Friday, August 21, 2009

What is in your Scrap Bin?



I keep my fabric scraps in a plastic bin and lately have had problems closing the lid. I keep all scraps, big or small, because you just never know when you need that itty bitty bit of fabric. Right? But is was definitely time to deal with them, either make something with them or .... or what?


I started by cutting lots of 1.5 inch strips and then pieced them together by color. That is, either four strips of red or green, or blue etc. I then squared them up and made them into 4.5 inch blocks.


I laid the blocks out, moved them around until I was happy with the overall color scheme, and then pieced them together.


And look! This is what came out of my scrap bin! I did not cut into my fabric stash at all. It is a scrappy riot of color, and is now ready to be basted and quilted. I wonder what is in your scrap bin?

84 comments:

  1. Some SERIOUS inspiration here. Never will I toss a bit of fabric again.

    The blocks look wonderful as does the quilt!!

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  2. That is magnificent. I too have a plastic bin and inside there are zip lock bags of either strips or squares. I was being semi organised for a paper pieced strip quilt but I think your idea of the little 4" strip blocks is wonderful. Well done!

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  3. I want your scrap bin!!! What a treasure there was to be found - love it!!

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  4. Great quilt! I wish the fabric in my scrap bin went together that well. I've been working on projects is so many different colorways, that a quilt from just that would be a disaster!

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  5. it's a great way to use scraps and leftovers! thanks for sharing!

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  6. I seriously love it. I'm tempted to raid my scrap bin right now, but it will have to wait for other projects to pass through!

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  7. Wow this really turned out great! I'm gonna have to dig through my scrap pile.

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  8. i am seriously having scrap (and stash) envy. i guess being a new quilter has it's drawbacks!

    i LOVE this scrappy quilt, the colors are fantastic!

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  9. That looks great! Fantastic recycling!

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  10. Looks fantastic, the colors say spring to me.

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  11. there is lots in my scrap bin.. but not enough to make this.. i need more variety!

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  12. Wow, what fun. Don't you love just using scraps. Gives one a sense ( perhaps false ) of getting things under control.Thanks for the inspiration.

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  13. Absolutely beautiful! Inspires me to go raid my scrap bins, too! They are already separated by color, so it should be easy.

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  14. love that! I just about emptied my red bins of scraps on two big red quilts...I have HUGE bins overflowing of scraps... I plan on emptying some more with making 5" wonky star blocks... yours look great!

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  15. How Gorgeous! I currently have all my fabric (yardage and scraps) sorted by color, but this posts makes me want to throw all of my scraps into a container and hope something this great emerges from them!!

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  16. Nothing good is ever in my bin. I'm too intimidated to even try.

    My LQS has a die cutter... some day I will take my scraps and die cut squares and strips, but until that day....

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  17. I love scrap quilts and this one is so pretty.

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  18. What a fantastic idea and it looks terrific. I think I'm going to have to bookmark this for future inspiration.

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  19. Just fabulous scrappy inspiration! Love all the colorful gloriousness.

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  20. Way too much....... next question please :o)

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  21. Love this scrap bin quilt! Ok...I'm motivated...watch out scrap bin, here I come!

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  22. How cool is that. I probably have enough scraps to do a gazillion of these quilts. Thanks for the idea.

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  23. My scrap bin is still small, and un-diversified! You have such wonderful bright scraps in every color. Geez, I need to either get a second job or win the lottery to increase my options! ;-) Well done as always! Gives me something to work towards in the future!

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  24. Nothing near as color coordinated, that's for sure! Very inspiring, though. I love using up my scraps!

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  25. Oh my. Just beautiful! Very inspiring.

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  26. Well that is wonderful. Makes me want a scrap bin. I am going to have to do a lot more sewing to get there! Love the quilt the colors are beautiful.

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  27. Wow. You have some beautiful scraps.

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  28. Beautiful quilts leave beautiful scraps .... that make beautiful quilts.

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  29. Such a great idea and I love the color variations!! So smart!

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  30. i love that quilt, i was just wondering what i was going to do with all my scraps.

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  31. Awesome! I save every little bit, too, but often wonder how best to organize -- color, size, shape, etc. What a simple solution/project to use up precious bits of great fabrics and turn them into something beautiful and practical!

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  32. Now this is truly a scrap quilt! I love it and your blog...keep up the great work! Thanks for sharing!

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  33. I'm amazed at what you can create out of your scrap basket! It's gorgeous.

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  34. I'm jealous that your scrap bin could give you that! Mine's got wonky pieces that'd be impossible to make into a quilt. I can't throw away my scraps either though!!

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  35. Love that quilt, great inspiration. Lately, I have been throwing my scraps away, but once again, I am kicking myself. Thanks for the ideas!!

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  36. I too have some plastic bin with zip lock bags, Can i use them to make this?


    RITA

    Cash Online Get Easy cash at your door step

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  37. Now this is one gorgeous gem.

    Carolyn*

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  38. That is some serious gorgeousness! I have been neglecting my scrap bin for awhile but I think it might be time to start making some scrabby cabin blocks again.

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  39. This quilt is just so great!
    And you have some great scrap fabric!

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  40. I wish I had all the fresh colors of your scrap bin!

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  41. I wish I had scraps like you..they are Gorgeous and so is that Quilt...My Scrap Bin is quite large but Boring.!!!
    cheers

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  42. What a nice scrappy project!
    I have several scrap-bins, sorted by strip size or squares. I also have one box with crumbs, but I'm unsure on what to use them for.

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  43. What a great way to attack the scrap bin, I have made three big quilts last year from Bonnie Hunters website and used all scraps, but it is time to tackle it again.

    cheers
    Christine

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  44. Wow, that's an amazing scrap basket - I love what you did with it

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  45. hi there I love you scrap bin quilt. I have lots and lots of scrap fabric maybe i will have to do something like that with my scraps. By the way love you blog.
    X Razzy

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  46. Best scrap bin of color I've ever seen! LOVE your use of scraps. Well I donate the itty bitty pieces to a friend who sews for charity.

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  47. Wow - what a lovely treasure you made from that pile!! My scraps are free to my 4.5 yr old twins who like to use them for projects.

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  48. Looks great...your scrap bin is enviable!

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  49. Glory be! You want to know what is my my scrap bins - yes, more than one but less than 10. I did spend some time sorting my scraps by color, but other things in life got in the way and the bins are still in a stack in the garage. Thanks for the inspiration! As soon as I get my two bathrooms remodeled, I will have to work on those scraps!

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  50. Oh my gosh - that's so funny! I made a mini one of these last night. Mine was inspired by a quilt in the new Fons and Porter, but I guess this block is going around.

    Yours is lovely! :)

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  51. Wow. You seem to have all the right colorways in your scrap bin. Can I have some??? LOL!!! I'm working on building up my scrap bin. As always, you have produced a beautiful quilt.

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  52. Your quilt made me smile! I have six plastic scrap bins. Is that bad? I use the gallon ice cream buckets with the handles. I've got two for designer scraps, one for flannels and three for "other" quilt store fabric (not designer). The scraps you showed today would qualify as designer! This is a great idea and so beautiful.

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  53. My scrap bin is overflowing too, so I've said to myself that when I get my turn in the quilting bee I'm in it's scrappy spiderwebs. I need to get my scraps under control!

    I love what you've done with yours - that is truly inspirational!

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  54. I love it! Scrappy quilts are my favorite. I'm really regretting all the times that I threw away my scraps now.

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  55. Beautiful! I'm fairly new to quilting, so I don't have many scraps, but look forward to the day I do and I can play around with them like you did.

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  56. Once again, amazing! So much fun!

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  57. Great idea! Beautiful quilt...

    When I first started quilting, my daughter worked with me, designing and cutting. She suggested cutting a 4 inch square from every new fabric in my stash. Before long I had a tall stack of squares, and we commenced to design several scrap quilts from them, some using squares, some using half square triangles we made by sewing two squares together. When I brought the last one to Show & Tell at my guild, her brilliant idea sparked the loudest applause I ever received there!

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  58. Oh, that's lovely! What size pieces go in your scrap bin?

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  59. WOW, rita! this is incredible!! I am totally going to re-think throwing ANYTHING away! I am so inspired! Why do I have to be at work?! I want to go home and try out my brand new Janome 6600P!!!

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  60. It is beautiful! I've been making rail fences, trying to make sure there is lots of variety. Hadn't thought of making them with the same colors. I'll have to do that as well.

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  61. What an amazing result from a scrap bin! I also have a huge pile of scraps, because , as you say, you never know...not sure my scraps will result in such a fantastic piece tho...

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  62. scraps are so valuable!!! I wish my scraps looked like yours...the blocks are amazing!!

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  63. Beautiful. I wish I had your scrap bin

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  64. I have sorted my scraps in sizes, so I don't have ONE scrap bin. But I really, really like what came out of yours!

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  65. Oh how divine...i wanna make one...:)

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  66. Oh Wow, I love what you've done there! Wahoo! I've been putting my strips together to crochet a rug! Yup, I save almost every little one also. Thanks for sharing, I'm loving your quilts!

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  67. Just gorgeous - I certainly couldn't come up with a great quilt like that, Rita!
    Hugs - Lurline♥

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  68. What a bright and colorful quilt and just from your scraps. That is very inspiring! I can't wait for my scrap bin to get full to be able to do just that.

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  69. dang girl, you have an awesome bin! i love what you came up with. three cheers for you!!!

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  70. I don't know what is in my bin but after seeing your beautiful quilt, I am really going to take a look :)
    Very well done!

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  71. Wow, what a great idea!! Glad that i just sorted mine into colours, now I know just what to do with them all.

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  72. i also keep every little bit of scrap in a plastic bin but i don't have enough of them to make something like that... so AMAZING!!!

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  73. What inspiration! My scraps are taking over my house, and currently are held in 6 large bags, and two VERY large trunks. I may just start cutting 1.5 inch strips now.

    Thank you for sharing your beautiful works with us.

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  74. What a GREAT idea!! I've been into making scrap/stash quilts this year and have done fairly well. Finished a paper-pieced log cabin TOTALLY out of scraps and in the process of sewing it together. I MUST make a note of YOUR little project...SO CUTE!

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  75. I'm working on a similar idea except I am making log cabins instead of rail fences. I love yours.

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  76. i LOVE your scrap quilt. i wish my scrap bin was so pretty. :)

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  77. Amazing....I filled two garbage bags of scraps today and now I know exactly what I will do with them...thanks so much for sharing!

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  78. I LOVE this quilt! Is it a problem if some pieces have been washed and others haven't?

    So impressed...

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  79. I want to make this stunning quilt, but have NO scraps. Guess I better get busy making things to accumulate them :). Thank you for such ideas and inspiration. I just found your blog this morning and have spent a bunch of time here already. I see many more visits to learn from and be inspired by you in my future.

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  80. (3yrs after you posted this) I stumbled upon this in google images and am SO excited to have found it! It is the perfect idea for me to use all my scraps! LOVE it!

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