3 Creative things to do with scrap fabric

By Nicole Tinkham

My mom did a lot of quilting when I was younger and one of my favorite things to do was play dress up with her scrap fabric. There were pieces everywhere in every color, pattern and size imaginable! It was a dream land for a kid but looking back on it now, it was just plain chaos. If you too have fabric scraps hogging up all your craft room space, I completely understand the struggle. We’ve put together 3 creative things to do with scrap fabric including fun projects to use them for, repurposing, and storage ideas that work. Continue reading to finally get your scrap fabric under control.
1.    Get crafty!
Before tossing or throwing away old scrap pieces of fabric, take a look at this endless list of scrap fabric projects. The only problem with hanging on to scraps for future projects is you may never need that particular piece! Instead of waiting for the perfect project to come along, create a project specifically for that scrap piece. Make sense? Just use your imagination and get a little creative with it 🙂

2.    Repurpose it
Don’t think you’ll ever use that last little bit of orange flowered fabric?? That’s ok! Repurpose it into fabric twine instead. We’re sure you can find use for string. Here’s a tutorial on how it’s done.

3.    Store it
When you just don’t have a use for those scraps right now but can’t seem to part with them, store them. But don’t just throw them in a junk drawer. It’s time to really get organized. Here are a few ideas.

Drawers
There are many types of organizational drawer systems out there (check Walmart) that are perfect for storing scrap fabric. We like the clear plastic kind that allow you to see exactly what’s inside. Be sure to choose a size and style that works well with the amount of scraps you have.

Bins
Another way to store fabric scraps is in bins. As with the drawers, bins also come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Remember to use what works best for YOU. See below for two of our favorites.

Mason jars
If you have some empty mason jars lying around and your scraps are small enough, why not store them in jars? Just be sure to group similar colors or patterns together to keep it organized.

File cabinet
File cabinets don’t always have to be for office use. Believe it or not, you can effectively organize scrap fabric in them too. Simply sort scraps out by color, texture, pattern, theme, or whatever system you come up with. Now place categorized scraps in hanging file folders. Be sure to label each file folder so you know exactly what’s in it. You may even want to staple both sides of the file folder halfway up to form a pocket so scraps don’t fall out.

Shoe organizer
Ever see those plastic shoe organizers that hang over the door and have numerous slots to hold shoes? Well those work PERFECTLY for storing fabric scraps. We love the fact that you can hang it right in the closet so it’s out of the way.

Wrapped around foam board
Here’s a nifty little trick we picked up from Pinterest that will make your life a whole lot easier. The main issue people have with scrap fabric is keeping it neat and tidy, right? With all the different shapes and sizes, it’s easy for scraps to have a mind of their own. To keep them in their place, wrap scraps around foam board (cut down to smaller pieces that work well for you). Hold fabric in place with a pin and store them however you’d like. You can even store them on a bookshelf at this point. This is just a great way to keep scraps nice and neat without having to fold them.

Whether you decide to use your scrap fabric for new projects, repurpose it, or store it for later the important thing is that you minimize clutter so you have more space to work in your craft room. Your friends and family members may try to convince you to just get rid of it all but as long as you’re doing one of these three things and keeping it organized, there’s no need to part ways with your beloved scraps!

We want to hear from you! If not fabric, what are you currently struggling with when it comes to organizing the art room? Let us know in the comments and it could be featured in the next blog.