Patchwork Times by Judy Laquidara logo

Throwing Things Out

Once something arrives in my possession, it’s likely to be here forever . . unless it’s something I really need to keep . . like my medical insurance card, or my Tri-Recs rulers.  I cannot throw anything out.  As I’ve been cleaning, I’ve been doing better but it takes a lot of effort.

I am not a scrap quilter.  I keep thinking that some day I may run out of fabric (stop laughing!) and I may not have any money to buy more.  If Vince reads this, he’s saying “You got to that point a long time ago!” For the longest time, I would cut all my scraps into different size squares or rectangles but I never use them.  You know almost all my quilts use yardage, not pieces of different fabrics.  I’m trying to throw things out.  The other day as I was cleaning around the cutting table, I had some fairly large pieces that had been trimmed from backings.  I debated about cutting them into strips or squares but no, I have too much to do and I have too much fabric already so I threw it all in the trash.

Good job, Judy!  But, for two days, I thought about those scraps in the trash.  I couldn’t stand it.

The piece was retrieved from the trash.  Then I decided to dig out other fabrics I’d tossed.

It’s hopeless.  I need a non-quilter, someone who has no emotional attachment to 100% cotton fabric, to come and clean my sewing room.  But she must take all the trash bags with her when she leaves.  I will never have a clean, organized sewing room and I will never use all my fabric — especially all my scraps.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. I think you should perhaps just set those useable scraps aside and then, before you move, donate them to a church group or perhaps to the local QOV group. That way, you needn’t feel guilty and you don’t have to worry about carting around stuff you will never use! Win/Win!

  2. I’m not much of a scrap quilter either. But have you thought about taking all of those scraps and putting them in a box. You could have a give away and some scrap quilter would be in heaven. lol

  3. I’m not much of a scrap quilter either, and I don’t like throwing out fabric, so I understand your dilemma. But…my mom IS a scrap quilter, so I save scraps for her and every so often make her day with a bag full of my leftovers. Maybe you know a scrap quilter who would enjoy your scraps?

  4. I managed to part with several years accumulation of Vogue patterns and fabrics by donating them to the design studio of our local Craft College. Knowing that the stuff would be put to good use by someone else made it much easier to part with. If you do not have access to a college I bet any school art teacher would be thrilled to have donations. Another option is a quilt guild for their charity quilts.

  5. If you only lived closer!!! I would take the scraps off you in a heartbeat. I too have way too much fabric but scraps call my name. I could throw all my little teeny ones out and start a collection of your bigger ones. Yes, those ones are very big to me!!!

    • I agree, even the scraps are worth real money. Think I read on Bonnie K. Hunter’s web site that even the scraps are worth same as original yardage–be it $9.00 per yard or whatever the original price was. Hopefully you will pass the scraps on to those with less resources–they will be grateful to you forever so they can make scrap quilts without having to buy new fabric.

  6. Please don’t throw them out! Someone would love to have them…..not to mention that they would be contributing to the already overcrowded landfills. Prices for 100% cotton fabrics are going up — making it harder for people on fixed incomes to afford. Please consider a giveaway for your readers, donation to a quilt group or the Linus Project, sell them on Ebay or Craig’s List — anything — But don’t throw them away.

  7. Hello!
    I also think a scrappy giveaway is in order. Or you could give them away. I am a scrap quilter and often take what others will not use and make beautiful things out of them. You could make someone SO happy by giving them away!

  8. Judy, bag them up while packing for the move. Goodwill will sell them and someone will be able to have some great fabric they might otherwise not
    have access to. I use all my scraps and my friends to make string quilts. I love them. They are no brainers, just sewing on used fabric sheets. I hate putting into the landfill. In fact, living in the country, I think twice about what I throw out. It all goes on the burn pile. Don’t feel guilty if you don’t like scrappy quilts, just toss the scraps on to someone that does. I think Susan likes doing scrap quilts. She’ll be very close to you soon. I chatted w/her several years ago. Such a sweet lady. Have fun purging. It feels good to be neat.

  9. I’ve been quilting for a couple of years now. But still consider myself realatively new. It’s a rare day when I can buy whole yardage for a quilt. So all of those scraps do come in handy.

    I say find a quilting friend who would love those bits. You could make someone’s day. I’m sure a local quilting shop would know of someone in need. Or maybe even to the local school district’s home ec. class or lifeskills class. I recently donated an older sewing machine to my son’s life skills classroom. They are making donation quilts and learning a skill.It’s wonderful.

    There are so many ways to use those bits. I have to admit I’m not a huge fan of giveaways on blogs. Maybe because I never won. But maybe it’s because people who have plenty come out of the wood work.

    I am sure that if it bugged you enough to pull it out of the trash can, that you will find the right place for it. Good luck!

  10. As a scrap quilter, I about cried seeing that fabric in the trash! My ideal quilt has each fabric in it one time. Seriously! I love having tons of different fabrics in the same general color group in it! So please, please, please do not throw it away. I know any scrap quilter (to include myself) would easily love your fabric, pet it regularly, and give it a home alongside all of the other fabrics in a scrap quilt!

  11. I agree with a previous blog, donate the scraps to a church. My home church makes quilts and shorts to be sent overseas with missionaries. How valuable they would be to any church group, the giving will continue.

  12. I don’t want to toss those pieces either, makes me feel guilty of the waste. I also know I am not going to use up anything but 2 1/2 strips so anything else I bag up and give to a lady at the guild that is a self professed “scrapper” let them clutter up HER sewing room.

  13. For a while I had been cutting my scraps into the largest pieces I could get out of the fabric (didn’t want to waste even the tiniest amount), but then I realized I wasn’t using it in those shapes. Now, I just cut them all into 2.5″ squares. I then use the 2.5″ squares as “leaders and enders” when I sew and I’ve been making them into a scrap quilt. Because they are all the same size and I don’t have to worry about which fabrics are next to each other, its really easy to just throw two on the machine and sew them together. I already have 25 16-patch blocks made of the 2.5″ squares, so I’m well on my way to completing another quilt.

    Another plus…you can count them as stash used. 😉

  14. Another person saying, please don’t throw all that fabric out. There are obviously many people who would use it, so choose either your favorite way to donate it (or just the easiest way, since things are getting busy).

  15. a lot of quilts can be made out of scraps – you might want to keep putting those pieces in a box and give them away if you don’t want to use them – a lot of people do use scraps – they make beautiful quilts – what a waste – LOL to me that is money going down the drain when you think of the cost of fabric.
    Karen
    http://karensquilting.com/blog/

  16. For about 3 years now, I haven’t bought any new fabric, have made dozens of quilts, including backings and bindings, and have still not seen a big dent in my stash! That being said, it may have to do with the fact that I give all of my quilts away to friends, family and humanitarian needs! People bring their leftover “scraps” to me knowing that I will use them (and I do!) It’s sort of like the story of the loaves and the fishes- I always have enough to do more quilts! What a blessing!

  17. I though oh no look at that beautiful fabric in the trash. I make scrap quilts all
    the time. And when you make a lot of charity quilts you try to use up all of the fabric you have . What you are tired of recycle to another quilter please.

  18. I’m a scrap quilter and I think you should have a give away of your scraps!! I for one would LOVE to have them and I am sure there are others who would also!

  20. I nearly shuttered when I saw that BIG green chunk in the trash! I’m glad that you rescued it. It does cost money to move those items though so, I would make 2 piles (one to give away and one to keep). Maybe keeping full strips with no extra pieces sewn in that are at least 3.5 inches wide of fabrics that you like would be good. The rest could all go in a bag to be given to a group or persons of your choice! Once you get your new sewing area up and running, the next years challenge could be to use a basket or bag of them a year! You have a “certain” Judy style and many of those scraps would look great together. You could pull out all the greens and make scrapy star centers or points or borders! You may be a candidate to make “controlled” scrapy quilts! You can limit the color family and fabric style in a quilt to get the control. Keep going with that packing!

  21. All those scraps costs the same amount of money as when you bought them and with the prices going up they will even increase in value. We have a prison project through guild where members go to the prison and teach the women how to quilt, so all of our scraps are saved for them to use. Everyone who has responded have some wonderful suggestions. Judy C

  22. Judy — my LQS has a basket where “non scrappy” quilters bring in their scraps and then they are sold to “scrappy” quilters. I’ve also seen give aways on e-mail lists and blogs as quilters are cleaning their sewing rooms. They stuff everything they can into a priority mail box and then send it to another quilter for the price of postage. Being a scrappy type of quilter myself, I’m constantly amazed by 1- what gets thrown out (yes, I’ll be checking trash cans at the retreat this weekend) and 2 – the sparkle another person’s scraps can give to my quilt.

    I don’t envy you with your packing, but my guess is, as organized as you appear to be via your blog, you’ll be ready for the move when it happens.

  23. Donate the leftovers to a thrift store. I donate fabric pieces to a local thrift shop at a church. The church runs a food pantry so I feel I am helping to feed those in need. I discovered that the lady who runs the store calls a quilter to come look at any cotton fabrics that come in and she buys almost all of it.

  24. I designate a separate trash bag in my sewing room for scraps. When it’s full I take them to a local church that makes hundreds of charity quilts every year. I even put tops I’m not going to quilt and orphan blocks in the bag. When it’s full I take it to Ellen for her church. They are happy and I am happy!

  25. Please box them up in medium to large size postal boxes and have the post office let you know the price of sending them out to different states/provinces. I live in Ontario Canada and would love to have some of your 2 inch or larger scarps. If I knew the postage I’d pay to have them shipped to me. Certainly the cost of postage (and the price of the box) would be far less than buying new fabric. Think about this suggestion. I know it means more work for you but your scraps would find good homes.

  26. My cousin is a scrap quilter and she would love those pieces. She’s making a GFG for her daughter for her wedding. My mom inspired her to start quilting. 🙂 If you can’t come up with any other use for them, I have her address. 😉

    Hugs,
    Melinda

  27. My heart sank as I was reading this….first you throw away fabric then you say you aren’t a scrap quilter…..oh it hurts so………. 😉 gasp 🙂

    Sometimes we have to make tough decisions and this one is a toughie! I too will never have an always clean, organized sewing room.

  28. You could have a giveaway on your blog for your scraps. Then someone who is a scrap quilter could happily use them and you aren’t feeling guilty about throwing them away. 🙂

  29. Is there a Home Economics teacher in your local school district? I know that the teachers in the district where I teach my quilting classes always have a need for pieces of fabrics.

    The students use them to make bazaar items to sell at school functions, but they also use the fabrics for charity programs as well.

    Good luck with your scraps — I love scrap quilting and have a hard time throwing ANY size piece of fabric away — but I am trying to get myself in the habit of tossing anything less than 1 inch.

  30. I am a scrap quilter and I almost fell off my chair!!!! I agree with others. Box those fabrics and donate – to a church, a guild, a youth group – heck, I would even take them for charity quilts. You will feel better knowing that the fabric is being used in a quilty way rather than thrown out.

  31. Judy, there’s a new teen quilter in one of my online Yahoo groups (Mary’s group, to be exact) that is need of some scraps to make her first quilt…

  32. Can’t even conceive of THINKING about throwing those away! One woman’s trash…………………………I’ll be in Nevada next week if you need help purging. LOL.

  33. I’m with the others who suggest a giveaway. Imagine one of your faithful reader’s delight in having Judy Laquidara’s scraps!

  34. I would suggest having a giveaway too. I have been having “cleaning my sewing room giveaways”. They have been a HUGE success. People don’t mind getting used things and I don’t feel bad about giving it away because I know the people actually want it as they signed up to win it. It’s the best of both worlds.

  36. My heart sank a little too when I saw those BIG scraps in the trash. I vote for saving them up for a give-away. By the way, I need to pretend we’re moving, and clean & toss, clean & toss. Except for fabric. Clean and fold. Clean and fold.

  37. Hi Judy, Happy Spring cleaning! I have been doing the same and it’s lovely to have a more orderly sewing space. How wonderful to have so many scraps. Some of my favorite quilts are those with many fabrics of the same color (so where there is blue it is not just one blue fabric but many blues). If you’re inclined to, have a giveaway of your scraps on your blog, or send them to a local guild for a quilter’s garage sale to raise funds for the guild, or donate them to a thrift store, or send them to a paper piecer or scrappy quilter.

  38. Oh no! I can’t throw scraps away either. But I love scrappy quilts, so I try to use up some of my scraps. Recently the quilts I made for Japan had some scrap pieces 😉 It’s like a big puzzle to me. When I am sewing with the quilting buddies, I can’t stand to see them toss a perfectly good (and expensive) piece of fabric. But I do understand the cleaning out part. That was the hardest part of moving. My hubby is a thrower and I am a saver :-S

  39. Hmm, how about if there were a flat rate postage box near your trashcan and you put the scraps in that box until nearly full (or bursting!) and then you tape it up and replace with another box…and hold a giveaway on your blog for each box as you fill it up? That would keep your space tidy and some lucky scrap quilters would have her very own box of Judy’s scraps!! ~~Lisa

  40. I’m sure many would love your scraps. They are the backbone for those of us making charity projects. We just keep passing them as the scraps keep getting smaller as more is used from them.

  41. I agree with the first poster – just keep a large trash bag for only those pieces you would normally throw away and donate it to a church or quilt guild to give away when the bag is full. They would love you for it and you would know that you didn’t waste it and it will be put to good use.

  42. I wish I was your neighbor! I would have snatched up that large piece of green fabric you were getting rid of. If you don’t have time to find a home for it now, just put it in garbage bags and mention it to church groups in your area and I bet they would be glad to pick it up and put it to good use. Think of how many quilts could be made into pretty scrap quilts (I LOVE scrap quilts!). Some people don’t have large fabric stashes like alot of us do (I am hoping to make a dent in mine this year!) and would love to be able to sew without having to spend so much money. I can’t believe the price of fabric in the past year. Glad I have a stash. Make sure you tell Vince you are really saving him money since you have so much fabric, lol.

  43. Lots of good ideas here and since you rescued those fabrics from the trash, maybe you’ll decide to act on one of those good ideas. Someone would be very happy, I’m sure, and you’d not feel guilty about trashing something that is still useful.

  44. Many guilds have a “free” table. I’ve been surprised by some of the stuff that shows up there … and sometimes even more surprised by the things I pick up and brought home 😉

    I agree with those that suggest you collect them and drop them off (or ask someone to pick them up) once a quarter. No guilt for you and treasures for someone else.

  45. Those are really big scraps! When cleaning out, I have 3 bags…one that is trash…one that is to donate…and one that is to keep. Everything I am going thru fits in one of those 3 bags.

  46. I SO totally agree with all the previous posts….wish I was closer, but I am sure you can find a church or someone who can use the scraps!! Glad you did not throw them away!!!!!!!!

  47. Judy,
    have a little contest and give the winner the scraps. you could probably stuff them inside a postal service one price mailer and make someones day.

    just a thought.

  48. My scrappy heart is beating furiously. I’m a total scrapper. If you are going to toss them…mail them to ME and I’ll remit your postage.
    I’m the one going through the trash cans when Sew Days are over with friends.

  49. Mail to the biggest and best beggar with the beggar paying the postage. The scrapper will be in hog heaven and you can purge guilt free.

    I had the frugal heart attack seeing the green fabric in your trash, but won’t be begging for yours, cuz I know there is a more deserving recipient and my scrap piles are burying me already. Blame Bonnie Hunter for brainwashing me into scrap collection! lol.

    Your posts are always so fun.

  50. As much as I love scrap quilts, I don’t like making them. Random is so hard for me! I was doing as the comments have suggested until my list of giftees dried up. Some charities are begging for quilts and fabric donations, but they only want yardage, or certain novelty fabrics, or certain colors. My “scrapping” friend who has made dozens of beautiful quilts for charities has almost given up because her large scrap stash doesn’t meet their requirements.

    Some charities that are non-quilt-specific throw away fabric as rags, but they don’t tell the donors.

    Like you, I have rescued fabric from the trash. Putting scraps to good use isn’t as easy as it sounds. Could it be that quilters have become too generous, so that charities don’t appreciate our work anymore? I hope not.

  51. Judy, I’m telling you. If you bundle them up and offer them to someone who is willing to pay the postage, you’ll have more takers than you know what to do with! I LOVE other peoples scraps 🙂

  52. As you can see, you never have a problem getting rid of scraps! Don’t throw them! Get a bunch of $15 po boxes, fill them, have a ramdom number generated give away for the price of postage. I BUY scraps like that in tall kitchen garbage bags from my LQS, and it comes out to about $2 a yard when I figure it out. It is WAY worth it to me, to spend the time washing, ironing, and cutting it all (just bought an Accuquilt just for that…) to put in my stash of precuts. I LOVE having parts ready to just be able to whip something out. When it overflows and I can’t handle it, I bag some up and put them on the free table at the quild meeting, or online. I separate strings, crumbs, batting and ‘parts to be cut” by my cutting table with taped 2 gallon bags. When they are full, I just offer them, and they FLY out the door. I cut up batting into 4″ and 6″ pieces, (and larger ones to be pieced) and the rest go for “dust rags” in the sewing room. I cant bare to throw anything out when I know somebody will take it and use it. Yes, it takes a lot of time to do all the cutting, but I love cutting, it is brainless and relaxing for me, so I save it for days when you just have to be in the sewing room, but don’t feel like sewing…Anyway, dont ever throw it away. Just organize a little, and offer it to people. Someone is out there who will even take CRUMBS! It will relieve the guilt, and you know someone will LOVE what they get, which is a great feeling too!

  53. Judy, as others have said, save those scraps and either donate to a church group, a QOV group, or some other quilter who uses scraps. I use lots and lots of scraps and don’t throw anything out unless the piece is just a sliver. Whatever small pieces I can’t use in my scrap quilts – most of which are made for donations – I give to a friend who uses them to make pillows and beds for the local animal shelter. I very rarely throw any fabric or batting in the trash. It all gets used!

    Bundle those scraps – that olive piece looks almost like yardage to me! – and either donate them or sell them. I know that you will have many takers who are willing to pay the postage.

  54. I second what #1–Lizzy said. Scraps like that would be great for making scrappy donation quilts.

  55. I keep a medium sized flat rate USPS box beside my cutting table for scraps I no longer want to keep and when it’s full I mail them to a friend who is thrilled to receive them! 😉

    perhaps you could fill up one and do a give away here? Just an idea…

    Love from Texas! ~bonnie

    • This is what I was going to suggest: since you’re moving, forget about finding a church (unless you already belong to one *and* it has an active quilt group).

      I rarely use yardage for anything other than borders, sometimes backgrounds. So scraps are where it’s at in my quilt-making.

      As a former prof. organizer and current quilt-maker, I suggest:

      Get three or four–maybe more?–medium Flat Rate Priority boxes, jam those puppies crammed FULL of scraps as you come to the scraps. No mercy on the boxes! When you’ve finished with your stash-packing, let us know. Those of us who are interested in receiving *one* box *each* will respond, you can do the random number thing, and the winners will have to PAY THE POSTAGE to you before you send the box.

      No sense in making you pay to get rid of the scraps!

  56. Well, Judy—You and your scraps have certainly generated a lot of great ideas for usage of scraps. Even though I’m primarily a scrap quilter, there are scraps I won’t keep. I keep a box under my cutting table, and put them in there. We have a local Craft & Sewing Resale Shop. The Legacy. I take my leftovers and things I no longer want or use in my sewing room to there. Anything they sell benefits the local Senior Center. It’s a win-win situation. I’ve been in “cleaning mode” for the past year. When I cleaned out my fat quarter stash last Fall, I started by sorting, but about 15 mins. into the process I shut my eyes, grabbed them all and stuffed them into a black garbage bag. Closed the top and put a twisty on it and never looked back—Out it went. I’ve not missed any of the fabrics I got rid of. In fact I can’t remember what I had, because I had so much! :o) The process has been freeing. Not only emotionally, but more room in the sewing space.

  57. Well Judy, I think your readers have spoken. Save your scraps and donate them or have a contest and give them away. And with the price of cotton going up. it would be a shame to throw them away. I know it takes a little work to keep the scraps separate from the trash but just think of the good you’d be doing.

  59. I give away my scraps. The lady who I give them to has INSISTED on paying me for them – I keep trying to tell her no. I then told her fine, if you INSIST, please just give me a gift certificate to my favorite online store; that way you end up with more scraps later 😉

  61. I do not like sweets, especially chocolate. I had a fellow quilter once tell me I couldn’t be a real quilter if I didn’t like chocolate. Well, I say you can’t be a real quilter unless you covet anything cotton (or silk) (or wool), so keep your scraps, love them and enjoy them.

  62. I cringed seeing that fabric in the bin–so glad you pulled it out! I agree with everyone–give it away! I would gladly pay the postage to take some off your hands–I’m a new quilter, and a scrap quilter wannabe–I haven’t done enough quilting to have many scraps, but I love the look of scrap quilts and have several picked out that I want to make–just need to get enough scraps! Good luck cleaning out!

  63. I think if those scraps are becoming such a bother to you …. you should…. pack them up in a box and mail them to me!!! It would be a guilt free way to deal with those pesky things!!

  64. Judy, I just called your cell no. ( hope it is the correct number) and told you I would gladly drive from Harrisonville, Mo. to take them off your hands. Give me a call on my cell at 816 726 2352 and let me know. Then maybe I can get a bake potato! thanks Mischaele.

  65. just grab a box and throw the scraps in there, do the ‘random number generator’ thing, and make one of us very happy with some new scraps.

  66. Oh, gosh, Oh Gosh, OH GOSH! Breaks my heart to think those wonderful big pieces may go into the garbage. I save everything 1 1/2 inch or bigger.
    I too have more fabric than I or 10 of my friends will ever sew but I have so much fun with scraps. A giveaway would be nice but so would finding someone who could use them.

    Now where do you live and what day are they going to be on the curb? (lol)

  67. When you find that non-emotional, non-quilter, and after (s)he cleans out your sewing room, let me know. I’ll send you my address and you can send them over to MY house to do the same!

    • You’ll actually be better off (if you *want* to work with a prof. organizer) hiring someone who understands quilting and quilters. A good organizer (which I like to think I was, until AT&T disconnected my business phone!) tailors each solution to the client and the client’s needs, both physical and emotional: does the solution match the layout of the house? the client’s daily routine? can the client maintain the solution?

      If you’re comfortable with X amount of fabric and the organizer encourages you to toss out more than you really want to, you will go to the store and re-purchase enough fabric to reach your comfort level. ASAP. Better solution: the organizer understands quilters and helps you go through the stash, tossing what you no longer like, or fabric whose projects are truly no longer on the “Will Be Made” list.

      I “mine” my stash each year for these little lurkers, and I have something every year for my guild’s Swap, no matter what they call it. I call it “Trash to Treasures”!

      Since I’m not a prof. organizer right now, I can openly recommend that anyone interested in working with one check out the referral lists at http://napo.net and, from what I’m reading here, check the option for “clutter.” The organizers whose names show up will be like I was: specialists in clutter, creating systems for overwhelmed people, knowing where/how to off-load such abundance, etc.

      Best wishes! 🙂

  68. I am with you Judy. Cleaning and tossing out fabric is so difficult. Today Bill and I went upstairs to see what we need to do up there and he said “can you sell some of that fabric at the city wide yard sale?” Guess I should ask him if we can sell his “baseball cards, Nascar collection, unopen cans of beer from a brewery that went out of business years ago………grrrrrrrrr!

  69. I save all my scraps for a friend. The other day she told me that she has made almost 40 quilts for charities from those scraps. Made us both feel good!

  70. I am a scrap quilter but even I have fabric that I’m not going to use so I’ve got a couple boxes set aside as I go through the sewing and longarm rooms. The smaller pieces are going to one of our HeartSrings quilters in Maine who pieces a tremendous number of tops … Not just strings either…and the other for 1 yard pieces that I’m not in love with anymore, those will go to Sheree who pieces HeartStrings backs for us.

    By the way,I never cut my scraps up ahead of time because I don’t know which quilt I’ll want to use them with. I have bins that fit in my cubbies that I keep them sorted by color and when I get ready to cut a scrap quilt, I pull them out and have a lot of variety to choose from.

  72. I can’t throw scraps out either. They are great for miniature quilts. And string quilts. Maybe you could have a drawing? This is how bad I am, I have fabric remnants from when I was stationed in West Berlin. 30 years ago. I know. That is pretty bad!!!!
    Trina

  74. How about I just keep you supplied with prepaid USPS flat rate boxes and when they are full put it in the mail to me. I’ll put them in our guilds scrap pile for charity quilts.

  75. Judy,

    I’ve seen others (like Carol Doak) put their scraps in one of those flat-rate boxes, and say “up for grabs” and have a ‘giveaway’ post … as long as the person sent the $$ to cover the postage (about $15) they got that lovely box of scrapiness sent to them.

    Another person said “first money to arrive” … or other similar chances.

    Just a thought. I know there’s several of us out here who would love new scraps. 🙂

    Blessings!
    Ida

  76. Oh my! I am just the opposite! I have very little yardage and do a TON of work with scraps! I cringed when I saw that lovely fabric in the trash can. I’m so glad you retrieved it.

  77. Judy,
    First, thanks so much for the uber clear tutorial on stitching binding completely by machine. I was doing it–just not as well as I am now using your method. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
    My son gave me two appliance-sized boxes of fabric, tools, projects from one of his co-worker’s mother-in-law. Oh baby, I had so much fun sorting through those boxes. Jammed the good stuff into my existing stash and put a box together for a church group and another for our local thrift store. By the time I had second thoughts and dived back into the thrift store box (repeatedly), there was no need to make a thrift store run. 🙂 This sweet lady had cut yards and yards of fabric into 2″ strips. I love the idea of the Bonnie Hunter system, but it’s just not how I roll, you know? So I crocheted rag rugs out of the 2″ strips and added a bunch of duds from my own stash. It was so wonderfully quick and several friends got rag rugs. Happy, happy, happy. Now I have a big basket with backing trimmings and assorted things that are not quiltworthy going for future rugs. The most valuable thing in my sewing room is the fun so I try not to stress about using every little bit. Different strokes for different quilters, and one woman’s trash is another’s treasure. But if you still like it, by all means, dig it back out of the trash and save it for something good 🙂

  78. I love scrap quilting, send your scraps my way and I will most certainly use them. I would even pay the postage.

  79. I save my scraps, but I don’t bother cutting them up. How do I know what size I might want them to be some day? I keep pieces bigger than about eight inches in those drawer-style bins, and I keep smaller pieces in the smaller drawer-style bins. If I thought I had to cut things into squares and rectangles to save them, I wouldn’t save anything. And I do use them in applique and paper-piecing. Love my scraps. Nevertheless, I’ve been decluttering and managed to get rid of five huge bags of random stuff recently. I feel so much lighter. Mountains more to go.

  80. I’ve read all the comments…and my heart is STILL racing at the thought of you throwing that fabric out!! I, too, would be HAPPY to pay the postage if I were to be so lucky as to have my number generated as the winner for your “throw-away”!

    Have fun…

  81. I’m not that far away and would love to have anything that you don’t want. Buying yardage hasn’t been in the budget for a long time. So if you don’t want it, I’ll send my daughter to pick it up. You inspire all of us to want to do new things and the things we learn here on your post are the greatest. If God brings you to it, He will also take you through it!!!!

  82. Three friends and I spent 6 hours yesterday making kits so other guild members can sew them into quilts for charity. We put 17 kits together from squares that I had previously cut from the scraps, etc. left to us by a guild member who died. Because of our work seventeen people in need of a hug will get one in the form of a quilt made with love. Please do not throw out your scraps, there are many of us who will be happy to pay the postage and put your scraps to very good use. I’ve made two tops from scraps this past week, from fabric that others would have tossed out.

    I just read Marie’s comment and I would be happy to pay for her daughter’s gas so she could pick up your scraps if you would to give them to her.

    By the way, thanks for your site, it’s one I try to visit each day.

  83. Some quilters save up their scraps and give them to scrap quilters. Unless they are in big enough to be worth my time, I trash them. I don’t have the room to save scraps and I don’t know any scrap quilters, LOL. P.S. I toss selvages too! Yikes…

  85. I don’t throw out any scraps OR SELVAGES!!! They make the best quilts and help us be more original and creative. It is so much fun combing through a bag of someone elses’ scraps and wondering what the project looked like that hat that particular piece of yellow, or blue or purple in it. You get such a wonderful variety of colors and sparkle with new scraps to add to your own. You have a large # of scrap quilters as your blog readers, so I know you have gotten the message. I’m hoping to use my scraps for years to come since I’m a pack rat and never throw out any scraps either.

  86. i crave scraps from others for making charity quilts. How many can fit into a special USmail box sent out is really special. like opening a Christmas present when you are 7, and low and behold all your favorite colors like a crayon box new to you. People sell them to other quilters or gift them, all over ebay or any sewing for sale group Jusy.

  87. Okay, I know I’m just repeating what everyone else has said here, but please don’t throw them away!

    I make quilts for a local child abuse prevention center and shelter. I LOVE getting scraps for that and I would happily pay postage to get them. Like so many other people have said, there’s lots of people out there who would want them and would put them to good use. I’m so glad that you didn’t throw them away.

    Also, FYI, once you get to your new place, if you set up a compost pile you can compost all the little tiny bits that can’t be used for anything else!

    ~Angela~

  88. I would love those scraps I’m making a scrappy hexagon quilt.

    You are doing a good job,

  89. I give my scraps to a little girl down the road. She has the neatest little wooden toy – it’s two layers, that open and closes like a book. On the bottom layer is a couple of figures raised up, she can use the scraps to design clothes for them, then closes it, and without sewing she has a new outfit for them to “wear”. It is really the neatest thing, takes lots of imagination, couldn’t possibly break, and keeps her entertained ! Her mom just thanked me with a dozen day lilies from her garden when she split them – it’s definately a win/win.

  91. I am a scrap person, so I save everything just like you. Since you are moving, I suggest you go to the post office and get some priority boxes. Fill those little guys up until you can’t stuff any more and sell them for the postage amount or higher. Everyone know you have great quality fabric and great colors. Who wouldn’t want to buy them and help you out with your moving adventure :).

  92. Judy why not contact a local church. Most have quilt groups who make quilts for the homeless, missions in Mexico, the assisted living and nursing homes. They make lap quilts too. They could use the scraps cause they don’t have to make anything match just useful. Hey they may clean your sewing room too. Just an idea.
    wanda j, conroe tx

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