HOW I SAVE, PREP, AND CUT MY FABRIC SCRAPS INTO USABLE SIZES

Many years ago, I threw my fabric scraps into metal bins by color. Anything smaller than 1/4 yard or smaller than a fat quarter went into these bins. 

I wasn't in love with this system. Dumping, digging, and pressing scraps before I could even start cutting and sewing seemed totally unproductive to me.

Eventually I landed on the method I am now using, and it's worked fabulously for me for many years. 

When I'm working on projects, like a quilt. I toss the leftover fabric scraps into this fun little 1.5 gallon galvanized bucket that I ordered from Amazon. (CLICK HERE) 

It sits on my workbench, aka cutting and ironing table. 

I've tried all different sizes of buckets, and this is my favorite size. CLICK HERE

When the bucket is full, I grab my air pods and my iPad and watch either floss tube or you tube, or listen to a book while I start the process of cutting my scraps into usable sizes. 

This is where the size of the bucket comes in. Too small of a bucket, and the scraps add up fast, and I am constantly spending time cutting my scraps into usable sizes. 

To large of a bucket, and the task becomes completely overwhelming, and the scraps keep piling up. 

I have found the 1.5-gal bucket is the perfect size. I can get quite a bit of fabric scraps in it, but not too much! 

I dump the bucket. 

Sort the scraps into approximate like sizes. 

Press everything, stacking them nicely

Then cut the scraps into usable sizes. 

After a few times of doing this, I can lay a fabric scrap on the cutting mat and know by a quick glance approximately what usable sizes I can get out of it. 

The usable sizes I have chosen to keep and organize are: 

1 ½" in various lengths (including 1½", 2½", 3½", 4½", 5½" and 6½") 

2 ½" in strips and squares

3 ½" squares 

5" squares

I use my Creative Grids 6.5" x 12.5"; it is my favorite ruler for cutting my fabric scraps. If the scraps are a bit larger and I can't tell at a glance what size I can cut them into, I just lay the ruler on the fabric and can easily tell how many 1.5" strips I can get, or how many 2.5" squares I can get, etc. CLICK HERE for the RULER. 

It takes some time to prep, cut, and organize fabric scraps into usable sizes. But for me, it's totally worth it in the end! 

I love being able to grab a stack of precut usable-size fabrics and start stitching! There are so many great quilt patterns that use these sizes for their construction. 

One of my favorite scrap-busting patterns is the 'Flower Bed' quilt pattern in the book Scraps Plus One by Joan Ford. I've made this quilt multiple times and love it.

Here are two of the quilts I've made with Joan's Flower Bed pattern. 

You can find Joan's book by CLICKING HERE

In my next post I'll be sharing my newest method for organizing my 1½" scraps! I can't wait to show you. And...

You can see how I organize my usable scraps in the blog post from yesterday HERE. 

Sometime in the near future, I hope to do a video/reel on IG showing my process. Life is just a bit busy right now. 

This Sunday, March 9, 2025, the March edition of my Needle little Inspiration newsletter goes out to subscribers. The March edition is full of more scrappy happiness. Including a discount for one of my favorite scrap-busting patterns. 

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