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No Mess Fabric Scrap Management - How I organize fabric scraps to prevent overwhelm!

Thread my Bobbin

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Feeling overwhelmed by your fabric scraps? Always chasing little bits across the floor? This video is for you!

In this video, I’m sharing how I organise my fabric scraps without stress, mess or guilt. After years of sewing at my kitchen table (and having to pack up everything constantly!), I’ve learned how to manage scraps in a way that actually works for me and stops that feeling of being overwhelmed by scraps.

You’ll get a peek into how I use containers, sort my scraps, and keep only what I know I’ll use. Whether you’re a seasoned quilter or just getting started with fabric scraps, I hope this helps you with some ideas to feel more in control of your scraps.

🕰️ TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Introduction
01:02 Leaders & Enders
02:19 Kitchen Table Sewing
02:56 Dana White - A Slob Comes Clean Influence
03:43 Crumb Scraps
04:55 Small Scraps
05:50 Dana White - A Slob Comes Clean (again!)
07:03 Processing Small Scraps
13:21 No-Mess Scrap Organization
15:03 Colour Sorting – Cool, Warm & Neutral
17:11 Large Scraps Storage
20:27 Questions to Ask Yourself About Your Scraps

💬 Join the Conversation!
Do you sew in a shared space or do you have an area you can leave set up for your sewing?
What’s your favourite way to sort & store your fabric scraps? I’d love to hear your thoughts & scraps storing tips in the comments.

📌 Helpful Links
🧵 Bonnie Hunter's Scrap User System:
https://quiltville.blogspot.com/2005/...

📦 Dana K White’s Container Concept:
The Container Concept Explained
My No Mess Decluttering Method Demonstration

💖 Enjoyed This Video?
👉 Give it a thumbs up
🧵 Subscribe for more quilting chats
📣 Share it with your sewing pals
#FabricStorage #QuiltingTips #ScrapFabricOrganization

Products related to this video:
Baskets: https://amzn.to/3YTVnvd
Storage: https://amzn.to/4qxVZlX

🧵 Tools & supplies I use regularly
Thread snips – https://amzn.to/4jqEqCc
• Rotary cutter – https://amzn.to/3MXv5pr
• Cutting mat – https://amzn.to/49qQgYl
• Quilting ruler – https://amzn.to/3LpGzBk
• Scissors - https://amzn.to/4q8kUgl
Sewing clips - https://amzn.to/49mdX4a
Curved safety pins - https://amzn.to/3N7hdsA

Some of the links above are Amazon affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

20 Comments

@threadmybobbin Creator 1 year ago Pinned

Do you sew in a shared space or do you have a sewing room? How do you keep your scraps under control?

@debbiemuncy2272 3 weeks ago

Love love love the quilt in the corner

@IndecisiveQuilter 1 year ago

I love scraps and going through my scraps is a relaxing time.

@jessicajansson1203 1 year ago

I love that you call fabric pieces scraps when they are smaller then 6-7 inches. Someone else said half an inch and that would make most of my fabric scraps...

@suelemke8544 4 months ago

I came across your video, love it. I am a scrap lover, nothing else makes me happier then getting someone else's scraps. I too followed Bonnie Hunter's scrap system, that sure didn't last long. Thank you for sharing your way of doing your scraps, now back to sewing up my scraps.

@saundraweed9738 1 year ago

You always get more done when your fabric is ready to use. Thanks for the great suggestions.❤❤

@saundraweed9738 1 year ago

I love scrap quilting but hate to waste even the tiniest bit of fabric so my “go to “ sizes are always squares,rectangles, and strips. All the shavings are used to stuff cat beds. Love your ideas. Thank you.

@MaryHurst66 3 months ago (edited)

I cut everything into strips of various sizes and then cut squares or triangles from them as I need them. Like you, I try not to make a big mess with them. I sewed on my dining table for years and that habit of not stringing them out everywhere has saved me many times. I really like your idea of sorting by warm/cool/neutral. Great way to conserve space.

@lisascenic 10 months ago

Thank you for sharing your system!

@karenc6582 1 year ago

I really enjoyed your video. I'm a big fan of Dana White's methods, too. Her decluttering methods are the only one's that have worked for me. I'm fortunate to have a sewing room. I went through all my fabrics as you did, straightening pieces up. I wasn't going through the scraps though, until I started to make a crumb quilt. It's almost done and now I have very few tiny scraps left.

@pamelaarbour3368 1 year ago

That's pretty much how I have been storing mine lately. I'm almost to the bottom of my scraps and I intend to keep it that way! It isn't so overwhelming when all of the scraps are cut and stored by size.

@monicabazzara96 4 weeks ago

A mí me gusta juntar los retazos por colores y los pongo en cajas o tappers lo que tenga con carteles que diga el color y así los busco ....no los corto por tamaño por qué pienso que pueden servir para cualquier tamaño....me gusta mucho tener telas que me regalen ....es muy lindo su consejo gracias por compartir 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

@NoryVeeCo 1 year ago

I just got me a sewing machine last December, glad I found your channel! New sub here😊😊

@beckypetersen2680 1 year ago

The container being full is a great idea! I mean, I need to apply that. I just keep getting more containers! :)

@poodlegirl55 1 year ago

I have a metal three tier cart and one shelf holds three sizes of smaller squares, one shelf has three sizes of strips and the bottom has 10 inch squares. When they are accessible like this I find I use them and also when I am done with every sewing project I cut down the scraps and add them to the cart right then. I stopped buying quilt backing a few years ago and instead sew together 10 inch squares. I have really moved through my stash this way.

@CriticalThinkingQuilter 1 year ago

I also have those IKEA wired baskets. I will now use them for scraps.

@saundraweed9738 1 year ago

I have 2 sewing spaces…a small space at home and a large room at church for stretching large projects. Several machines in each space so that I always have a working machine. Since I can’t drive in rain or snow I don’t loose sewing time.

@beckypetersen2680 1 year ago

I think that question about "How much room do you want to give up for those scraps?" is what is weighing on me. I've decided on some heavy duty working on my cut up 2.5" strips because they are seriously hindering my moving in my sewing room.

@hopscotchtop 1 year ago

I always love seeing how others store scraps, great idea on the color sorting, I'll definitely be using that next time I sort scraps. I dont precut cut at all, i sort by size first, strips, rectangles, squares and triangles, if its close to a fat quarter it goes with the fq's and anything in-between the large strips and fq's gets rolled like a fat sixteenth

@marciewhite5368 1 year ago

I work at at my kitchen table also. Ive tried to implement slob comes clean also.

I have a bakers rack with an ironing board across and two shelves underneath for ongoing projects. It has a wire rack along the back where i can hang a thread organizer, ironing supplies and on the back i hang my cutting mat and ruler. Its surprising how much i can store on it. The best part is that i can put my sewing machine and my tool organizer on the ironing board and wheel the whole thing out of the room when needed.

I only save yardage in a closet on hangers, quarters in a dresser drawer and potato chip blocks, strings, and crumbs 1.5 plus in a flat box on my cart.