Hi Reader,

Did you see my most recent tutorial on how to make corner bookmarks?

I shared it in my last newsletter and encouraged you to make them from scraps.

These bookmarks are a great way to save future projects in books and magazines from your sewing and quilting library.

I'm not sure how well you can remember things, but after marking several projects for myself, I realized I probably wouldn't remember what I had saved the next week much less later this year.

The projects I bookmarked interest me now and I want to remember them later.

So I created a Projects sheet where I could write them down and where they're located.

I even added some projects that I have saved on my computer, phone, and social media.

The Projects sheet has been added to the 2024 My Sewing Projects printable and is the 2nd page.

If the Projects sheet will help you keep track of your saved projects, click HERE to get your copy.

10 Minute Cleanup

What is your tolerance for a messy sewing space?

Mine is pretty high.

Thank goodness because I make a mess when I sew. It doesn't take long for all horizontal services to be covered.

I have often tried to put tools and materials up as I go to control the mess, but this strategy sucked the fun out of my sewing.

Cleaning as I go doesn't work with how I like to move and create in my space.

Maybe you feel the same way.

There is nothing wrong with a messy sewing space until it gets in the way of your sewing. Then you need to take action.

When you find yourself moving items around more than cutting, pressing, or sewing, a 10-minute cleanup may be just what you need to get back to productive sewing.

Note: A 10-minute cleanup works best when the items have a designated home in your sewing space.

How to do a 10-minute cleanup

1. Set the timer for 10 minutes.
2. Sort all of the items that are out of place and put them in piles with similar objects.
3. Once these piles are made, take each pile of items and put everything back where it belongs.
4. If the timer goes off before you're done, set it for another 10 minutes.

Tip: If some items belong in another part of the house, get a box or laundry basket to put them in. This will allow you to stay focused on your sewing space.

Course is opening soon

Have you been struggling to get your sewing space organized in a way that supports your sewing habits?

Check out Sewing Space Playbook and join the waitlist.

This course is what you need if you've been wanting to create a place where you love to sew. The good news is that it will be offered again in the near future.

Magic Numbers

When you struggle with throwing fabric scraps away, it doesn't take long for them to pile up and get out of control.

You may then find yourself stuffing them in bags and totes and hauling them to the garage to get them out of your space while you tell yourself you will deal with them later.

Whether you have a small amount of scraps right now or a garage full of them, one way to have control is to have a plan of action to organize and manage them as well as some g0-to project ideas for using them.

Last year I started searching for ways to use up some of my fabric scraps and created a scrap management system based on the different ways I want to use scraps.

One of the resources I found was Malgorzata Banjo from Pola Quilting. Her Magic Numbers approach to scraps intrigues me.

She has a YouTube channel and website where she shares many fabric scraps ideas including her Magic Numbers system and quilt blocks.

What's exciting is she just published a book where you can find everything in one place! She even has a playlist you can access from the book.

The book is available on Amazon, and I ordered it as soon as I could.

My plan is to make each of the 30 blocks and play around with fabrics and colors.

But before I do that, I'm going through precut scraps that were given to me.

I'm first organizing them by the magic number sizes, then I'll organize them by color.

Need some help or looking for other ideas on what to do with your scraps?

In addition to checking out Malgorzata's book or the Pola Quilting links above, make sure you get on the waitlist for the the next Conquer Your Fabric Scraps summit coming in August 2024.

This is a free online event that will help you organize, manage, and use up your fabric scraps.

Make your own fabric

Do you have a variety of sewing interests?

Sewing garments is one of the many things I like to sew, but I haven't indulged in this particular interest lately. Mostly because my focus has been on using scraps.

However, that hasn't stopped me from collecting ideas. I recently saw a post on Instagram by Ruthie @sewmanyflowers.

What caught my eye was the fabric used in the first image, and I thought, "This is another way to use scraps!"

In her post, Ruthie explained how she came up with the dress (see quote below).

When I clicked over to @ByAlissa to see if I could learn more about her shirt dress, she gave a brief description on how she made the fabric.

If you've been looking for ways scraps can be used in addition to quilts or small projects, let this post inspire you to think about how you can create your own fabric for garments.

That's all for now. Until next time...

Are you new to the Snappy Scissors newsletter? You can check out past editions HERE.

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