Did you know it is national scrap week? It is not. I made that up. But it should be a thing. I’m making it a thing. A bag of scraps is food for thought, inspiration, an invitation to happenstance, possibility thinking. It always has been for me.
I’m in organizing mode here and sorting through pretty much everything but mostly fabric scraps. Choosing what to keep, what to let go of and making what I keep as tidy and orderly as scraps can be. I’m ironing my scraps. I secretly love to iron. Not my clothes, I’m permanently, slightly, comfortably disheveled. I like to iron scraps. It’s a little ridiculous. Lets call it meditative. Or it could also be called productive procrastination…
And sometimes not so productive procrastination. It frequently devolves into spending a lot of time pondering a very small and fabulous scrap. I love this scrap. Now I have to make a tiny pair of pants so I can add this patch to them. And then I have to make a lamb to put in the pants. You see how this goes…
There are some pieces I can’t call scraps. Some are so exquisite I call them fragments. Something left over from a life with marks from other hands and days.
10 ideas for your scraps
If you have found your way here it is likely you have scraps too. In celebration of the inaugural scrap festival I’ve collected 10 ideas for your scraps. Let’s start with 3 projects for your most special scraps, your fragments.
1. sweet needle books – for needles and ideas and memories.
2. amulets – little stitch experiments I started making last summer. I begin with no shape in mind, just layering my favorite fragments, experimenting and playing with compositions. Then I trim them and sew a backing. I find the compositions are more interesting if I approach them this way rather than beginning with the shape. I made a little template of the shapes I use for you – you can download that here. And for cord I usually use this waxed thread (PS I get a tiny commission if you buy it through that link, you can also find it in craft stores).
3. ethereal garlands – for the tiniest scraps, the un-sewables, the little whispers you can’t let go of.
4. string quilts- there is a full tutorial here for this quick and easy flip and sew technique for your longish scraps.
5. Once you have pieced together a bunch of scraps you can make a fabric basket – you know what you could put in it? Scraps.
6. marvelous fabric compositions – let happenstance be your guide and find inspiration in these stitched pieces by Specks and Keepings. The left-overs from garment sewing are used as is. I love the compositions. There is magic in those accidental shapes and relationships.
Check out the sewing pattern and supply shop!
7. french seam pillow cases – for your larger scraps. This is on my domestic sewing list.
8. jar opener – so clever – made from fabric scraps and rubber shelf liner.
9. fabric twine – for your tiny scraps. And netflix. And wine.
10. And finally – it is illegal to do a blog post about fabric scrap projects without including fabric bunting. Plus I love it – so sweet to make for little folks.
Find 4 more scrap project ideas here. And if you have a project to recommend please leave it in the comments.
P S – Do you get my free weekly-ish newsletter? There are tips and tricks, ideas, stuff to try, all the latest news and blogposts and extra stuff, just for subscribers, delivered mostly on Friday. Pretty much.
You are my new best friend!
I love scrap month and your inspirations speak right to my soul and it’s art spa e.
Big sigh so happy to have found you and your amazing work.
You can sew scraps together to make wonderful binding tape. Sonia Phillips calls it Frankenbias, I think.
Anne, you are my favorite thinker. Scraps? Oh, how I cherish every tidbit from all my various sewing projects. So many scraps and not enough time to give them all a proper home. Currently I keep them in those cellophane bags according to size. Some are so small and simply too beautiful to discard in a waste basket. I do believe you have inaugurated National Scrap Week! I love your thoughts and suggestions. xo
I love your train of thought Ann, you inspire me and make me laugh. Your writings are ALWAYS worth reading. I have lots of precious scraps too which I keep threatening to make something wonderful with but I always find them at the wrong time because they’re everywhere, tucked safely away. I adore miniature things and make all kinds of fabric, mixed media and paper goodies….. mostly just for my own satisfaction. Thankyou for your wonderful words and inspiration and hooray for ‘National Scrap Week’…
Long may it continue!! x
I have just started making junk journals or altered books and will now be sewing scraps into journal pages! Thanks for the idea!
Now I need a new list. I have one existing for why I need more fabric, it has over 70 items. Why I need to save every fragment is too wonderful. Thank you. Lists help me justify my odd but fun behavior. I have been saving every tiny triangle from flip and stitch projects to embellish a quilt in the same style as An Loveless, written about in Quiltfolk issue 8. She entered the world’s largest public art competition and won twice, with her art quilts that are embellished with layered fragments of fabric.
What I want to do is make a Monet flower garden or field with a huge amount of colored triangles in glorious profusion, sewn down randomly by straight lines. This is also kind of like a ticker tape quilt. Thank you for being a friend, you make me feel better about myself.
Oh Ann how can I ignore this? I allowed myself a break from a day set aside for organizing and cleaning since Abby our lab and I have the whole day and house to ourselves and then I read this. Now my mind is spinning with possibilities……..and none of them have anything to do with cleaning.
I need to make fabric twine, with wine.
All of these ideas are very good ones.
I am sewing scraps together, some I am making 2″ ;half square triangles blocks, and others I am just making pieced pieces. There are a lot of excellent ideas for scraps.
I have 4 grand girls now, so I am hoping to make some scrap balls to toss around
Happy Week-end
Fabulous and Funny
I loved all the wonderful ideas. I also am a paper scrap saver. Double whammy !!
Several of my art buddies did a retreat recently where we each brought a small baggie of fabric scraps, a 4x4inch journal and a glue stick. We contributed single words to a bowl, drew one out and then interpreted our words in the journal. We readily shared each others stash and it was great fun to figure out each of the words from the mini artworks. The wonderful bonus is the nice memories of the weekend in the small journals.
Love getting your musings each week. Thank you so much.
Love <3
We definitely need National Scrap Week! How do we make it official? One of my favorite uses for the little treasured scraps is SACHETS. I made up a batch a couple of years ago and posted the free patterns for 3 “styles” on my blog. I used up scraps of velvets, satins and notions to make them, but they would be equally charming in wovens, indigo, little sashikos, etc…: https://craftdesignworks.wordpress.com/2015/07/25/diy-luxurious-lavender-sachets-lovely-easy-for-gifts-or-to-keep-free-patterns/
“Some are so exquisite I call them fragments.” ♥♥♥
oh, what a wonderful post. scrap week, month , life. i keep my big scraps in a big basket and small ones install baskets and teeny tiny ones in a “love hearts” sweeties tin. i’ll put a picture of that on my ig page. I’ve been intending to stitch them all together but first i need to finish my ann wood needle book.
thank you xx
Ann, it’s wonderful someone came up with a “holiday” for fabric scraps! What an inspiration you are! I make little prayer flags & fabric brooches from my scraps, bits of lace & ribbon & old buttons. Wish I could share a photo! You Go Girl!!
I don’t have Netflix but I do have wine! Last year I was with a group making ‘Boomerang Bags’ which was a great way of using up a fabric stash. For the smaller scraps festive bunting was made.
My friend made me a paperback book cover! It is similar to the needle book with button and loop closure. It has ‘pockets’ on the inside (sort of like a billfold) that the front and back book covers slip into and a book mark thread (I can see an adorable scrap here with a charm) sewn in top center. You could make these for any size book, perfect for yourself or any book lover <3
I learned long ago to “dumpster dive” the trash bins after taking a class! Wonderful little bits are tossed out under the idea that “you can’t save EVERYTHING!!” But you can!
Inspired..Peace!
I just finished cleaning out my studio and took my leftover supplies to creative reuse studio in my neighborhood. I dropped them off and then noticed they had a whole bookcase of upholstery fabric samples. I was giddy. I showed the owner my mushrooms and crow so she could see the kinds of things I do with my scraps. I went home with a whole box of scraps. Thanks for the inspiration. Perfect timing.
I LOOVE this post and get such a boost from it! Thank you for sharing all the inspiration and creativity.
[…] Handmade , and I really enjoyed this post last January full of ideas for using up fabric scraps https://www.annwoodhandmade.com/the-2019-annual-scrap-festival-10-ideas-for-your-scraps/ I was interested to see that she posted a follow up this week. This is taken from […]
I just love your work and how you share your love and ideas so freely.
You are a talented lady and deserve your success and the love people give to you and your work. So inspiring! ❤️❤️❤️
I’m using cash register rolls to paper piece on. I’m working on the idea of a “Roman Coins”type of string quilt for myself. I stitch the fabric scraps onto the paper(2 1/4” wide) and just keep rolling it up. One problem, it uses tons of scrap and after 45 years of stitching, I’ve finally run out!! Crazy, huh! I’m having to buy scrap bundles on e-bay for crying out loud! I’ve altered my plans and will use 2 1/2” jelly roll strips between the pieces scraps to calm the whole thing down a bit. I’m alternating jelly rolls with pieced strips and it’s looking fantastic! Finally one for meeeeeeee!!!!!
We definitely need to make scrap week a thing! And also I love your writing style! So personable – I’m sure I’ll be back here checking out your projects again soon.
I love everything you make! The colorful fabrics you use, the designs you come up with, so beautiful and the antique feel to it makes them magical!
I’m just curious was there a 2020 scrap week?
What a great idea to sew fragments of fabric onto the pages of a journal !
Thankyou to everyone for your inspiring comments. I am always happy to leave a shop clutching a scrap of beautiful vintage fabric. So satisfying.
I couldn’t agree more with your comments. I love ironing scraps too.
Thanks for sharing x
I am already subscribed to your emails, but this blog post just came up on Pinterest. I think I signed up after this post, else I believe I would have remembered it! I love your wit and your reasons for doing all that you do. I will adopt some as my own. Really enjoying your blog and love your projects. Thanks for this post! Now I know why I have to save every scrap!
I’m hooked! You’ve got me. So happy to find another minute maker of lovelies. Marion
Ooo love your ‘ imaginary ‘ Scraps- Week ‘ I’m in ! wink This is me ( only not quite so organised)
So wonderful!! Great ideas!! Thanks for sharing! I am working on rag rugs to decrease my scraps. My next project is bowls thanks fo the tips .Look forward to more great advice!!
I’m so scrappy! I mean happy! Scraps and satchico visible mending and boro stitching. Love it all!
I am obsessed with scraps and ironing. Thank you for not making me feel weird.
Must pass on- Ms. Abigail Lapell. She is who I groove with while slowly, slowly sewing. Thanks for being around to share your goodness.✌️