Thursday, February 11, 2010

QAWM:Day 10
Scrapatosis
As we quilters all know, making a quilt results in scraps. Or begins with scraps. There is historic resonance in using these up,  but one wants to have some handle on them lest they overtake the studio. I mentioned starting a search to find suitable storage for my shelves and part of that storage would be for scraps-keeping. My initial desire for decorative boxes/baskets was thwarted by the size of my cubbies. I found a lot of really adorable containers which would not fit, so back to square one. At Target I found that these Sterlite containers were the perfect fit.


However there were only three.
I want more!!!
Or maybe the same kind only deeper, which so far I have not found either. Lidded and clear, they make perfect scrap savers.







Of course if IKEA were still selling those nice wooden drawer units, I know they would fit perfectly too, but aren't very transparent, and are very heavy. And my painted cardboard boxes (Hobby Lobby or Michael's) are nice but not space efficient.









Enough about storage, I got so excited to have found at least some solution that I dove right into scrap sewing and made this stuff. The smaller blocks are not sewn to this bigger one, but are posed just for the photo. The idea is to use up the strips and have scrappy blocks ready for a larger collected work.
I am smuggly happy with this plan. At least until the scrap pile overwhelms these three boxes.

10 comments:

  1. When I find someting at Target and they don't have enough I just go back and week or two later and usually they have restocked the desired items.

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  2. Do you have Big Lots back there? That's where I have been finding great selection and price on plastic bins. I just bought a long, skinny one yesterday for pole dyeing, and I have a whole collection of shoe boxes for my small scrap stash. Betcha Wal-Mart would have some too...
    BTW, LOVE your scrap blocks! Too cute!

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  3. I consider fabric on the shelves a form of artwork -- it's almost as pretty as those painted boxes you have (now if I could only convince my DH...).

    I keep my scraps in a laundry basket at the end of my cutting table. I was thinking of getting (paying) my daughter to separate them into usable piles...

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  4. I like the canvas type drawers that slide into the cubby shelf space - colorful and cheap. I found them at Target and Lowes. Love the strip blocks. Do you cut your scraps when finished with something or do a lot all at once OR only when you are going to use them? Just curious.

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  5. Marie, I put those canvas drawers in my shopping cart and before I got to the check out I measured them and no go. Too big by a scant 3/4 inches.

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  6. Anonymous10:19 AM

    You could make your own fabric boxes! With a layer of peltex in them they'll stand straight and tall!

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  7. Anonymous11:32 AM

    I'll second the Big Lots/dollar store suggestion above, and also-- is what you want on Target.com?

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  8. We do love our scraps and finding ways to hoard them is an ongoing quest. I like those Sterlite containers.

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  9. Nancy V.3:28 PM

    I like how the original center section (before you cut it up) looks like a landscape with just simple strips. And the borders around it give the feel of looking out at the distance.

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  10. I love that there are others out there that get excited about storage like I do. Having continually moved "down" to smaller and smaller spaces at this stage of my life and finances, I am happy that this excitement over clever storage has enabled me to be smart about my use of space. Yours is wonderful!

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