It's a bit challenging getting a video live while on vacation but it's finally done. I hope this provides you with some strategies to get your scraps working for you. Home on Monday. Enjoy.
Karen, thank for another masterpiece! Your videos are so full of wisdom and inspiration! ✨️ I do have one question. What is it about your cube timer that you like over using a cell phone timer? Have you done a video on the specific application of your cube timer as a tool? You are very purposeful in your choices, so I'm thinking there must be more to it. Safe travels. 😊
this spring I had knee surgery and could not sit at the sewing machine. I watched your videos and made good use of my recuperating time by sitting in my recliner, knee up, and cutting up scraps. I cut up scraps into various sizes and stored them into a large container by size. When I was at the point to be able to sit at the machine for short spurts, I grabbed a handful of similar sized squares and made some blocks for a charity quilt. This has been so therapeutic as I was very limited in activities and energy but....this is something that I can do. thank you for your wonderful ideas.
This is exactly what I need!! I couldn't resist buying someone's entire fabric stash at an estate sale for $5. Now I have two huge boxes full of who knows what.
I bought an old library card catalog. I organize fat quarter and smaller by color. When I'm ready to start cutting I pull out the drawer and take to cutting table. I absolutely love this method. No more digging thru endless drawers and containers. And the best part is it's beautiful enough to sit in my living room. It's a recycled piece of furniture with history.
I don't quilt very often but my GOD woman your organization is absolutely next freaking level! I aspire to have my scraps even 10% as thoughtfully organized as yours. Sincerely, thanks for this video. It was like scratching and flossing all those hard to reach OCD crevices of my brain that looovvveeessss extreme organizing. Absolutely fabulous.
I laughed when you said you thought about it for over a week. When my son was little, he imagined a File Guy in his head. As we go through our day, things come up that we can't figure out by concentrating on them. We give them to File Guy to work on while we go about our day. Often, working in the back office of our brain, File Guy comes up with a solution. Sometimes he pops out with it in the middle of an unrelated conversation or activity. 😂 With the solution in hand, we can proceed with the task. The good news is that File Guy takes time, but not any mental strain. Next time you're thinking about something for a week, just say, "File Guy's working on it."
I just 2 hours ago finished a week of washing ironing folding and trimming 2🎉 boxes of material I bought at our church yard sale. I decided on 10 and 5 inch squares then 2.5 and 5 inch strips for all of the cuts. I managed a few 4x4’s and tons of crumb scraps. I am so happy with these sizes as storage is going to be easier and have finally settled on the sizes I use the most. This video was awesome. I finally feel good about having a handle on my scraps. Watching all your other videos over the last 2 years has helped my organization and storage 100%. My sewing and storage is minimal so love your adaptations and simplicity. When I store in containers I forget what 😅 i😢 have . someday hope to have a sewing room. Thank you for your tutorials and way of presenting ideas to us.
😲😃HOLY SHA-MOLY!! You are AMAZING!! My mind is totally boggled at the amount of work you put into that! Way to GO!!🥳🥳🥳 Karen is an inspiration and guide. I've been binge-watching her a good while, I'm not sure how long..🤔 But I've gone from from #1 to #30 etc and on. She inspired me last August to start a bullet journal and I am SO thankful for it!! And YOU are an inspiration to the rest of us, TOO!! Wooooooooo hoooooooo!!
I recently inherited a whole bunch of scraps from my mom. We cleaned out some closets and having been a lifelong sewer, and not one to waste anything, she has TONS of scraps! Some are crumbs, some larger, but my goal was to figure out what I could do with this pile instead of just tossing it out. I also sew but I'm not a quilter. Then I found you! Oh my goodness! I now have hope that I can make something beautiful with all these fabrics (which bring back so many memories because I remember the garments that she made with each one!) and instead of thinking it's impossible, I'm going to organize them into a usable source for quilting. Thank you for being an inspiration! I can't wait to get started 😊 BTW, I'm a Saskatchewan girl, so it's cool that you are also a fellow Canadian🇨🇦
If I don't have enough to make a back quilt, I have started making bag or pillow case similar to the quilt to store the quilt in; cuts down on the amount of scraps placed in my scrap pile. I have followed your advice and deal with these before next project, saves a lot of time. Thank you for all your advice and tips.
It is extremely helpful to know just how other quilter's process their scraps! This is one of those things that never gets old, there is always new information that one has either forgotten or not thought about with this process. And it can get overwhelming in a hurry!
Can I just say, as a crafter with ADHD, your advice about timing, chunking tasks and keeping things simple to prevent fatigue and overwhelm is IMMENSELY helpful! I've created mini-systems to help with tasks I find challenging (such as buying a die-cutting machine to avoid measuring and cutting fabric manually), and your advice about storage and processing scraps, and quilting processes in general, is so helpful. Thank you.
Karen thank you so much for the videos. I save my batting strips that are 2 in or bigger. Sewn together they can be used as placemat batting. Our Guild donates placemats to the local Meals On Wheels for elderly. It is so much fun to make holiday placemats or even just use any leftover blocks and turn them into a happy creative gift to brighten a home bound person’s day!
After watching your strategies for managing “Mt Scrapmore” plus the realization of the huge impact on landfills, etc I decided this year was going to be “zero” waste. I usually trim the selvages first about 1” wide and bag those. Then as I sew I save every little thread, tiny trim, and scrap for future stuffing. I take my leftover fabric and essentially sort from largest to smallest. Yardage to FQs. Then 2-1/2” squares and 2-1/2 x 5” pieces. Then hexie sized pieces, then strips that are under 2-1/2”. All goes in a ziplock bag. I use them to save storage space. I have enough fabric scraps for several lap-sized throws. 🤦🏻♀️. I’m Landfill-free zoned. This year and from now on!
I have been doing the same for about two years already, it does work! The only difference is that I give selvages and very narrow strips to my friends who have vegetable gardens to tie veggies to poles when they get overgrown)
That’s awesome! I love your commitment, and you will make such a difference. I try to do the same but not nearly as organised. You’ve inspired me to try harder. Thanks, Susan x
All my tiny little bits go into the bin under the sewing table. It's lined with a yard of fleece sewn into a bag. When it's about 3/4 full I pull it out and sew it closed, for an instant dog or cat bed. That includes offcuts of batting from trimming - I don't make a lot of stuffed things so I don't keep them separate.
I like to keep a few small pieces of each fabric to send along with the quilt. I've repaired so many antique tops and quilts and was so happy when this was done.
I followed your advice last year and sorted all my scraps , it took quite a long time but the difference it has made I can't quite express, I now process at the end of each quilt and it makes me so happy , I have even made a scrap quilt from fabric that had been hidden away for years , thank you Karen for your wisdom .
I spent two days in a small rv at a music festival camp site- before the festival, and my husband left and went to work. I had brought a rotary cutter, a 12” square mat, new blades, and a pile of scraps to process. All done; so satisfying!
I LOVE scraps of all sizes! I use them to make dog/lap car blankets - you can keep in the car and not care if they start to unravel a little bit in case you missed a few seams connecting. As a newer sewer, perfectly made with love is my motto
I LOVE your various plans for processing the scraps by size and color/pattern! I've been scrap quilting on and off for years and nothing I do really follows any patterns or rules. All my fabrics come either as gifts from others who are sick of looking at them, or from random thrift or estate sale finds. And I realize that I often just have bags full of scraps that I've not even seen before. I never have a huge amount of fabric in my house at any one time (very old house with practically non-existent storage space), but I realize that I never fully utilize what I have. Yesterday, with nothing better to do, I sat down and sorted/processed all my fabric scraps based on your method. Not only do I have about three times as much fabric as I thought I did (easily enough for 4 king size quilts), but now all my fabrics are organized in a way that I can quickly and easily see exactly what I have and start putting it to use!!! I'm a slow-sewer because I haven't yet embraced machine quilting but I have fully embraced machine piecing so I know I can whittle these scraps down much faster now that they're organized and ready for immediate use.
It is nice to know that I am not the only one to get stuck when trying to choose what to cut next. If I keep pushing myself to keep cutting until all the fabric is cut, I will make mistakes: and, I will have trouble going back to my sewing room later. Thank you.
Thank you for these words of wisdom and encouragement to inspire us, as quilters, not to be overwhelmed by the scraps we create as we execute those heirloom quilts, wallhangings, and useful items in our sewing spaces. I enjoy your presentation, content, and logical approach of tasks that often get put off to the side while I pursue the next squirrel…thanks again for taking time to create this particular video.
Yes! I would love to watch you make another afterquilt! I made one after watching your last afterquilt video and it was one of the most fun I have ever made. I loved it so much I made it into a separate quilt instead of using it for the back.
Whew!! I’m a crocheter but love watching your videos. This seems like soooo much work! For me it’s a matter of organizing my patterns and yarn. Save leftovers either by color or by type of yarn. Your video has given me an even greater appreciation for the time and care a quilter puts into their craft. All that said… I have often taken a week or more looking for that perfect pattern for someone, and the right yarn… colors, weight, texture, composition… for that pattern. Sometimes I change yarns because what I chose wasn’t working as well with the various texture stitches and I experiment with the size and style hook I’ll use. Since I’m a tight stitcher I often have to go up a size in the hook to achieve the correct gauge. Thanks for another entertaining and informative video🥰
I've crocheted since I was a kid and taught myself knitting about five years ago. I started quilting just a couple of years ago. My fabric stash is growing, and I see it as 'opportunities'. But I have the hardest time using left over yarn! I have a huge tote of partial skeins of yarn of all types of colors, weights and textures. I can get behind a "crazy quilt" but for some reason I just can't fathom a "crazy afghan"!
I have followed your advice... and am very happy with the results. A friend gave me a box of fabric. I made one queen top and backing with it. Had enough to make another twin top and using what I can on the back of that one also. Decided to get all of it used up and made enough crumb blocks to make a crib size quilt. I like the idea I will not have any of this fabric left. When those two quilts are finished, everything left will go in the dog bed regardless of size. It will be cut up for the dog bed. Three quilts with the same fabrics... I'm done working with it. I also like the idea of pushing through and eating the frog first so its not there haunting me. A practice I hope to do in the future. I like your symmetry quilt and plan to try and make 4 identical blocks with the scraps as I go. When I have enough for a quilt, I will put them together. Will use a common background fabric for all blocks to tie them together.
Hello 👋 I have really enjoy your videos! I am learning a great deal from them! Your scrap videos on scrap fabrics has been very informative, and I appreciated your idea of donating your scraps to a thrift store. In fact I thought about it and stopped at a local store and was very generously rewarded with someone's generosity! I bought 5 bags of amazing scraps to start my scrappy quilt projects from beautiful quality donated fabric scraps in 3# bags each. Idea to share .....it would be amazing if fabric stores would buy back scraps to resale to customers and give store points to customers who return their scraps, similar to how coffee shops run theirs, buy so much and get %,or $ off for the next yardage purchase you make. Thank you for your videos they are wonderfully educational!🧵🪡🪢🛒😁
I love fabric scraps! And I love hearing how others process them. My Mt Scrapmore includes everything smaller than a fat quarter based on my favorite scrap quilting style which is color theme string quilting. First I separate my scraps into solid or not solid because I tend to like either all solid quilts or all non-solid quilts. Then I group solids by color and separately non-solids by color. When one of my color bins is full, it's time to make a scrap string quilt. And if I have enough different color solids, it's time for a multi color quilt. I don't clean any edges before putting things in my bin - I want my clean up after sewing to be as fast as possible, so scraps just get sorted right into their bins. When it's time for a scrap string quilt, whatever I have the most of becomes my dominant and I pick a fabric from my stash to be it's compliment in sashing or some other consistent part, then all of the other pieces just get thrown into the blocks where they fit. Like you, my littles become "new" fabric as I sew them to register tape - sometimes with enough littles, that becomes my dominant fabric in my quilt. My sewing friends know I love it and save me their scraps:)
I love when you said it used a lot of mental energy deciding what to do to make a top longer. I have a horrible habit of "stewing" forever about these types of decisions and then get frustrated and do nothing. So I'm trying really hard to make a quicker decision and "just get it done". Thank you for your videos. They are excellent.
Awesome video; thank you for sharing it. I am a new quilter, making baby quilts with my church and have accumulated tons of scraps since January and NOW I need to organize them. You have given me HOPE and direction!!!
I use baskets and collect colors in them by colors. Probably not the best plan but for now with my limited space, it works. I have the IKEA storage for the baskets.
Ohhhhh Karen, this is outstanding information👏👏👏. Being newer to the quilting world, I’m gathering alllll kinds of information!!! I’ve learned so much from you. Thank you!!! 👏👏👏❤️😀
Good Afternoon Karen, I am sure you’re having fun in Holland with your Mom. 🎉. This video came at a perfect time as a week ago I realized I needed to stop everything and rearrange my fabrics. Thank you for sharing your Many Wonderful Tips on how you have helped deal with the situation. It will really help me with mine. Always Enjoying All Your Videos, 🥰 Sincerely, Chris aka Chris-Raleigh NC ❤️👍
My process in dealing with scraps is simple. When I have completed my project, the remaining pieces and / or yardage is taken to my next quilt guild meeting and given away. I love watching your videos on processing scraps and crumbs and I think I would enjoy a “crumb” quilt, but I actually break out in hives when I think about sewing all those little pieces together!
I'm so excited about my crumb quilt ... it'll be YEARS in the making as I only do a block after finishing a project (or when the in-process project is making me go cross-eyed). Yes, it's a lot of super tiny work (in my case) ... but there's NO pattern to keep track of! I consider it a "brain-off" zen-type of project.
I think I am going to rewatch and take notes. I have all kinds of bits and pieces from both quilting and clothing making. The quilt making will be easy to sort out and keep separate. However, the scraps from clothing making could be set up to have patches at the ready or use them to make creatively pieced inserts on jackets, for interesting pockets, or for when you need that little extra for interfacing when you've run a little short on the fashion fabric. There are some rainy or steaming hot days in the forecast and what a fun way to spend an afternoon. Now to find some containers to put my sorting into.
I watched this initially when it came out a year ago but did not implement the ideas as I was still gathering stash and scraps and wasn't sure how I wanted to process my left overs. I have watched other quilter's ideas and some are similar and some are different, but now that I have been working on actually using my scraps,I found really large pieces in my scrap bin and I knew I didn't want to use them for the strip quilt blocks I was making. I feel this method makes the most sense to how I work as I mosly work with layer cakes and jelly rolls. I took notes in my Commonplace Book to refer back to. Thanks, as always, for such excellent content.
Love the tips for organizing while making and upon finishing a quilt. Thank you. I was also curious I noticed in this video an item you were wrapping your binding around. Can you share what this item it. Thank you Karen
Great video, Karen! Those scraps are a challenge indeed. I’ll try, honestly, I’ll try to get them under control. I even save skinny strips, because I make fabric wrapped rope baskets.❤
I've just been working on a scrappy quilt. I should have watched this first! But I think it will work out all right. I used tissue paper to sew strips too. I got better at attractive blocks as I went on, but I have five rejects that I can use on the backing. I do enjoy making scrappy blocks. It is quilting after all!
It was only yesterday that I was rummaging through my numerous shoe boxes of scraps looking for pieces to do a scrappy flying geese border. I said to hubby that it was time to sort these out. Now I know how to start. Thank you 😊 Karen.
@@JustGetitDoneQuilts you are most welcome. I love your channel. I’ve just finished my second quilt and every time I had a question I went to your videos to learn. Thank you so much for your help!
Wow Karen that was a lot of information in a small amount of time! What a wonderful system you have I just have a bucket that I throw everything into lol I do make scrappy blocks using all sorts of widths of fabric sewing them on to 10 Inch papers and then making scrap quilt tops which are really nice but I haven’t gotten to the smaller pieces yet! Thank you so much for all of the information have a blessed day
I love scraps. I make scrap quilts from any scrap that wanders my way: denim, cotton, satin, poly, and corduroy. I do not use stretch knits for quilts, but I keep thinking a serged quilt would work; I just haven’t done it yet. I did play with fleece and that was a fail; however franken-fleece could be a batting substitute. Karen, you created a monster-and I am so grateful.
I have only been quilting for a year now and with 10 quilt tops made and either completed or ready to go I was finding myself getting bogged down with all the leftover mess. Thank you for your organizational tips and tricks for keeping me from getting buried in fabric. I am resolved not to buy anymore fabric until all the quilts are completed and all the scraps cleaned up. Wish me luck!!
wow you are so organized thats great now i have to start dealing with scraps i think it will take me weeks but i like cutting so Karen i have to go now and start thank you
The quilts shown in the video look really lovely! I especially like the looks of the solid quilt you shown. 👍 I want to do a major scrap and stash busting project. I have been stitching scraps together and making small blocks for wall hangings but after getting Christmas prep sorted, I want to resume quilting.
This video was great, full of useful and interesting approaches to scrap management. You are amazing! I’ve watched each of your videos at least once. I can’t thank you enough!
I sure do enjoy videos like this that better help me deal with scraps; especially the bigger pieces. I'm struggling with that right now with a couple of quilts I finished about a month or so ago. And about batting, I just finished piecing enough bits to do five quilts - throw size. I still have bits to piece, but as I did the others, I was surprised how different battings are! I have bought several different ones, and they are different thicknesses, textures and types. It took awhile to find pieces that match. My last quilt that I'm getting ready to quilt, I just opened a new pack and it's going to take nearly all of it. Thanks for this video though. I have only been quilting about four years and enjoy learning something new or different that will guide me using my fabrics. They cost so much nowadays and I don't want to waste any if I can help it. I hope you have a great vacation. Holland is such a beautiful country. I hope you see some great sights, visit some historical places and hopefully you find a fabric shop! I didn't quilt during my husband's army tours to Europe, so I never thought to look for fabric. Well.....lace for table covers or curtains. Thanks again!
This is such a helpful video! I would love to see a printable with the size pieces and what you save them for because it started to all combine together in my brain at the end of the video!
I need to spend some time. I’m making small hearts with a sewing group. This gave me some inspiration to sort my scraps and have them ready for our meeting in October.
I make my scrap quilts scrappy. No plan. When I do want to sew but not think i take out the bin and sew the pieces together no rhyme, no matching, etc. i do this often and so far i have made 7 scrap quilts with enough squares made for another. Most times i make 10 or 12 inch squares and then cut what i want or make them bigger. I love my scrap quilts. And i love your videos helping. Batting i keep up. I use asap. I will make a table runner just to use up the scrap pieces.
Hi Karen, your videos are always a delight and I can watch them over and over again and I confess thats what Im doing. Next month I will be moved into my new appartment and my daughter is about to move out studying at the university. So her room will be my crafty room and I want to my first quilts using older fabrics leftovers etc. in order to get more experienced before I use expensive fabrics. Im looking really forward to that having my own crafty space apart of the rest of the appartment. Have a nice stay in the Netherlands kindest Bille
So far this year I've made 2 dozen hanging hand towels for myself and others. The top part is a great way to use up smaller pieces and even shorter jellyroll strips. I join fabric where needed, cut to shape, interface (again from scrap interfacing), join the front and back, then attach to the towelling. The final stage is to add a button and buttonhole. You could use thin batting and quilt the tops or embroider them. These are great as gifts or to sell. I just made my own pattern but there are lots online. It takes about an hour to do two and I have arthritis. I have the iron set up in a different room so I have to keep getting up and my joints don't stiffen up.
As always, another helpful video!! I have just started the "keeping all the scraps until the whole project is done." Boy had that saved me! I'm trying to process me scraps as soon as possible. It helps, but I still have mount scrap more that I need to put some time into 😁
As I'm trimming up an EPP project, I've been trying to figure out what to do with this mess of crumb-level chaos, so this video was perfectly timed! Thank you and I hope your trip was great!
Hi Karen, I am new to the quilting world. I have picked up some salvage packages at my local store to start. I was planning on trying some mug rugs, etc. I apologize if I missed it but I am looking for video on the basics of squaring up long strips and pieces.
I just went through all my leftovers, my stash, and cut them into 10" squares, 5" squares and 2 1/2" strips. I find precut fabric to be more than I can usually purchase. That's why I cut up my stash into precuts. I'm hoping to use these precuts to make more quilts before I go ahead and purchase more yardage. The cabinet where I keep my stash looks so nice and neat now. I like your process of dealing with leftovers but my space is very limited so I tossed the scraps left over from cutting all the precuts. That was painful but necessary.
Another great video! I have loved making quilts from your scrap series so much! I just did a major pull for a string quilt yesterday after sorting through all of my Mt. Scrapmore! I sorted strings, crumbs, and then bigger pieces, and after I spend some time working through the smaller pieces, I’m going to tackle cutting some of my bigger pieces into 5” and 2,5” strips. I’m thinking of sorting into warm and cool colors to make pulling them out easier, and then I need to put together some baby quilts. I’m somewhat obsessed right now with Star quilts, so I’m thinking about making some larger diamonds for those into one of my standard cuts, though I’ll need to be a little careful to not stretch the bias. I can’t say they go together as fast as your hole in the middle and x-blocks, but they are fun! I’ve decided instead of boxes of messy scraps, I need more boxes of block pieces sp it is easy to sit and sew them when I need a mental break from homeschooling!
Love the paper piecing block idea. Scraps are more stressful than I could have anticipated after I made a pure scrap quilt this year and disliked how it turned out due to poor color balance.
Great video with lots of useful tips! I used to collect all of my scraps from various projects in a bucket and I’d try to process them monthly. That got overwhelming for me. Now I do something similar to what you do - processing them after each quilt. I find them a lot easier mentally since, as you say, it’s a lot of decision making.
Loved this well timed video, I'm in the final stages of a few projects and dealing with my scraps! Really appreciated the tips on standardised cuts of scraps. Would love to see the video on your 100 days afterquilt
Thanks for this video. My leftovers usually are smaller than a fat quarter but I like to cut them into the largest sizes I can get and I don't keep anything less than 1.5". I do all of these steps as you described except not in your exact order. I don't sort/cut quilt scraps from a quilt until it is completed and binding is on. Also I do one more step. After I've finished sorting/ cutting/organizing scraps at the end of a completed quilt, I then make a scrappy quilt using stash scraps only. So every other quilt I make is a scrappy stash quilt. It can be any scraps in my stash and not just scraps from the current completed quilt. This helps with storage and keeps the creativity flowing.
Thanks for the enlightening video. Once again, you have presented ideas I fully intend to utilize in my sewing room. I currently have scraps from my last four or five projects, that I had decided to make a trash quilt with just to get them out of my room. I don’t care for trash quilts, I like more structure, but i thought I could give it away and not have to look at it! Lol. I’m too frugal to throw them away, but more than willing to not like it and give it to our local shelter. How sad is that? Now I can be more diligent with them and make something I like. Thank you!
Thank you for this video-I am new to quilting and have no process and lots of weird piecesof fabriceverywhere! I will use your process as a place to start.
It's a bit challenging getting a video live while on vacation but it's finally done. I hope this provides you with some strategies to get your scraps working for you. Home on Monday. Enjoy.
=r===r=======r
You’re just amazing Karen💕🧵
Karen, thank for another masterpiece! Your videos are so full of wisdom and inspiration! ✨️ I do have one question. What is it about your cube timer that you like over using a cell phone timer? Have you done a video on the specific application of your cube timer as a tool? You are very purposeful in your choices, so I'm thinking there must be more to it. Safe travels. 😊
Again, inspection. Thank you Karen
@@helenpeddycord2241 b
I just love that you organize solids differently from prints because that’s just how your brain works: self-awareness/self-care goals!
this spring I had knee surgery and could not sit at the sewing machine. I watched your videos and made good use of my recuperating time by sitting in my recliner, knee up, and cutting up scraps. I cut up scraps into various sizes and stored them into a large container by size. When I was at the point to be able to sit at the machine for short spurts, I grabbed a handful of similar sized squares and made some blocks for a charity quilt. This has been so therapeutic as I was very limited in activities and energy but....this is something that I can do. thank you for your wonderful ideas.
This is exactly what I need!! I couldn't resist buying someone's entire fabric stash at an estate sale for $5. Now I have two huge boxes full of who knows what.
I bought an old library card catalog. I organize fat quarter and smaller by color. When I'm ready to start cutting I pull out the drawer and take to cutting table. I absolutely love this method. No more digging thru endless drawers and containers. And the best part is it's beautiful enough to sit in my living room. It's a recycled piece of furniture with history.
I love this!!
I'm glad that I'm Not the only one who makes hexies without knowing what they're going to be!!
I don't quilt very often but my GOD woman your organization is absolutely next freaking level! I aspire to have my scraps even 10% as thoughtfully organized as yours. Sincerely, thanks for this video. It was like scratching and flossing all those hard to reach OCD crevices of my brain that looovvveeessss extreme organizing. Absolutely fabulous.
Karen, you do the best tutorials!!❤
I laughed when you said you thought about it for over a week.
When my son was little, he imagined a File Guy in his head. As we go through our day, things come up that we can't figure out by concentrating on them. We give them to File Guy to work on while we go about our day. Often, working in the back office of our brain, File Guy comes up with a solution. Sometimes he pops out with it in the middle of an unrelated conversation or activity. 😂 With the solution in hand, we can proceed with the task. The good news is that File Guy takes time, but not any mental strain.
Next time you're thinking about something for a week, just say, "File Guy's working on it."
I just 2 hours ago finished a week of washing ironing folding and trimming 2🎉 boxes of material I bought at our church yard sale. I decided on 10 and 5 inch squares then 2.5 and 5 inch strips for all of the cuts. I managed a few 4x4’s and tons of crumb scraps. I am so happy with these sizes as storage is going to be easier and have finally settled on the sizes I use the most. This video was awesome. I finally feel good about having a handle on my scraps. Watching all your other videos over the last 2 years has helped my organization and storage 100%. My sewing and storage is minimal so love your adaptations and simplicity. When I store in containers I forget what 😅 i😢 have . someday hope to have a sewing room. Thank you for your tutorials and way of presenting ideas to us.
Wow. That’s a job and a half 👏👏👏
😲😃HOLY SHA-MOLY!! You are AMAZING!! My mind is totally boggled at the amount of work you put into that! Way to GO!!🥳🥳🥳
Karen is an inspiration and guide. I've been binge-watching her a good while, I'm not sure how long..🤔 But I've gone from from #1 to #30 etc and on. She inspired me last August to start a bullet journal and I am SO thankful for it!!
And YOU are an inspiration to the rest of us, TOO!!
Wooooooooo hoooooooo!!
Hello Connie
I recently inherited a whole bunch of scraps from my mom. We cleaned out some closets and having been a lifelong sewer, and not one to waste anything, she has TONS of scraps! Some are crumbs, some larger, but my goal was to figure out what I could do with this pile instead of just tossing it out. I also sew but I'm not a quilter. Then I found you! Oh my goodness! I now have hope that I can make something beautiful with all these fabrics (which bring back so many memories because I remember the garments that she made with each one!) and instead of thinking it's impossible, I'm going to organize them into a usable source for quilting. Thank you for being an inspiration! I can't wait to get started 😊 BTW, I'm a Saskatchewan girl, so it's cool that you are also a fellow Canadian🇨🇦
You are going to have so much fun.
What a shame there is no double thumbs up button for videos. This deserves one. What a wealth of information. Thank you so much ❤
If I don't have enough to make a back quilt, I have started making bag or pillow case similar to the quilt to store the quilt in; cuts down on the amount of scraps placed in my scrap pile. I have followed your advice and deal with these before next project, saves a lot of time. Thank you for all your advice and tips.
What a wonderful idea!
Wonderful idea! Thank you for sharing.
It is extremely helpful to know just how other quilter's process their scraps! This is one of those things that never gets old, there is always new information that one has either forgotten or not thought about with this process. And it can get overwhelming in a hurry!
Can I just say, as a crafter with ADHD, your advice about timing, chunking tasks and keeping things simple to prevent fatigue and overwhelm is IMMENSELY helpful! I've created mini-systems to help with tasks I find challenging (such as buying a die-cutting machine to avoid measuring and cutting fabric manually), and your advice about storage and processing scraps, and quilting processes in general, is so helpful. Thank you.
Glad to hear that it is helpful 🤗
Karen thank you so much for the videos. I save my batting strips that are 2 in or bigger. Sewn together they can be used as placemat batting. Our Guild donates placemats to the local Meals On Wheels for elderly. It is so much fun to make holiday placemats or even just use any leftover blocks and turn them into a happy creative gift to brighten a home bound person’s day!
After watching your strategies for managing “Mt Scrapmore” plus the realization of the huge impact on landfills, etc I decided this year was going to be “zero” waste. I usually trim the selvages first about 1” wide and bag those. Then as I sew I save every little thread, tiny trim, and scrap for future stuffing. I take my leftover fabric and essentially sort from largest to smallest. Yardage to FQs. Then 2-1/2” squares and 2-1/2 x 5” pieces. Then hexie sized pieces, then strips that are under 2-1/2”. All goes in a ziplock bag. I use them to save storage space. I have enough fabric scraps for several lap-sized throws. 🤦🏻♀️. I’m Landfill-free zoned. This year and from now on!
I sometimes bury my cotton tiny bits in the garden. They are 100% recyclable and my earthworms love the extra " food".
I have been doing the same for about two years already, it does work! The only difference is that I give selvages and very narrow strips to my friends who have vegetable gardens to tie veggies to poles when they get overgrown)
That’s awesome! I love your commitment, and you will make such a difference. I try to do the same but not nearly as organised. You’ve inspired me to try harder. Thanks, Susan x
All my tiny little bits go into the bin under the sewing table. It's lined with a yard of fleece sewn into a bag. When it's about 3/4 full I pull it out and sew it closed, for an instant dog or cat bed. That includes offcuts of batting from trimming - I don't make a lot of stuffed things so I don't keep them separate.
I like to keep a few small pieces of each fabric to send along with the quilt. I've repaired so many antique tops and quilts and was so happy when this was done.
I followed your advice last year and sorted all my scraps , it took quite a long time but the difference it has made I can't quite express, I now process at the end of each quilt and it makes me so happy , I have even made a scrap quilt from fabric that had been hidden away for years , thank you Karen for your wisdom .
I love your handle 🤗🤗🤗
I spent two days in a small rv at a music festival camp site- before the festival, and my husband left and went to work. I had brought a rotary cutter, a 12” square mat, new blades, and a pile of scraps to process. All done; so satisfying!
How are you doing?
I LOVE scraps of all sizes! I use them to make dog/lap car blankets - you can keep in the car and not care if they start to unravel a little bit in case you missed a few seams connecting. As a newer sewer, perfectly made with love is my motto
I LOVE your various plans for processing the scraps by size and color/pattern! I've been scrap quilting on and off for years and nothing I do really follows any patterns or rules. All my fabrics come either as gifts from others who are sick of looking at them, or from random thrift or estate sale finds. And I realize that I often just have bags full of scraps that I've not even seen before. I never have a huge amount of fabric in my house at any one time (very old house with practically non-existent storage space), but I realize that I never fully utilize what I have.
Yesterday, with nothing better to do, I sat down and sorted/processed all my fabric scraps based on your method. Not only do I have about three times as much fabric as I thought I did (easily enough for 4 king size quilts), but now all my fabrics are organized in a way that I can quickly and easily see exactly what I have and start putting it to use!!!
I'm a slow-sewer because I haven't yet embraced machine quilting but I have fully embraced machine piecing so I know I can whittle these scraps down much faster now that they're organized and ready for immediate use.
I watch this version OFTEN!!! As I am an infant quilter …. Your information is very useful!!! Thank You
It is nice to know that I am not the only one to get stuck when trying to choose what to cut next. If I keep pushing myself to keep cutting until all the fabric is cut, I will make mistakes: and, I will have trouble going back to my sewing room later. Thank you.
Thank you for these words of wisdom and encouragement to inspire us, as quilters, not to be overwhelmed by the scraps we create as we execute those heirloom quilts, wallhangings, and useful items in our sewing spaces. I enjoy your presentation, content, and logical approach of tasks that often get put off to the side while I pursue the next squirrel…thanks again for taking time to create this particular video.
You’re very welcome 🤗
I can’t imagine how much time and energy went into sorting and storage solutions. Thanks for the tips.
Yes! I would love to watch you make another afterquilt! I made one after watching your last afterquilt video and it was one of the most fun I have ever made. I loved it so much I made it into a separate quilt instead of using it for the back.
Whew!! I’m a crocheter but love watching your videos.
This seems like soooo much work! For me it’s a matter of organizing my patterns and yarn. Save leftovers either by color or by type of yarn.
Your video has given me an even greater appreciation for the time and care a quilter puts into their craft.
All that said… I have often taken a week or more looking for that perfect pattern for someone, and the right yarn… colors, weight, texture, composition… for that pattern. Sometimes I change yarns because what I chose wasn’t working as well with the various texture stitches and I experiment with the size and style hook I’ll use. Since I’m a tight stitcher I often have to go up a size in the hook to achieve the correct gauge.
Thanks for another entertaining and informative video🥰
Hello Sheila
I've crocheted since I was a kid and taught myself knitting about five years ago. I started quilting just a couple of years ago. My fabric stash is growing, and I see it as 'opportunities'. But I have the hardest time using left over yarn! I have a huge tote of partial skeins of yarn of all types of colors, weights and textures. I can get behind a "crazy quilt" but for some reason I just can't fathom a "crazy afghan"!
Excellent! You are so organized and you use as much fabric and batting as you can! Pittsburgh, PA USA
Great video, Karen. Hope you're having a great time on vacation. Safe travels.
Getting into a routine with scraps really helps and making the strip rolls is a great way to start a sewing time.
I have followed your advice... and am very happy with the results. A friend gave me a box of fabric. I made one queen top and backing with it. Had enough to make another twin top and using what I can on the back of that one also. Decided to get all of it used up and made enough crumb blocks to make a crib size quilt.
I like the idea I will not have any of this fabric left. When those two quilts are finished, everything left will go in the dog bed regardless of size. It will be cut up for the dog bed. Three quilts with the same fabrics... I'm done working with it. I also like the idea of pushing through and eating the frog first so its not there haunting me. A practice I hope to do in the future. I like your symmetry quilt and plan to try and make 4 identical blocks with the scraps as I go. When I have enough for a quilt, I will put them together. Will use a common background fabric for all blocks to tie them together.
❤ the colors on this quilt look amazing together
thank you
Girl, you’re just so organized! Nice video.
Hello 👋
I have really enjoy your videos!
I am learning a great deal from them!
Your scrap videos on scrap fabrics has been very informative, and I appreciated your idea of donating your scraps to a thrift store. In fact I thought about it and stopped at a local store and was very generously rewarded with someone's generosity!
I bought 5 bags of amazing scraps to start my scrappy quilt projects from beautiful quality donated fabric scraps in 3# bags each.
Idea to share .....it would be amazing if fabric stores would buy back scraps to resale to customers and give store points to customers who return their scraps, similar to how coffee shops run theirs, buy so much and get %,or $ off for the next yardage purchase you make.
Thank you for your videos they are wonderfully educational!🧵🪡🪢🛒😁
Hello Anne
I love fabric scraps! And I love hearing how others process them. My Mt Scrapmore includes everything smaller than a fat quarter based on my favorite scrap quilting style which is color theme string quilting. First I separate my scraps into solid or not solid because I tend to like either all solid quilts or all non-solid quilts. Then I group solids by color and separately non-solids by color. When one of my color bins is full, it's time to make a scrap string quilt. And if I have enough different color solids, it's time for a multi color quilt. I don't clean any edges before putting things in my bin - I want my clean up after sewing to be as fast as possible, so scraps just get sorted right into their bins. When it's time for a scrap string quilt, whatever I have the most of becomes my dominant and I pick a fabric from my stash to be it's compliment in sashing or some other consistent part, then all of the other pieces just get thrown into the blocks where they fit. Like you, my littles become "new" fabric as I sew them to register tape - sometimes with enough littles, that becomes my dominant fabric in my quilt. My sewing friends know I love it and save me their scraps:)
Doing this enabled me to make my own jelly roll for sew a jelly roll day. I loved seeing all your Tula scraps!! Safe travels.
I love when you said it used a lot of mental energy deciding what to do to make a top longer. I have a horrible habit of "stewing" forever about these types of decisions and then get frustrated and do nothing. So I'm trying really hard to make a quicker decision and "just get it done". Thank you for your videos. They are excellent.
Hello Rosie
Karen you are a genius! I hope you’ve had a fabulous time in Holland.
Awesome video; thank you for sharing it. I am a new quilter, making baby quilts with my church and have accumulated tons of scraps since January and NOW I need to organize them. You have given me HOPE and direction!!!
Excellent, that's usually all you need. 👏
Scraps, scraps & more scraps! I always appreciate tips on dealing with them, and these were very helpful.
Can’t wait to see the finished crumb quilt!! Thank you for all the tips!
I am always glad when you put out a new video. Thank you once again for the new ideas.
I use baskets and collect colors in them by colors. Probably not the best plan but for now with my limited space, it works. I have the IKEA storage for the baskets.
I love how you framed blocks in your kinship quilt! Have to consider that for mine. I'd like to see an afterquilt video for Kinship.
👍
Hello Julie
Ohhhhh Karen, this is outstanding information👏👏👏. Being newer to the quilting world, I’m gathering alllll kinds of information!!! I’ve learned so much from you.
Thank you!!! 👏👏👏❤️😀
This was absolutely amazing. Also u r looking like Noom is working. I admire ur energy.
Good Afternoon Karen, I am sure you’re having fun in Holland with your Mom. 🎉. This video came at a perfect time as a week ago I realized I needed to stop everything and rearrange my fabrics. Thank you for sharing your Many Wonderful Tips on how you have helped deal with the situation. It will really help me with mine. Always Enjoying All Your Videos, 🥰 Sincerely, Chris aka Chris-Raleigh NC ❤️👍
Thanks Chris
Always inspiring to see what to do with scraps.
Hello from across the ocean
Hello Anne
My process in dealing with scraps is simple. When I have completed my project, the remaining pieces and / or yardage is taken to my next quilt guild meeting and given away. I love watching your videos on processing scraps and crumbs and I think I would enjoy a “crumb” quilt, but I actually break out in hives when I think about sewing all those little pieces together!
I'm so excited about my crumb quilt ... it'll be YEARS in the making as I only do a block after finishing a project (or when the in-process project is making me go cross-eyed). Yes, it's a lot of super tiny work (in my case) ... but there's NO pattern to keep track of! I consider it a "brain-off" zen-type of project.
Hello Judy, how are you doing?
I think I am going to rewatch and take notes. I have all kinds of bits and pieces from both quilting and clothing making. The quilt making will be easy to sort out and keep separate. However, the scraps from clothing making could be set up to have patches at the ready or use them to make creatively pieced inserts on jackets, for interesting pockets, or for when you need that little extra for interfacing when you've run a little short on the fashion fabric. There are some rainy or steaming hot days in the forecast and what a fun way to spend an afternoon. Now to find some containers to put my sorting into.
My bonus squares are adding up quickly. Thank you for the helpful tip!. Making a dent in Mount Scrapmore, too!
I watched this initially when it came out a year ago but did not implement the ideas as I was still gathering stash and scraps and wasn't sure how I wanted to process my left overs. I have watched other quilter's ideas and some are similar and some are different, but now that I have been working on actually using my scraps,I found really large pieces in my scrap bin and I knew I didn't want to use them for the strip quilt blocks I was making. I feel this method makes the most sense to how I work as I mosly work with layer cakes and jelly rolls. I took notes in my Commonplace Book to refer back to. Thanks, as always, for such excellent content.
Great advice on scrap processing. I love your clear & concise style! The right amount of info without too much "fluff".
Love the tips for organizing while making and upon finishing a quilt. Thank you. I was also curious I noticed in this video an item you were wrapping your binding around. Can you share what this item it. Thank you Karen
Great video, Karen! Those scraps are a challenge indeed. I’ll try, honestly, I’ll try to get them under control. I even save skinny strips, because I make fabric wrapped rope baskets.❤
I've just been working on a scrappy quilt. I should have watched this first! But I think it will work out all right. I used tissue paper to sew strips too. I got better at attractive blocks as I went on, but I have five rejects that I can use on the backing. I do enjoy making scrappy blocks. It is quilting after all!
It was only yesterday that I was rummaging through my numerous shoe boxes of scraps looking for pieces to do a scrappy flying geese border. I said to hubby that it was time to sort these out. Now I know how to start. Thank you 😊 Karen.
Hello Jacquelene
This is one of the best videos on quilting I’ve ever seen. Thank you so much! Such great ideas for scraps. Love it.
Wow, thank you!
@@JustGetitDoneQuilts you are most welcome. I love your channel. I’ve just finished my second quilt and every time I had a question I went to your videos to learn. Thank you so much for your help!
Thank you for that clear explanation of your approach, very helpful.
Wow Karen that was a lot of information in a small amount of time! What a wonderful system you have I just have a bucket that I throw everything into lol I do make scrappy blocks using all sorts of widths of fabric sewing them on to 10 Inch papers and then making scrap quilt tops which are really nice but I haven’t gotten to the smaller pieces yet! Thank you so much for all of the information have a blessed day
Hello Nancy
I’m so excited to see the adding machine tape quilt come together!
I love scraps. I make scrap quilts from any scrap that wanders my way: denim, cotton, satin, poly, and corduroy. I do not use stretch knits for quilts, but I keep thinking a serged quilt would work; I just haven’t done it yet. I did play with fleece and that was a fail; however franken-fleece could be a batting substitute. Karen, you created a monster-and I am so grateful.
I have only been quilting for a year now and with 10 quilt tops made and either completed or ready to go I was finding myself getting bogged down with all the leftover mess. Thank you for your organizational tips and tricks for keeping me from getting buried in fabric. I am resolved not to buy anymore fabric until all the quilts are completed and all the scraps cleaned up. Wish me luck!!
wow you are so organized thats great now i have to start dealing with scraps i think it will take me weeks but i like cutting so Karen i have to go now and start thank you
You are so right…it has to be simple…it’s overwhelming!
The quilts shown in the video look really lovely! I especially like the looks of the solid quilt you shown. 👍
I want to do a major scrap and stash busting project. I have been stitching scraps together and making small blocks for wall hangings but after getting Christmas prep sorted, I want to resume quilting.
This video was great, full of useful and interesting approaches to scrap management. You are amazing! I’ve watched each of your videos at least once. I can’t thank you enough!
I have a little vacuum for the fuzzy mess left overs or I cut on the floor in front of the tv with my mat, shake it and upright vacuum the rug after.
I sure do enjoy videos like this that better help me deal with scraps; especially the bigger pieces. I'm struggling with that right now with a couple of quilts I finished about a month or so ago. And about batting, I just finished piecing enough bits to do five quilts - throw size. I still have bits to piece, but as I did the others, I was surprised how different battings are! I have bought several different ones, and they are different thicknesses, textures and types. It took awhile to find pieces that match. My last quilt that I'm getting ready to quilt, I just opened a new pack and it's going to take nearly all of it. Thanks for this video though. I have only been quilting about four years and enjoy learning something new or different that will guide me using my fabrics. They cost so much nowadays and I don't want to waste any if I can help it. I hope you have a great vacation. Holland is such a beautiful country. I hope you see some great sights, visit some historical places and hopefully you find a fabric shop! I didn't quilt during my husband's army tours to Europe, so I never thought to look for fabric. Well.....lace for table covers or curtains. Thanks again!
Thank you for your husbands service.
This is such a helpful video! I would love to see a printable with the size pieces and what you save them for because it started to all combine together in my brain at the end of the video!
Thank you for sharing your process 😊❤
I need to spend some time. I’m making small hearts with a sewing group. This gave me some inspiration to sort my scraps and have them ready for our meeting in October.
I make my scrap quilts scrappy. No plan. When I do want to sew but not think i take out the bin and sew the pieces together no rhyme, no matching, etc. i do this often and so far i have made 7 scrap quilts with enough squares made for another. Most times i make 10 or 12 inch squares and then cut what i want or make them bigger. I love my scrap quilts. And i love your videos helping. Batting i keep up. I use asap. I will make a table runner just to use up the scrap pieces.
This is a fantastic youtube. I love to make crumb quilts. And now I can get my scraps organized better. Thank you!!
Hello Julie
How are you doing?
Loved watching this. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Karen, your videos are always a delight and I can watch them over and over again and I confess thats what Im doing. Next month I will be moved into my new appartment and my daughter is about to move out studying at the university. So her room will be my crafty room and I want to my first quilts using older fabrics leftovers etc. in order to get more experienced before I use expensive fabrics. Im looking really forward to that having my own crafty space apart of the rest of the appartment. Have a nice stay in the Netherlands kindest Bille
So far this year I've made 2 dozen hanging hand towels for myself and others. The top part is a great way to use up smaller pieces and even shorter jellyroll strips. I join fabric where needed, cut to shape, interface (again from scrap interfacing), join the front and back, then attach to the towelling. The final stage is to add a button and buttonhole. You could use thin batting and quilt the tops or embroider them. These are great as gifts or to sell. I just made my own pattern but there are lots online. It takes about an hour to do two and I have arthritis. I have the iron set up in a different room so I have to keep getting up and my joints don't stiffen up.
I would love a new Afterquilt video in my life😍😍
As always, another helpful video!! I have just started the "keeping all the scraps until the whole project is done." Boy had that saved me! I'm trying to process me scraps as soon as possible. It helps, but I still have mount scrap more that I need to put some time into 😁
As I'm trimming up an EPP project, I've been trying to figure out what to do with this mess of crumb-level chaos, so this video was perfectly timed! Thank you and I hope your trip was great!
So many good ideas 👍 Going to try to get things in my sewing room sorted 🤔 Thank you for sharing 👏🇬🇧
Hi Karen, I am new to the quilting world. I have picked up some salvage packages at my local store to start. I was planning on trying some mug rugs, etc. I apologize if I missed it but I am looking for video on the basics of squaring up long strips and pieces.
oww yes! please show us that afterquilt! ❣
I just went through all my leftovers, my stash, and cut them into 10" squares, 5" squares and 2 1/2" strips. I find precut fabric to be more than I can usually purchase. That's why I cut up my stash into precuts. I'm hoping to use these precuts to make more quilts before I go ahead and purchase more yardage. The cabinet where I keep my stash looks so nice and neat now. I like your process of dealing with leftovers but my space is very limited so I tossed the scraps left over from cutting all the precuts. That was painful but necessary.
I love this video. thanks for doing it! I am going to make a chart of your suggestions and try it out for myself.
Karen, You always have so many great ideas. I love your organization "tips & tricks."Thank you for sharing your processes. :)
Hello Rebecca
How are you doing?
Thanks for sharing your process! The quilt you were working with is gorgeous!
This is just marvelous...thank you for your guidance and joy in your quilt making
Extremely helpful, thank you so much!
Another great video! I have loved making quilts from your scrap series so much! I just did a major pull for a string quilt yesterday after sorting through all of my Mt. Scrapmore! I sorted strings, crumbs, and then bigger pieces, and after I spend some time working through the smaller pieces, I’m going to tackle cutting some of my bigger pieces into 5” and 2,5” strips. I’m thinking of sorting into warm and cool colors to make pulling them out easier, and then I need to put together some baby quilts. I’m somewhat obsessed right now with Star quilts, so I’m thinking about making some larger diamonds for those into one of my standard cuts, though I’ll need to be a little careful to not stretch the bias. I can’t say they go together as fast as your hole in the middle and x-blocks, but they are fun! I’ve decided instead of boxes of messy scraps, I need more boxes of block pieces sp it is easy to sit and sew them when I need a mental break from homeschooling!
Hello Elle, how are you doing?
Great great tips. What good ideas. I’m not that organized but hope to use some of these. Thank you. Great teacher!
Love the paper piecing block idea. Scraps are more stressful than I could have anticipated after I made a pure scrap quilt this year and disliked how it turned out due to poor color balance.
Great video with lots of useful tips! I used to collect all of my scraps from various projects in a bucket and I’d try to process them monthly. That got overwhelming for me. Now I do something similar to what you do - processing them after each quilt. I find them a lot easier mentally since, as you say, it’s a lot of decision making.
It’s so nice to have them done and out of the way
Loved this well timed video, I'm in the final stages of a few projects and dealing with my scraps! Really appreciated the tips on standardised cuts of scraps. Would love to see the video on your 100 days afterquilt
Thank you so much for this video!!! seeing how your brain works has helped me so much to get started with quilting without getting too overwhelmed
Thanks for this video. My leftovers usually are smaller than a fat quarter but I like to cut them into the largest sizes I can get and I don't keep anything less than 1.5". I do all of these steps as you described except not in your exact order. I don't sort/cut quilt scraps from a quilt until it is completed and binding is on. Also I do one more step. After I've finished sorting/ cutting/organizing scraps at the end of a completed quilt, I then make a scrappy quilt using stash scraps only. So every other quilt I make is a scrappy stash quilt. It can be any scraps in my stash and not just scraps from the current completed quilt. This helps with storage and keeps the creativity flowing.
Thanks for the enlightening video. Once again, you have presented ideas I fully intend to utilize in my sewing room. I currently have scraps from my last four or five projects, that I had decided to make a trash quilt with just to get them out of my room. I don’t care for trash quilts, I like more structure, but i thought I could give it away and not have to look at it! Lol. I’m too frugal to throw them away, but more than willing to not like it and give it to our local shelter. How sad is that? Now I can be more diligent with them and make something I like. Thank you!
Hello Jodi
Thank you for this video-I am new to quilting and have no process and lots of weird piecesof fabriceverywhere! I will use your process as a place to start.
So brilliant! I cannot wait to begin on my scrap more.