Moonlight Quilters Tip of the Needle Home
	Scraps! Use em, or Lose em . . .
	Tips by our dear friend Sharon Templeton from her presentation at the November 2006 guild meeting. See what you missed!
Share A Tip If you have a tip to share with the guild members, submit it to the webmaster using the email link below.	Remember that there is value in your scraps. If you paid $9 for the yard of fabric, some of that value is in the scraps you have left. Sharon Suggests: I keep my scraps in a basket near the cutting table, and when it is full they go into a covered box until I am in the mood to deal with them. But just one basket and just one box. On the days when I decide to prepare my scraps here is my process: Put a movie in my DVD player Get a fresh bottle of water Grab a handful of scraps and place on the end of the ironing board Press each piece in the pile. Take stacked, pressed scraps to the cutting table and cut into squares, getting the largest ones I can from the piece and working my way down. * Place squares into drawer for that size. ** Grab another handful from the box and start again. It is amazing how many squares you can create in just an hour. So then when I find a pattern I want to work with, I can go tho that drawer and I am ready to create my blocks . . . and more scraps . . . *The smallest squares I cut and save are 2 inches. I also cut 2 1/2", 3", 3 1/2", 4", 5", 6", and 8". **These drawer sets are easy to find at any local "big box" store or use your fabric store coupons or shop their sales. (Sharon owns two sets of drawers and that is enough to store all the sizes of squares that she lists above.) How small is too small? Sharon says that she saves nothing less than a 1 1/2" strip. For her, that is the limit. She does have other ways of dealing with the leftovers that are too small to save. Give them to a friend who does applique Save the scraps of batting and fabric in an old pillowcase taped to the end of the cutting table. When it is full, stitch it closed and donate it to an animal shelter for a dog bed. Add your own ideas and get on with the sewing!	View Previous Tips: Applique Binding-Mitered Corners Bindings-Joining Ends Bindings-Scalloped Complimentary Colors  Design Wall Ergonomic Quilting Flying Geese Hanging Sleeves HST & QST Cutting tips HST- Sharon's method Labels for Quilts Marking Quilts Miniatures Nine Patch Blocks No Loose Ends On Point Setting-Corners Pins & Needles Quick Quilt Sizes Quilter's Knot Real Life Quilting Scraps Snuggling Seams Storing Your Quilts
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