This month, the Twig + Tale Storytellers have been playing with the theme Scrappy. We invited the group to reflect on the theme and sew a project from fabric remnants and scraps leftover from other makes, rather than cutting into fresh yardage.
It felt like a fitting theme for this particular moment. There's a lot happening in the world right now that can feel overwhelming, and we love the idea of turning to something grounding, like resourcefulness and creativity, as a response. Sewing with scraps means working within limits, which often breeds more creativity, not less. A pile of odd-shaped leftovers encourages a different kind of problem-solving than a fresh cut of fabric ever could. Plus, using what you already have, rather than purchasing new fabric, just feels satisfying.
Read on for some inspiring scrappy projects and suggestions for some of our favourite ways to work with scraps.
Scrappy sewing inspiration from the Storytellers
Clockwise from top left: Tamsin, who says she "hoards scraps like a dragon" (isn't that relatable!), made a good dent in her scrap collection by creating patchwork fabric for this fabulous Fable Dress.
Sashanna adapted the star wand from the Celebrating eBook to use some of her woven scraps - the little pillowy star is so cute and the fabric ribbons are a clever way to use narrow scraps.
Mieke made a "freestyle" patchwork drawstring bag - sometimes it can be difficult to avoid overthinking fabric combinations, so we love the "just go for it" attitude she adopted when making this bag!
Melanie made a beautiful embroidered bookmark, which is such a perfect use for small scraps and has become one of our favourite gift items.
Clockwise from top left:
Fanny adorned the knees of her Hedgerow Trousers with sweet quilt-block star details. Patches like these would be lovely for mending too.
Brookeneil created festive bunting to decorate her hearth - such a cosy look, and we love decorations that can be reused every year.
Carol combined a variety of striped fabrics in a tight colour scheme (blue, yellow, and white) to create this perfectly-summery, crumb-quilted tote bag.
Clockwise from top left: Jesara made an entire collection of eye masks for a gift swap, featuring the most delicate and lovely quilted moths.
Jen started working on a collection of Mini Wings to decorate her children's bedroom - what an enchanting use of scraps!
Carol created another gorgeous tote bag, featuring block printed fabric and a special embroidered pocket that Mieke sent to her.
Ally created a whimsical, purple zipped pouch, featuring a hand-embroidered initial, vines, and flowers.
Our favourite ways to use scraps
From putting scraps on display in garments to using them as stuffing, here are some of our favourite ways to use up scraps.
Piece together garments: It's entirely possible to sew child- or adult-sized garments from scraps alone. Clever piecing and seaming build larger pieces of fabric out of smaller ones. Done creatively, the piecing becomes a design feature in its own right, making a garment even more special and unique than if it had been cut from yardage (like Tamsin's patchwork Fable dress above). Wietske, from the Storytellers team, suggests adding topstitching to make pieced seams into deliberate design features.
Mix scraps with new yardage: You don't have to limit yourself to using only scraps when sewing. Dip into your scrap bin for specific elements of a garment, such as pocket bags, facings, linings, or bias binding. It's a great way to add a contrast detail or hidden surprise, and it stretches your "new" fabric further too.
Sew small accessories: Small projects are perfect for scrap busting, and we have plenty of patterns for them in our Simple Sewing eBook collection! Zippered pouches, tote bags, eye masks, bunting... a selection of small projects that are quick, satisfying, and can easily be made from your scrap bin. Drawstring bags, bookmarks, and needle books have been Storyteller favourites!
Mend and appliqué: Small scraps make wonderful patches and appliqué shapes, perfect for personalising clothes, or for covering a stain or hole with something decorative. Looking for a low-commitment creative project? Rummage through your scraps and make some patches to add to your mending kit. Having patches pre-made removes one more barrier to actually sitting down and getting some mending done.
Use tiny scraps as stuffing: Tiny scraps have a way of building up until the quantity feels overwhelming, and some are so small that they don't really feel worth saving. But you can put them to good use as stuffing! One of our favourite projects is making your own Tailor's Pressing Ham (it's a free pattern). You'll be amazed how many scraps one can hold, and it goes on to become something that will be useful in your sewing life for years to come.
Pass them on: Consider this permission to let go. Not everyone is excited by sewing with scraps, and that's OK! And sometimes having all that fabric clutter around can actually hinder motivation and creativity. If you're not going to use your scraps, find someone who will. Community organisations, schools, and children's art or sewing classes often welcome fabric donations. Marketplace groups are another easy way to pass scraps along to someone who will put them to use. You get to clear clutter and make someone else happy!
I hope this scrappy roundup sparked some inspiration for you - maybe a new way to use up scraps that you hadn't considered before, or the nudge to tackle that overflowing bin. Next time you're tempted to buy new fabric, consider approaching your scrap bin as a source of creative possibility instead. Here's a fun thought experiment: if you couldn't buy fabric for an entire year, what would you make? You might be surprised by what your scraps have been waiting to become!
If you're looking for a community of kind and creative sewists to hang out with, we'd love it if you'd join us in our free, online sewing community, the Twig + Tale Treehouse. Share your projects, ask questions, participate in our monthly theme discussions, and meet other sewists with shared interests. We'd love to see you there!
