Creative Ways to Use Leftover Fabric Scraps in Quilting

For most quilters, the inevitable result of creating beautiful quilts is a growing collection of leftover fabric scraps. Whether large or small, these fabric remnants can accumulate quickly, often leaving you wondering what to do with them. Luckily, those scraps don’t need to go to waste! There are countless ways to repurpose and transform leftover fabrics into stunning, creative projects. In this blog, we’ll explore creative ways to use leftover fabric scraps in quilting, allowing you to make the most of every piece of fabric.

1. Scrappy Quilts: A Colorful and Eclectic Option

One of the most popular ways to use fabric scraps is by making a scrappy quilt. This type of quilt embraces variety and randomness, resulting in a beautifully eclectic and colorful finished piece. Scrappy quilts can be as structured or as free-form as you like, depending on the pattern you choose.

Patchwork Style: Patchwork is one of the simplest ways to use up scraps. Gather your fabric remnants, cut them into uniform squares or rectangles, and stitch them together into rows. You can create a random arrangement or follow a color scheme to give the quilt more structure. The beauty of patchwork quilts is that no two are alike—they reflect your collection of fabrics, making each quilt unique.
Log Cabin Quilts: The Log Cabin block is another fantastic way to make use of fabric scraps. This design involves sewing strips of fabric around a central square, gradually building up the block in a spiral or rectangular shape. Use a variety of colors and patterns to create a lively, scrappy version of the Log Cabin quilt.

2. Make Quilted Pillows or Cushions

If you have smaller amounts of fabric scraps, why not use them to create quilted pillows or cushions? These smaller-scale projects are perfect for practicing new quilting techniques and using up leftover materials.

Scrap-Friendly Patterns: Select a pillow pattern that allows for smaller fabric pieces. A nine-patch block or a star block can be ideal for this. You can also experiment with making an improvisational block by piecing together fabric strips and trimming them to the desired size for your pillow front.
Matching or Complementary Designs: Use your fabric scraps to match your pillows with existing quilts. If you’ve recently completed a quilt for your living room or bedroom, you can use the leftover fabric to make matching throw pillows. Even if you don’t have enough for a full pillow, mixing and matching scraps will create a complementary design that ties your space together.

3. Create Fabric Baskets and Storage Containers

Fabric baskets and storage containers are not only practical but also an excellent way to use up quilting scraps. These baskets can be used to store sewing supplies, yarn, or other household items, and they make for unique and thoughtful gifts.

Patchwork Baskets: Use your fabric scraps to create a patchwork design on the outside of the basket. You can make the patchwork as uniform or as random as you’d like. Once you have the outer layer completed, sew it together with a lining fabric and add some stabilizer to give your basket structure.
Scrap Rope Baskets: If you enjoy experimenting with new techniques, try making scrap fabric rope baskets. Cut your fabric scraps into strips and wrap them around a length of cotton rope. Using a zigzag stitch on your sewing machine, coil the fabric-covered rope into a basket shape, stitching as you go. The result is a sturdy, colorful basket perfect for storing craft supplies or household goods.

4. Create Mini Quilts and Wall Hangings

For quilters looking to create smaller, manageable projects, mini quilts and wall hangings are excellent options for using fabric scraps. These small quilts allow you to experiment with different designs, colors, and quilting techniques without committing to a full-size quilt.

Seasonal Wall Hangings: Create themed mini quilts or wall hangings for each season or holiday. Use your fabric scraps to design a Christmas tree for the holidays, autumn leaves for fall, or a sunflower for summer. These small projects are quick to make and add a personal touch to your home décor.
Improv Quilting: If you have a lot of irregularly shaped fabric scraps, improvisational quilting is a fantastic technique to explore. Improv quilting involves piecing together scraps without a set pattern, allowing you to create abstract, free-form designs. The result is a mini quilt or wall hanging that’s truly one-of-a-kind.

5. Use Scraps for Quilt Binding

Quilt binding is the fabric used to finish the edges of a quilt, and fabric scraps are perfect for this purpose. Scrappy binding can add a fun and colorful touch to your finished quilt while ensuring that no piece of fabric goes to waste.

Scrappy Binding Strips: Gather your scraps and cut them into uniform binding strips, about 2.5 inches wide. Join the strips end to end, creating a long, continuous strip of binding. When attached to the edges of your quilt, the variety of colors and patterns will add an interesting and unexpected finish.
Mix and Match: Scrappy binding doesn’t have to follow a particular color scheme or pattern. Mix and match different fabrics for a playful, patchwork-style binding. This method works especially well for quilts that are already eclectic in design, such as scrappy or patchwork quilts.

6. Create Fabric Coasters and Hot Pads

Smaller fabric scraps are perfect for making quilted coasters or hot pads for your kitchen. These quick, easy projects make great gifts and can be a fun way to try out new quilting patterns and designs.

Quilted Coasters: Cut your fabric scraps into squares or hexagons and layer them with batting and backing fabric. Use quilting stitches to secure the layers together, and finish the edges with bias tape or scrappy binding. You can create a set of coasters in a variety of colors and patterns, making them perfect for using up those smaller scraps.
Hot Pads and Oven Mitts: For a slightly larger project, use your fabric scraps to create quilted hot pads or oven mitts. Simply cut your scraps into squares or strips, piece them together to form the front of the hot pad, and layer it with heat-resistant batting and backing fabric. These practical kitchen items are a great way to use up fabric scraps while adding a handmade touch to your home.

7. Use Scraps for Appliqué

Appliqué is a quilting technique that involves sewing fabric shapes onto a background fabric to create a design. It’s an ideal way to use up small scraps of fabric, as the shapes can be cut from even the tiniest pieces.

Create Appliqué Shapes: Use your fabric scraps to cut out shapes such as hearts, stars, flowers, or animals. Arrange these shapes on your quilt top or a piece of fabric and sew them down using a straight stitch, zigzag stitch, or hand embroidery. Appliqué can be used to add decorative elements to quilts, pillows, or other sewing projects.
Personalized Quilts: If you’re making a quilt for a special occasion, such as a baby shower or wedding, use fabric scraps to appliqué names, initials, or meaningful symbols onto the quilt. This personal touch adds sentiment and charm to your project.

Conclusion

Fabric scraps are a treasure trove of creative possibilities for quilters. Instead of letting them pile up or go to waste, you can repurpose them into beautiful, functional, and artistic quilting projects. From scrappy quilts and quilted pillows to fabric baskets, appliqué, and coasters, the options for using up leftover fabric are endless. Embrace the challenge of working with scraps and discover how these small pieces can lead to big, beautiful projects. Not only will you reduce waste, but you’ll also add unique, personal touches to your quilting creations. Happy quilting!

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