OCD and Scraps

Someone told me once that we are ALL "OCD" it's just a matter of degrees.  At least for me, I think that is true...  You know how the supermarket will have a promotion where you can get a whole set of dishes by collecting 'points' or stamps or something?  I never do those because if I start I MUST HAVE the whole set... and what if they are all gone before I've collected the required amount of points????

When I first started quilting my Auntie told me to keep ALL my scraps....they will be used for something sooner or later.  I always do what I'm told...so I saved every little piece of scrap.
Before long, I had a big pile-o-scraps.

Sooner or later you have to do something with those scraps.  Occasionally I dig through the pile for a tiny piece of some color or pattern I need on a project.  But mostly they just pile up.

What to do, what to do.

First you must tame them.











I started by dragging a small pile of them along with me when I travel for work...yep, a pile of scraps, a rotary cutter, a ruler and a small mat.  I would sit in the hotel room at night, set up the iron board in front of the TV and cut scraps.  I'd cut them into 1.5 inch, 2 inch, 2.5 inch, etc....all depended on how big the scrap was.  (If the "scrap" is bigger than 5 inches...it's not a scrap and back into the stash it would go.)  Very satisfying, I must say (and kept me out of the hotel bar.)

Back at the ranch (aka, home, in the sewing room) I store these scraps in plastic shoe boxes ($1 each at the dollar store.)


I've made several quilts from these scraps, here are a couple..














I tried to keep my scrap bin under control (and here is where my OCD kicks in).  I obsess about this scrap bin every time I throw more scraps on the pile. But, I'm losing the battle.  So, I decided not to fret about it any more.   When I die, the kids can deal with the pile.  In the meantime, here are a some things to do with scraps.

Bonnie Hunter  She has a "method" for cutting and using scraps.  (I discovered one the quilts above, on the right, is a Bonnie Hunter pattern.  I didn't know it when I made it...I'd seen a picture on Pinterest.)  Check out her blog.  She does trunk shows (check out her schedule) and she writes books.  Very creative lady.

Pinterest.  Search for "scrap quilting."  All kinds of fun ideas.

If you are on Facebook, check out Thrifty Quilters.  Lots of scrapy ideas.

String blocks is another fun way to use up scraps that are already strips...such as binding leftovers.

Last night I was in the mood to JUST SEW, I made these from the scraps I've been saving to stuff a dog's bed...

 Always listen to your Aunties, I guess mine was right...save those scraps.