I have one too many storage boxes filled with ‘scraps’

I am currently working through the Farmer’s Wife 1930’s Sampler Quilt book (see prior post here) and although I am having a fun time using some of my scraps from prior projects, I am now finding I am making scraps from my scraps! The pieces are getting smaller and smaller to the point they can’t really be used for anything that’s bigger than 1” in size, but that’s not to say it can’t be used - they have a great purpose now!

If you research ‘scrap busting’ ideas it seems a lot of posts tend to favour projects like string quilts or pot-holders but what if the pieces littering your workspace just aren’t big enough?

Fabric Stamps

As always, Instagram and Pinterest are my hubs for inspiration and project envy and one creation I’ve seen that helps to use up scraps is Fabric Stamps and Fabric Postcards. As a lover of all things paper and stationery related, this really speaks to me! Making an envelope out of fabric and then putting a little stamp on it, also made from fabric, makes my skin tingle with excitement! The beauty about the stamps is that you are free to choose any size you want, based on the pile of fabric sitting in front of you; I have one stamp made that was 1/4”x1/2”.

In researching how to make these stamps it seems there are several different ways you can go about it and I’ve tried a few to find what works best for me. I find using a firm stabilizer for the background gives it good stiffness while the fabric design portion is held in place by a fusible stabilizer such as Steam-a-Seam. I did try just stitching the fabric into place however I found the edges frayed a bit too much which eventually meant the fabric loosened and it looked pretty awful. I also glued the stamps together but found edges sometimes didn’t quite stick as well as I’d like. Fusible stabilizer ensures all sides are firmly adhered to the backing and also give the addest bonus of stiffness.

The really lovely thing about fabric stamps is that you can get really fussy with them and by that, I mean fussy cutting. You can concentrate on the smallest, or the largest, detail and make that the centrepiece of your stamp as you’ll see in the picture below:

Fabric envelopes and gorgeous fabric stamps

Fabric Postcards

This is a WIP for me as I am still working on finding a method that I’m happy with, however, I do feel progress is being made! When I originally started making postcards I was using a regular card rectangle as the backing but after sewing the edges using a zig-zag stitch I soon discovered I was perforating the card so much it would come away from the front.

Slightly annoying to say the least!

I was then able to source plain postcards which I have found much better to use as they are slightly thicker than regular cardstock so I don’t have to use quite so many stitches around the edges however I do find I still need to glue the card onto the back of the fabric, just for added security. The type of glue was another testing point - long story short, I used basting glue as it didn’t leech into the postcard paper and cause unsightly rippling.

Fabric postcards also provide a great way to use up smaller pieces of fabric and you’re free to use them as a crazy-quilt design or little applique shapes. There are some amazing quilters out there who make cards that look as though they have been painted on!

As you’ll see in the picture below the edges have different finishes; the blanket stitched edges didn’t break up the back card quite as much as the closely sewn zig-zag but if there’s a good adhesive between the fabric and card then there shouldn’t be a risk of them separating.

Fabric postcards using off-cuts and tiny Dresden blades

So, if you are looking for your next scrap-busting project I’d recommend trying these two methods - seeing as the year is rolling towards that festive season once more, you may find a few gift ideas in the making!

Good luck and have fun!