Stay On Top Of Your Scraps
My Top 7 Tips & Tricks for Scrap Management
We’ve conquered our scrap mountain and hopefully have avoided a scrap avalanche or injury. But how do we enjoy the view from the top and stay awhile? If you love processing scraps, then that's awesome! Otherwise, you're going to want to check out my top 7 tips and tricks for staying ahead of your scraps!
1.Schedule it
Add it to your weekly or monthly calendar. Put an alarm to it so it reminds you. One could try doing it the first weekend of every month, or maybe every Saturday morning. I also recommend setting a time limit. This can be however long you can tolerate it, half an hour or an hour. If you find you're not getting through most or all your scraps then consider increasing how often you process scraps (i.e. go from monthly to bi weekly).
Add it to your planner!
2. Do it as you go
If carving out time once a month or week doesn’t appeal to you then maybe try this method. When cutting fabric for your quilt patterns, just take an extra 5 to 10 minutes and cut the remaining fabric into your pre cut scrap sizes (just be sure you have all your fabric units cut for your pattern because if you miss some, cutting the required pieces from the precut scrap squares/strips may not work out…you should just trust me on this one).
I cut these scraps after I had just finished cutting fabric for a pattern
3. Pair it with something you love
If you have weekly TV shows you love to watch (I personally love my Sunday nights with PBS Masterpiece), do it while those shows are on. Maybe plan on doing every Saturday morning with your favorite weekly podcast episode and a cup of coffee. By pairing a task with something you love and only allowing yourself that TV show, music, podcast, audiobook chapter while doing said task, you are much more likely to actually do that task (psst…this works for exercise too LOL). It also allows me to multitask, which makes me feel like I'm invincible! I can get caught up on the latest episode AND get my scrap pile under control!
Play some fun music and dance while you get your scrap on
4. Do it with a friend
This kinda goes along the same lines as tip #3. Schedule time with a friend or loved one to do it with. Conversation will help the time fly by. You could even do this over a zoom call if your friend or loved one lives far away. Catch up and inspire one another. You could even arrange a scrap exchange or have a race to see who can get through their scraps the fastest.
5. Get motivated
Getting motivated is often the problem when dealing with scraps. Focus on the end result rather than the task at hand. Sometimes the thought of dealing with scraps is just too daunting. But, when I focus on the end result of organized, easy to find and use scraps, it gives me that extra push I need to get it done. The other motivator for me is to look up and plan beautiful scrap quilts. I love planning quilt projects. I’m sure you do too. So think about what you can make with these scraps. That often gets my rotary cutter ready to roll!
I planned this quilt using my cool temperature strings
6. Be flexible
Allow the timing and the act of processing to be fluid. Let it shift with the seasons or the timing of your favorite TV programs. By allowing your system to flow and move with what is happening in your life, processing scraps won’t become a chore and won’t get stale. I dare say, you may actually find yourself enjoying time with yourself to fondle all your pretty fabric.
7. Give yourself grace
We are humans. So by nature, we are not perfect. Nor are we meant to be perfect. It's okay if we miss a day or two. It’s also ok if we need to change the schedule because our schedule changes. Sometimes I find I don’t process as many scraps as I should have because I’m watching the TV more than I have been cutting. If we beat ourselves up over missing a day or not being perfect we are much more likely to just give up entirely (that's that perfectionistic nature of some of us). Then we will find ourselves back at the bottom of that scrap mountain waiting to be buried by an avalanche.
Red and pink scrap squares organized in their bin
However you decide to make scrap processing a part of your routine is entirely up to you. I often combine these methods. Some weeks I find I cut my scraps as I cut out my fabric for a quilt pattern. But then I wait until my Sunday evening shows to put them away in their bins. The key is, to not let yourself get overwhelmed and give yourself grace. If we are too perfectionistic about it, we will be too afraid of failure and never even start.
Comment below if any of these resonate with you or if you have other methods that motivate you to stay on top of your scrap mountain. I would love to hear from you!
