MY MONTH
http://www.quiltnow.co.uk 57INTERVIEW
Pre-cut your stash for quick
access when you needStuart’s Modern Amish
Sampler quilt is a top
scrap-buster!Stuar
about Stuart Hillard and
see what he’s working on at
stuarthillardsews on InstagramDI C ER RE
leaving the remaining pieces as large
as possible. Store this larger piece with
others of a similar colour or value. Use
acid-free mount board or plastic boards
designed for comic book collectors.
Wrapped around these boards your mini
bolts will look appealing, making them
so much more likely to be used!5
Trim the oddments down to a size
and shape you commonly use, for
example 2½" squares or a 1½" strip.6
Keep a box, wallet or drawer
specifi cally for your homemade
pre-cuts and then you will have the
pieces already cut for a project
when needed.7
If you love making strip quilts, jelly
roll projects or bargello, cut a 2½"
strip off every fabric you have and keep
them in a drawer or box together. You
can do the same with charm squares (5"
squares) or layer cakes (10" squares).
Before you know it you will have the
equivalent of a commercial pre-cut pack
without the additional fi nancial outlay
and these types of quilts and projects
are a lovely way to collate all the fabric
you’ve ever owned.8
Consider purchasing a storage
unit (or two) for your scraps. I
have several purchased from Ikea,
which house plastic bins and drawers
labelled by colour, plus one for odds
and ends that really don’t belong to
a particular category.9
When your scraps are organised it’s
much clearer to see what you have.
You may well be overrun with medium
colours and lacking in light and dark,
which can make planning your average
quilt challenging. Consider holding a
fabric exchange, either in person or
online with other quilters to even out
your scraps (and theirs).10
Plan a scrap quilt! Your fabric now
is beautifully organised and just
ready to be rifl ed through and turned
into something wonderful. More of that
next month!