the Ikea bins because they are clear and you can see into them. I arrange by type of project they are going to be used for…Ie. baby, adult, applique, quilting, weaving, …And then they are sorted again by type of fabric for the project categories…..I do lots of sewing so I have to store LOTS of stuff…..If you don't keep on top of it it can get overwhelming…
I sort mine by two categories – only good for paper piecing or applique pieces – or big enough to do something worthwhile with. The small stuff goes in one tub (that is starting to overflow, better start sewing small bits)! The other pieces go on shelves by type (flannel, corduroy, cotton) and color. It's a never ending chore trying to keep it from overflowing the shelves! (I'm kind of liking the plastic bags in a binder idea that Melissa posted for my scraps for paper piecing & applique.)
Good luck with your stash!
I love these printable tags to go around remnants that you roll up just like at the fabric store (but so much cuter).
http://justsomethingimade.blogspot.com/2009/07/organizing-fabric-remnants.html
Other pieces that aren't rolled are generally folded and put in a square basket. I like using the filing method as opposed to a vertical stack so that I can see what there is without having to dig. (do the same thing with my kids clothes in dresser drawers).
What's left over (smaller pieces) generally goes in another basket or box to dig through.