Then I learned about mug rugs, mini quilts, pieced bindings, etc. There are so many uses for these tiny leftover bits! So, I began to collect my leftovers in a small jar...but they were so MESSY LOOKING! Anyone who knows me well knows that I. CAN'T. STAND. MESS! What to do?
A really CUTE solution was waiting for me at the Sizzix website!
After Christmas I began buying quilting supplies and fabric to use up the money left on numerous gift cards (set to expire in early 2015). When I saw this shape cutting die I knew it would be PERFECT to corral all of my binding scraps, and my leftover pieces of ribbon! I popped it into my shopping cart, paid using a free gift card and waited anxiously for my package to arrive.
This morning I used my die to cut a handful of "spools" out of card stock, and began measuring and winding my bindings. I wrote all of the measurements in pencil so it would be easy to reuse my spools a few times before they became dogeared.
I secured the binding ends with a safety pin and dropped the spools into a large metal clasped container. My bindings will stay safe, dust-free and, most importantly, AVAILABLE whenever I need just a small amount of binding to finish a sewing or quilting project.
Because I have more spools cut than binding leftovers, I used two large paperclips to secure the spools together and taped them to the underside of the container...without taping directly to the card stock. I could have dropped the paper-clipped spools into the container with the bindings, but I don't want to have to go digging through my nicely wrapped binding every time I need another spool. Had there been more leftover spools I probably would have placed them in a small clear bag and taped it to the lid. Time will tell which method works best, but for now I have organized yet one more small item in my sewing room. Another 2015 goal gets checked off the list!!!
What a great idea.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Thanks, Jackie! I am SO determined to make my way through my sewing room(s) during 2015. I want to purge the things that I know I will never use and find better ways to organize what I keep. Then I think I stand a better chance of really using my imagination, and my stash, to be creative WITHOUT spending a lot of money. I have our "future" goals firmly implanted in my head and I am going to "frugal" my way to them! So I need to find a way to make a usually "expensive" hobby cheap, Cheap, CHEAP!
DeleteThat is a great idea!! I love seeing how others keep their scraps under control. I cut the smaller left over pieces into 2 1/2"squares and put them in a box. Every once in a while I toss together a scrappy baby quilt when I need some easy sewing time. The longer pieces I store in my 2 ½" strips box. So far it's managable.
ReplyDeleteI have a drawer in a Sterlite rolling cart that is just for 2.5" squares. I also have another drawer where some of the squares have been turned into hexies for my "someday" hexie charm quilt. I also have TWO drawers in the Sterlite that are filled to the top with "scraps" that need to be cut down to manageable pieces. Bad me...I really need to get working on that. I have a shoebox where I store Dresden spokes that I cut down from scraps and 3 shoeboxes that contain Light, Medium and Dark 1.5" strips that were given to me. SOMEDAY I am going to make a string quilt. Yesterday I DID manage to sort through the scrap bucket under my sewing machine and put scraps of batting away, scraps of stabilizer away and moved the fabric scraps to the rolling cart. The only thing left in my bucket are small "sandwiches" of fabric and batting that I can use to try out stitches. So at least i can claim SOME progress, lol. Thankfully there are still 11 months left for me to continue the 2015 purge/organization!
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