Project Simplify - Day 16
May 4, 2011 Chapter Three. A scrap quilt. I adore scrap quilts. I think of them as a collage of the quilt maker's history.
But I've been dreading this chapter for one reason. You see, I sorta feel like a fraud because you might have the misconception that I'm a really neat & tidy person from seeing this picture of my stash that I shared with you a little while ago. (It took 5 hours to make it look this nice.)
Yeah. Here's what I didn't show you ...
My shameful scrap bin. Doesn't it look like it's barfing? I keep it under my sewing table, which is probably very bad Feng Shui. And every time I try to get it under control I turn into someone who should be on a reality show about hoarding.
- "But I could use that for ____!"
- "But this piece is way too big to throw out!"
- "But I really love that _____!"
- "But this would be great for _____!"
- "But that's my very last piece!"
See, I have a weird love/hate relationship with my scraps.
I love them because I can make something pretty without spending money. It makes me feel ... frugal. And I love the challenge of making things from scraps - no pattern, no guidelines. It forces me to exercise a different sort of creativity. Plus they're very handy when you just need a little bit of something.
At the same time, I hate using up my scraps. The only reason they are still scraps and not garbage is because I love them too much to throw out. Using up and throwing out a scrap is the same to me - either way, it's gone.
I don't quite understand why I can get so emotionally attached to fabric. I almost always buy it because I fall in love with it, not because I need it. I rarely find a pattern first and then look for fabric. I'm always drawn to fabric first. Then I buy it. Then I wait to find something to make out of it. This pattern of behaviour (pardon the pun) goes a very long way to explaining my stash.
So for me, my "scrap bin" is a sort of "scrap book". It's like going on an archaeological dig every time I search through it. Memories of past projects come flooding back. Feelings about the objects made and the people I made them for bubble up to the surface ... much like I experience when looking through a photo album or scrapbooks. Some are old and dear friends, some are just aquaintances and some have grown old, tired & out-of-date but I still feel great fondness for them.
Anyone else feel the same? (Please don't leave me out here all alone in crazy fabric addict land. I could use some company right about now!)
Fabric, Project Simplify, Quilting 
Reader Comments (17)
"all alone in crazy fabric addict land" definitely not possible haha.
I feel the same way with my scraps. I can use some of them up but when I get down to the bare bones, I get nervous and agree that using them = them being gone, which is not a good thing!
I have an idea for a string quilt I want to make some day. For each quilt or bigger project I've made, I'd like to make a string block (or 2 or 3 haha) and eventually make all of these into a big lovely scrap quilt, that will basically be a scrapbook of all my previous projects :) It might be hideous, but I'm sure I'll love it when it happens one day. I really should start working on those blocks... but I still can't make myself touch the sacred scraps! :-D
oh yes my bin is the same...and I have memories from 20 years ago in the scrap bin...and can't part with them...I may use it one day...and cos 'one day' does come...lol
Hugs dawn x x
I feel the same way when I am going through scraps......sometimes I have to really stare at a fabric and think to myself "what quilt did I use this in?" It finally comes to my mind and I wonder how could I have forgotten that one? And then again, I can look at a little scrap and think...."why in the heck did I save this?"
Good luck with the scrap chapter/quilt.....
I'm right there with you. When I go to make a scrap quilt, I usually pass over the "pretty" swatches of fabric because I'm saving them for "something special." I finally started squirreling away all the "pretty" ones together so I can make a special scrap quilt or pair them with other fabric lines that might coordinate. So maybe we're crazy together?
On one side this is a very funny post, and the other is very serious. We fabric addicts(had a destash shop and still buying) can never let go of it all. I save my scraps in a former large popcorn tin. Once that is full, I make pillow inserts and stuff them with the scraps. My husband swears I could "kill a person" with my pillows as they are a bit heavy. But I know if I should ever(haha) run out of scraps, I have a hidden stash of them.
blessings, jilly
You are oh so not alone! I buy fabric when I love it - if it speaks to me etc...I get attached too. That could possible explain why I still have "scrunchy making fabric" in my stash! That's right I admit it...I was a teenager in the 80's and lived for scrunchies!
I do however have a designated box ( medium size clear tote) that I keep all my scraps in. Each type of fabric scrap has it's own flat ziplock bag...no matter how small or weird looking the cut is I keep it. I'm not saying every single piece of fabric has it's own bag - I do keep "like" scraps together. I find this to be the easiest way to dig deep in the pile to find what color or design I need without ripping apart my entire stash for a little 4 inch square. The nice thing about ziplocks is you can see through them too! Once you get them organized it's pretty easy to maintain : )
My scraps started in a nice basket with a lid - then grew to add a nice decorative box and then another. Then I organized and pulled out all the strips and put them in a separate box. And now I have just filled a FOURTH box. I know there should be some type of color organization but I have a hard time keeping my growing stash in some order. So much lovely fabric and just not enough time. Someday I will make scrap quilts!
I like finishing pieces of fabric as it means I need to buy more to replace it. LOL
We quilters all have those scrap bins. One of the byproducts of making quilts. :-) I recently donated a bunch of fabric scraps for the auction at our local quilt guild. (lots with quilt quality fabric scraps usually auction off very well.)
Your fabric collection is incredible!
I wish i had a fabric collection and a scrap bin like that.
I am exactly the same as you! I am thoroughly enjoying your posts as you work through Camille's book. i have the book too. Its a gorgeous book. Your stash looks very yummy.
No, I have no scraps in my basket. And I do not hoard. Oh wait.... my nose is growing. I actually made this quilt for the newborn daughter of a friend, but with a straight border. I turned out really well if I may say so myself. Good luck and judging by the fabrics I see, I'm sure yours will turn out beautifully.
What if you made a little visual photo album or journal for yourself with a sample of each of your fabric scraps? You could browse through it and you would always have at least a small saved swatch of all the fabrics you''ve used.
Ha! Are you going to sample spree? You'll see first hand just how un-alone you are in crazy fabric land!!!
There's that photo again...the one that makes me sigh with pleasure :)
I think we all have a scrap bin that is quite shameful, but it is so lovely to have the memories that each little piece brings. I like the idea of a swatch book of fabrics past...that would be fun!
You're not alone! I feel exactly the same way! And my problem is worse... i have not started on quilting but just hoarding fabrics for the time when i 'will start to learn how to quilt!' so there... you wil feel better right?...as you had put them to good use making pretty quilts! :)