Monday, February 11, 2013

"the collective whole is my stash"

fabric scraps framed
Pinterest photo
I was reading Rachel's post at "ps I quilt" (one of my regular reads). Lisa Lee's comment, "To me the collective whole is my stash" really spoke to me.  How succinctly Lisa Lee said exactly what I was thinking. 

scrap basket I made for a non-quilting
friend who gives me her scraps
The post asked about the difference between scraps and stash.  Before long, I began wondering why there has to be a distinction. 

Oh, I understand that there are those quilters who are a little OCD and need lines.  But some of us are a bit more laid back, and others simply don't know or make distinctions between scraps and stash.  I'm in the last of the three, sort of. 

I do now separate scraps simply because I have a way of doing so: this dark blue fabric basket--made from scraps. (I wrote about it here.)  But scraps are, in my mind at least, still part of the stash.  I make an effort to use the scraps so that they don't build up to overflowing, but I don't get crazy about it. 

sort scraps by color.... I had some adjustable shelving hanging around the house and just added Dollar Store crates to put the fabric scraps in. Works perfectly and so inexpensive.I don't know that it matters as long as your system works for you.  For those who don't have a system, take your time in setting one up.  I have been in my studio for years and only recently began separating scraps.  I'm not sure that I even like this new way either, so I'm going to try it for a while.  If it doesn't work, I'll go back to the system I was using before: everything goes on the shelves.  In the meantime my little homemade scrap basket will do.
Happy Quilting,
Mary

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