I’m a craft supply hoarder. Admitting it is the first step, right? That’s really as far as I’ve gotten as I’d rather spend my time crafting than in a 12-step program. It’s for this reason I enjoy participating in a monthly challenge along with several other bloggers. Our goal each month is to create a project with supplies we already have on hand. I don’t always participate, but when I do, I’m always overcome with a great feeling of accomplishment! Using supplies I already have on hand is like figuring out a puzzle for me. This month, I needed to sew and use up some of my fabric scraps. I’m not a quilter, but I do enjoy the randomness of crazy quilts.
My Craft Room
If you’ve been around my part of the blogging universe before, you know I’m currently in the middle of a major kitchen renovation. There are tons of posts about it, it’s been my main focus. Here’s our most recent project, adding board and batten to the dining room walls (which the kitchen now opens up into).
So, I have to admit, I did this bit of stash busting just before starting the kitchen. Because I knew I wouldn’t get to sew for a long time. Actually, I’d hoped to be able to sew by now, but it’ll be at least another month. And, since I was busy planning the kitchen for the previous month’s challenge, it counts for this one!
My craft room has yet to be completed, but it is next on the to-do list once the kitchen is finished. It’s currently storing more than craft supplies. Check it out…
I’d love to give you a tour, but I can currently only stand in the doorway. So, here’s the breakdown:
Fabric Stash
As I said, I don’t quilt. But, I have a few friends who do. They know that I sew and love fabric; particularly scraps. So, I’m often gifted bags of fabric scraps. I can spend days sorting them. Sometimes the scraps are long strips. Others are a few pieces already sewn together.
I’ve been known to sit down with fabric scraps, come up with an idea and make it all out of scraps.
Other times, like this time, I just want to sew.
And not think.
Ok, I really like to just feed fabric into my machine while listening to an audio book. It’s therapeutic sometimes.
The Basic Technique
Sorry, this isn’t really a tutorial. It’s a pretty simple technique though.
I take two similar sized pieces, facing inwards, and sew them together. Then repeat until I’ve paired up tons of scraps.
Then, I open them up (I don’t do any ironing yet), lay another pair on top, again facing inwards. Sew the two pairs together the same way I did two single scraps. I continue to repeat until all my scraps are now 4 pieces sewn together.
I just keep repeating this process until I have one really long continuous piece. Whatever I grab, as long as it’s not matching up to another scrap that is the same pattern, gets sewn together.
Once I have a super long strip of scraps, I begin to work down the other direction. I take the beginning of my strip and match the end of it, right sides together. Sew all the way down and cut it open. Then I fold the whole thing back over and repeat this until I have a square or rectangle in a size I want.
Next time I do this, I promise to take better pictures.
Scrappy Quilt Tops
Ok, I guess this really only makes quilt tops, because I haven’t done anything else with the pieces yet. I might make them into blankets. Maybe I’ll come up with something else completely. I haven’t gotten any further with them!
This one was all rectangles. Many of them were already two pieces sewn together when I received the scraps.
Because many of my scraps are from other quilters, I often see the combinations they used. One friend did several black and white quilts. Using all those scraps I came up with this:
Here’s a close-up. I still sewed pieces together into strips, I just started with a lot of variation in sizes
This one was all scraps already sewn with 3 pieces together in blocks:
I just turned the blocks each time I sewed. You can see not everything was the same size block.
Stash Busting in an Afternoon
All of these came together in one afternoon. I’m considering making big throw pillows for the kids to lounge on in the basement. Or maybe I’ll cut them down and make patchwork zipper bags. I’ve got a whole box of zippers someplace in that craft disaster!
Either way, I feel kinda accomplished looking at a big patchwork piece instead of a pile of scraps. To put things into perspective… Those wood tiles on my floor… they are 8″ squares! The piece in the middle is taller than my son.
Craft Room Destash Challenge
See what my fellow crafters have been up to!
If you’d like to join in the Craft Room De-Stash Challenge, you can request to join our Facebook group here!
Fellow craft supply hoarders unite! 🙂 I have a stash of fabric too…that I don’t sew or do anything with AT ALL. It’s just pretty! Maybe I’ll learn one day. 😛
Sometimes I just like to sit and be surrounded by all the pretty colors of fabric! I spend more time playing with it than actually sewing!
I save all my scraps & I mean all of them, down to the itty bitties. I have plans for all of them! Recently I’ve been watching Darlene Michaud on YouTube & she is hilarious! I didn’t realize until watching her that these are called “crumb quilts”, which I find delightful! Your pieced minis are lovely & I’d love to see what you do with them!
I have tiny pieces too! Crumb quilts is the perfect name!
Oh my lord do I know how your feeling with that craft room. It will be worth it though. Kitchen renos are the absolute worst.
Well done on being able to post much less create pretty quilt patterns. They will make gorgeous pillows or organizers for your craft room.
Thanks! I actually enjoy working on my kitchen, but I hate the rest of the house falling apart and me just walking over it! I’m so over that part!!!
Emily, I think big pillows for the kids would be such a great idea! You must be so excited for your new kitchen!!
My mind goes back to the kitchen no matter what, it’s all I think about lately, lol!
Oh I love your sewn quilt scraps! I have lots of scraps, but haven’t done a thing with them. You will enjoy making something with those. I like the black/white one the best, but also the one in the middle too. Once you get your craft room done, you can get started on those projects!
I’m pretty sure the black and white one will end up something for my oldest daughter since she has a lot of black and white in her bedroom!
I really need to learn how to sew. Your quilt tops are adorable.
This is actually an easy way to practice sewing too.
You did accomplish a lot. I like the red, white and black piece. Big, comfy pillows would be a great project.
It was nice to feel accomplished for a little while!
Lol, you kinda lost me at “Once I have a super long strip of scrap…”, but I guess if I were to have the work in hand, I would be able to figure it out 😉 I love your craft disaster and can’t wait to see how it looks once the dining room stuff is back in it’s place. And holy cow, you have 4 sewing machines?? I’d love to come craft with you one day – I wouldn’t even have to bring my sewing machine. I did a quilt for my goddaughter last year and it took me forever to sew the pieces together. And I would fret when the edges wouldn’t match. I really like your idea of a messy kinda kilt. Keep on sewing!
Sorry about that, I realized a little too late that I didn’t take enough pictures! But I promise to do another post with better instructions once I can get back to my sewing machines! I have 2 regular machines and 2 sergers… One of those was a gift and I keep saying since I have 2 regular machines I’ll teach my girls to sew… but that hasn’t happened!
Lately I’ve been watching a YouTube series on Crumb Quilting and I think I will experiment with it eventually. Glad you were able to find time for a satisfying day of sewing.
I’ll have to check that out!
From chaos to order and a lovely order at that. I am impressed with your 3 patchwork pieces.
You are so much closer now to a completed project. If I get a vote, I vote for some zippered pouches as that would be such a treat to have a patchwork one. Years ago I made a bunch of Tea wallets and my favourite one was patchwork.
In reading your comments I came across the term “crumb quilts.” I have to look that up!
I have never just sat down and sewed scraps together. But why not? Thanks for taking time to share your creations.
I have so many scraps I think I will do more and then I can do pillows and zippy pouches!
I love what you’ve done with the fabric scraps. Great idea 🙂
Thank you!
I love scrappy quilts! Your quilt tops are so fun. Stopping by from the #HomeMattersParty this week.
Thank you!
As a sewer myself I have lots of fabric. Filing cabinets upon filing cabinets full to be honest. One of my favorite quilts I have is a scrap quilt my grandmother made. She has been gone for 20 years now and I cherish the quilt.
I always love how colorful scrap quilts are. And ones made from special people are the best.
I love scrap quilts they are such a good way for using up material and you craft room looks like many a craft room I have seen including my own !!
Glad to know I’m not the only one who has a craft room that looks like mine!
I think the craziness of the quilt scraps ups the awesomeness! Nice job!
Thank you!
I love the large throw pillow idea from your quilt scraps! I had to laugh at the mention of your childhood teddy — I still have mine too. He’s a little on the thin side these days with his stuffing disintegrating, but he’s still loved. Thanks for sharing at the #HomeMattersParty 🙂
~Lorelai
Life With Lorelai
My teddy is pretty thin too!
What a great idea! Looks lovely too #Dreamteam
This is the kind of thing I would love to be able to do, but I really wouldn’t know where to start and would probably lose patience quite quickly! Good luck sorting out your room! #dreamteam
Because I lose patience with “real quilting” it’s why it works so well for me, I don’t have to stop and cut or iron, just keep sewing
Craft and sewing rooms get like that now and then. I have to reorganize mine a couple times a year. Crazy quilts are the best for using us scraps! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
hugs,
Jann
I need to do this to get rid of some of my fabric stash! Thanks for sharing with us at The Blogger’s Pit Stop! Roseann from This Autoimmune Life