Basket Case

A few years ago, I was told not to throw out fabric scraps.  "Think of how much money you are throwing away when you just throw them in the trash.  Fabric is expensive, and think about how it adds up to yardage and costs."    I personally like to call those my "free quilts".  Free, as in I didn't have to spend extra money to buy fabrics.

I started the year with this basket:

Today, I took the plunge.  I threw out my scraps, and it felt GREAT!  So liberating!  I feel like I am not longer a hoarder! I'm sure someone just cringed when they read that.   Honestly, the pieces did not make me happy.  The basket was always in the way. I just wanted it gone.  I thought of donating it, but there was no purpose.  Anyone would have looked at it, and saw trash. It was trash.  Many of the pieces were tiny, and  less than an inch wide.  The strings were frayed. I'm sure there is a quilter out there who would have seen the treasure in it.  I'm sure someone could have used it for a ticker tape quilt, or just a crazy quilt.  I get it.  Someone would have loved them. I personally did not have the time, and the pieces were basically dust collectors.   However, I will admit that I am quite proud of what I accomplished with the scraps. I went from that huge basket, down to a grocery bag.   I used up more than half the basket, and that is a reason to be proud.  I'm still working on somethings, so maybe at the end of the year, I will be able to share my projects.  

I can honestly, say that I will no longer be saving scraps.  I will be trimming my fabric as close as possible.  I was trimming off an inch to use in a string quilt.  I do have plans on making small 9 patches, so I will be making those as I go along with various projects, just to use up what I have.  Never again, will I have a basket of scraps!