Scraptastic Projects - Part 1

Today I thought I'd share some small projects made with small-ish scraps. If you follow my blog, you've seen some (but not all) of them before. Think of it as recycling, which is sort of what we're doing with our fabric when we use all the leftover bits and pieces.

First is this patchwork zippered pouch made with 2 1/2" squares. It's super easy to whip up if you already have a stash of precut 2 1/2" squares. Sew 'em up, add a lining and stitch on a zip - you're done!

Here's where it gets even more fun! These are two small zippy pouches made from super small scraps. The one on the left is a patchwork of 1 1/2" squares. Same as before - super fast and easy if you already have a bunch of precut squares.

The one on the right was made using all those teeny tiny "useless" scraps I showed previously. I just did a little raw edge applique onto a piece of linen/cotton blend. I didn't do it on this example, but I would strongly recommend using some sort of stabilizer/interfacing on the base fabric before trying to add the bitty bits. It can be done without but I think would be much easier with.

I really like the fraying and softening of the edges that happens with leaving the edges raw. Here's a peek at the inside.

If zippy pouches aren't you're thing, you could also use button, snap or velcro closures. If pouches of any kind aren't your thing (what??? you must be bored to death with my blog), you could also make panels of patchwork or raw edge applique and use them to decorate pockets or totes or book covers or to embellish clothing or....you get the idea.

I have a few other things up my sleeve for more scrappy projects. Keep your eyes peeled for Part 2!

Are you starting to think about your scraps in new ways? I hope so. If you make something like this I'd love to know about it!