I May Have a Scrap Problem... Leftover Binding!

Hi, all!

I definitely have a scrap problem this week - my scrap bucket is starting to overflow, but no time to deal with it as I work hard on the end of Hands2Help!  But I did do a little clean-up today putting away binding scraps, so I thought I'd share my process with you!

I started with some leftover binding, and added my tools - something to measure with, post-it notes, a pencil, and some short straight pins!

Step one:  measure that binding scrap!  (Duh!)  This isn't rocket science, you just want a general length.  I usually round down from any partial inches.

Take your pencil and write the measurement on your post-it note.  If you use different widths of binding, this would be a good place to note the width, too.

Then I wrap the binding around my fingers to get it all neat and tidy.  If it's a really long piece, I'll use three fingers instead of four so all the little bundles are about the same size.  

Pin that post-it note to your nice neat bundle and you're all set!

Here's a picture of the tub I use to store my binding scraps in.  You can see the print bindings toward the bottom of the picture, and the solid bindings toward the top.  My pins and post-it notes live in here, too!

In the center is a zip loc bag that holds all of my bias binding scraps.  I don't do bias binding very often - usually only when I have an oddly shaped piece to bind (curves, hexies, etc.) and I always end up making too much - so I save it for later projects.

And at one end of the box I keep the instructions for making continuous bias binding - because I got tired of trying to track it down every time I needed it!  

So that's how I save my binding scraps - and here's why!  First of all, binding scraps are PERFECT for binding scrappy quilts.  (Duh!) And with the pieces already measured, it's easy to pull out enough for your whole quilt and not come up short.

Second, when your binding scrap box starts overflowing, you can turn them into fabulous quilts...

....limited only by your imagination!  So don't waste those binding scraps - use them!

And don't think that I haven't been working on my scrap projects at all - I did manage to get the arcs attached to the denim quilt, and trimmed the edges so it's ready for quilting!

So what have you been doing with your scraps this week?

Hugs!

Sarah