And, turning them into LOVELY gifts.
I have a big tote (68.1 Litres) full of fabric scraps, some – people have given me but mostly they are from years of saving my own scraps from other projects. I have already made many gifts/projects with some of those scraps over the past year, but I swear, that overnight, they multiply like rabbits or mice. You can look at it today and think that I haven’t used any – ever!
This year, I have challenged myself to only make fabric postcards from there, to make more gifts with those scraps and try to use more scraps on paper cards and add to canvases.
That’s a BIG statement! I have added to my monthly goals, “Blog about using those fabric scraps”, so that should keep me on track to using them up.
This post is the first.
I made one of my sisters a scrappy scissor holder, had to adapt the pattern as I quilted the scraps then used it. The idea came from HERE. I’ll have to ask her to bring it over to photograph…..
I made a notebook cover for a friend, from the scraps. 
And, in the rush to get it in the mail and out before Christmas. This is the only photo I have of it….lol.
When I use fabric scraps, I also take the opportunity to quilt using some of the stitches on my Janome 6500. I, also, like to use up the almost finished spools of threads I have in a container on my sewing table. That container is showing that I downsized that stash….lol. Only half full now!
I take all the batting scraps, and sew them together for projects like this. Nothing is wasted!
When I am sewing, I, most times, will just grab a scrap, sew it to another or lay it down onto a fused backing. I don’t worry about matching colours. For some projects, I have the person in mind and what colours they like.
The next series of photos are of the notebook cover I made for another sister, the last one I made her holds 8.5 X 11 paper pad but had no pen holder (I’ve got it back to add one on the edge for her) – this one uses a paper pad the size of 8.5 X 5, has a pen area and also, an area for notes, cards, etc.
I used Sue Bleisweiss’s Mini Folio freebie for inspiration. Instead of using fusible for every layer, I fused the scraps to Timtex, then laid the threads, stamps, words from old books, fibres and ribbon scraps under an old chiffon scarf. I pinned it very well, then did straight stitches across the whole piece, hitting some of the papers, or around them. Once I had it secured, I trimmed the chiffon scarf to the backing size.
Then, I had FUN using up more thread and the fancy stitches on my machine. The chiffon scarf was cream and had a black design in some areas. Everything is now secure under the chiffon layer.
I used a cream FQ for the inside. Lots of FQs to use up also! I could have made the inside from scraps, but felt it warranted a simplier look.
I used velcro for the closure and was going to add a button, where DREAM was, but the button would have covered it.
I will be making more of these for gifts through out the year – they will not only use up some of the fabric scraps, end of spool threads, but also threads, fibres and ribbon scraps.
How do you control your fabric scraps?
I’d LOVE to hear your ideas for using up the fabric scraps.
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Great idea! lots of book covers….j