How to Neatly Store and Categorize Fabric Scraps
If you're anything like me, your sewing machine is your portal to a world of creativity. You envision yourself cutting out pretty pieces of fabric, tucking them into a pretty pattern, and creating something truly magical. But amidst the magic and the creativity, one thing always seems to happen - your piles of fabric scraps only seem to grow.
At first, it's just a couple little triangles or a cute little strip of flowers. You reassure yourself that you absolutely will find a use for them later on, and tell yourself it makes sense that your cute little scraps have taken over your baskets, drawers and work area.
We've all been there; fabric scraps are the bane of existence for pretty much every sewist, quilter, or crafter. On one hand, they're the hated manifestation of spent money if you have to toss them, but the idea of tossing them is equally as horrible if you're the type to make use of every last scrap.
If you're ready to tackle your chaotic mess of fabric confetti and turn it into a lovely, inspirational organized chaos that makes your creative side sing, I'm here to guide you through the ultimate, stress-free guide to how to neatly store and categorize your fabric scraps once and for all!
Let's start with the most important part of organizing anything - mindset.
Part 1: The Why - Psychology of Hoarding Fabric Scraps
Before we get into folding, cutting, sorting, or buying bins, we need to explore why fabric scraps are so incredibly daunting for people to part with.
We crafters are creative people and we often think of materials in terms of potential. A scrap of fabric is a potential bag, dress, zipper tab, or hexie flower. The combination of potential waste along with the fact that many of us pay a pretty penny for quality fabric, puts a psychological roadblock in the way of tossing old scraps.
The Scrap Spectrum - The Truth No One Tells You
In order to purge your unwanted fabric scraps, you must first learn to accept a sobering truth - not everything is worth saving.
Give yourself a break and allow yourself to toss the scraps that no longer serve you. As you sort your scraps, ask yourself these four important questions:
The Size: Decide on a size limit. Anything smaller than a postage stamp is yours if it's something you wouldn't sew right away or only keep for stuffing (unless it's fancy silk or Liberty print). Can't cut at least a square inch or small binding strip of it? Toss it.
The Feel: Do you actually like it? A lot of crafters tend to hold on to scraps they wouldn't use in a million years simply because it was free or on clearance. If a scrap was scratchy, itchy, or cheap, don't keep it if you'll never actually sew with it. Life is too short to sew with ugly fabric.
The Would-I-Buy-It-Again Test: If you found the exact same scrap in a quilt shop, would you buy it? If not, toss it.
The Would-I-Actually-Use-It Test: Be honest with yourself. If you're a heavy canvas tote bag sewer, a bag full of chiffon scraps is probably taking up space you don't need. Keep your scraps with projects in mind.
Once you've purged all the scraps that no longer serve you or can't be used for anything in the future, congrats! You've got a lovely collection of scraps that you actually want to keep organized now, which brings us to our next point.
Part 2: Sorting - How to Categorize Your Scraps
If you find yourself staring in horror at all of the textile waste you've generated and contemplating running away, take a breath. Gather up your preferred sorting method and put on some music while you embark on the adventure of sorting and categorizing your scraps.
There are three popular ways of categorizing fabric scraps. Decide on a method that works best for you based on your preferred way of thinking.
Method A: Color Sorted (The Rainbow Method)
If you're a visual person who loves to make things with a color scheme in mind (or if you're a modern quilter who adores scrappy projects like Tula Pink), color-sorting is for you.
The Categories: Red/Pink, Orange/Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple, Neutral (White/Cream/Beige), Dark Neutral (Black/Charcoal/Navy), and Multi/Prints.
Why it's great: Want to make a rainbow mini-quilt or a bag with mustard yellow accents? You'll be able to easily find all of your yellow scraps without rummaging through every single bin you have!
Method B: Categorization By Project/Size (The Utilitarian Method)
If you're the type of crafter who finds themselves always hunting for specific pieces, this method is for you.
The Categories:
Strips and Binding: Narrow strips (between 1.5in-2.5in) and binding strips that can be used for binding, rug hooking, or string piecing projects.
Charm Squares & Rectangles: 5x5quares or 2.5x4rectangles, perfect for quick piecing.
Hexies & EPP Shapes: Tiny snippets for hand-sewing projects.
Large Chunks (Fat Eighth size down to hand size): For bigger projects like pockets, pouches, applique, or doll clothes.
Method C: The Fiber Content Method
The Categories: Quilting Cottons, Knits/Jerseys, Linens & Lighter Woven, Heavyweight (Canvas, Denim, Twill), and Luxury/Specialty (Silk, Velvet, Lace, Sequins).
Why it's great: You'll never use stretchy jersey to patch a woven cotton button-down shirt again. Keeping dissimilar fibers separated streamlines your crafting process when inspiration strikes.
Part 3: Storing - How to Store Your Fabric Scraps
Now that you've sorted your scraps, it's time to decide on a storage system that will allow you to access your scraps without feeling overwhelmed
When choosing storage containers for your fabric scraps, consider the following factors:
Space: Choose storage options based on the amount of space you have.
Light/Dust: Store your scraps somewhere that won't be prone to sunlight or pet hair.
Simplicity: Make sure you'll actually use your storage containers.
If you can't see them, you'll never use them! Let's explore some of the best, most creative ways to store your fabric scraps.
1. Clear Plastic Storage Bins
Clear plastic shoe boxes (or bigger ones if you have the space) are an excellent choice for storing fabric scraps.
Why it's great: They allow you to see what's inside your bins so you can reach in and grab what you need without digging through everything. You can stack them vertically to save shelf space, and the transparency lets you scan your color categories without opening every single box.
Best for: Medium to large scraps if you're color-sorted.
2. Zipper Pouches or Clear Vinyl Bags
If you prefer a more portable option or want to categorize smaller scraps within a larger bin, clear zipper pouches are an excellent choice.
Why it's great: They're flexible, portable and cheap. You can easily pull out a pouch of red scraps from a bigger bin of strips without having to dig through the whole thing. Great for smaller scraps or EPP shapes and pieces.
3. Mason / Apothecary Jars
If you have the aesthetic appeal of your scrap storage area in mind, jars are a great tool to roll with.
Why it's great: Rolled-up or squared-off small scraps can be tossed into these jars for display. A row of jars makes a pretty display of your scrap stash with no effort. Great for small quilting scraps or charm squares that won't be affected by sunlight.
Best for: Storing smaller or rolled-up scraps where sunlight won't fade the fabric.
4. Hanging File Folders or Accordion Folders
If you have long strips of fabric or flat geometric pieces, filing cabinets are an ingenious way to utilize space.
Why it's great: It's an easy way to file strips, bias tape or other long pieces of fabric. Hanging file folders allow you to write down categories like color or width on the tab, and flipping through them is as simple as organizing files in an office. Perfect for making sure your long strips stay wrinkle-free and tangle-free.
Best for: Ribbon, binding strips, and flat fat-quarter sized scraps.
5. Ziploc Bags (Clear Gallon / Two Gallon Zip Bags)
Gallon Ziploc bags or their two-gallon equivalents are a fantastic option.
Why it's great: They're cheap, versatile and airtight. Great for tossing in bits of flannel or fleece that you want to compress to save space.
Best for: Budget-friendly storage or temporary organization.
Part 4: Top Tips for Maintaining Your Fabulous New Order
It's great to establish great habits at the start, but many of us struggle with maintaining order. You'll likely find that your lovely color-coded scraps start to turn back into a disorganized jumble within three weekend sewing sessions if you're not careful. Here are some essential tips for keeping up with your new scrap management system for years to come.
1. Sort As You Go
The number one thing that ruins scrap management systems is procrastination. If you procrastinate sorting until you have a mountain of scraps to deal with, it can become a difficult chore to do in one weekend and you won't do it again for months.
The Fix: Have a little bin or basket nearby your sewing machine or cutting table. As you trim seam allowances or square up blocks, toss the scraps that you know are worth saving in the little bin. Once it's full (about a week's worth of scraps), throw in the little scraps into their designated category bins.
2. Pre-Cut While You're Inspired
If you like to make quilts consisting of pre-cut units (2in squares, 2.5in strips, etc), don't toss your scraps right away. Take 15 minutes while you watch TV to cut the scraps into your preferred sizes!
The Fix: Future-you will thank Present-you for having all of these pre-cut squares ready to go when she wants to make her next baby quilt on the weekend.
3.The "One In, Two Out" Rule (Or Use Them Up!)
If you find that your little scrap bins are getting full, it means that it's time to have a dedicated "Scrap Buster" project weekend.
The Fix: Set a reminder every quarter to use up at least one or two bins worth of scraps before buying any new yardage for a project. Some great "Scrap Buster" ideas include:
Potholders or Hot Pads (made with thermal fleeces).
Quilt-as-you-go zippered pouches or totes.
Dog Beds (mixing soft scraps with polyfill).
Crumb quilts or string quilts.
4.Label Everything
You might think that it's obvious what's in every scrap bin, but it's very easy for people to forget. Label every single bin with a label maker or some cute chalkboard stickers.
Extra tip: If you have people who use your craft room, labeling makes it less likely that they'll dump random household items in with your precious silk bin.
5.Hide From Sunlight
Certain fabrics (especially cotton prints and dyed linen) are highly prone to fading in direct sunlight. If your storage shelves are right next to a sunny window, your lovely gradient system will look less like a gradient and more like ugly sun-bleached stripes of fabric in a few months.
The Fix: Use opaque storage bins for shelves next to sunny windows or invest in cheap curtains for your crafting shelves.
Part 5: Fabulous Fabric Scrap Projects To Use Your Sorted Scraps For
1.The Crumb Quilt Block
If you have random little scraps that don't fit into any categories, crumb quilting is a wonderfully freeing experience.
How to do it: Simply sew random little scraps together until you've made a big block of "crumb fabric." As you sew, press the seams open so that your block appears as a nice big square or rectangle (I usually aim for 6.5in or 12.5in) and then trim it down to size later. When sewn together in a big quilt, it makes a lovely modern take on a stained glass mosaic of all your past projects.
2. Strip-Pieced Zipper Pouches
If you have a bunch of strips sorted by color, sew them side by side to make a big panel of striped fabric, then sew it into a zipper pouch of your choice! Not only does it make a cute everyday bag, but it also doubles as a wonderful handmade gift for your loved ones.
3.Log Cabin Blocks
Log cabin blocks were practically made for using up scraps. Sewing light strips on two sides and dark strips on the remaining two creates cool patterns when sewn around a central square. Medium and dark strips are ideal (varying widths are fine).
4.Fabric-Wrapped Storage Baskets
Use your sorted scraps along with some fusible interfacing or batting to make your own storage baskets with matching fabric! Not only are they adorable, but they're also a great reminder that your awesome crafting hobby is completely self-sustaining.
Conclusion: Enjoy The Joy Of An Ordered Crafting Space
When you walk into your crafting space, you don't want to be greeted by a wave of anxiety about messy scraps. You want to open up a drawer with pretty rainbow-sorted cottons and feel inspired to sew something wonderful! Let me know if you need help sorting your scraps or if you have any questions about this article in the comments below.
Take it slow; sort your scraps bin by bin while you listen to some podcast or music. Drink a nice warm cup of coffee or tea and spend an hour or two transforming your mountain of scraps into a well-curated stash of pretty fabric bits. Your future self will thank you for it!
Happy sorting and happy sewing! Do you have any clever, out-of-the-box storage hacks or favorite scrap-busting projects that you love to tackle when you need room? Let me know in the comments below!
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