101 Ideas for using fabric scraps

101 Ideas for using fabric scraps

Scraps can often be one of the biggest struggles for sewists. We spend so much time selecting and caring for our fabric, that it can feel sad and wasteful to just throw the scraps away. I’m very passionate about sustainability and creating less waste so today, I’m sharing 101 ways to use your scrap fabric. There’s a whole slew of ideas, organized into categories, so that you can skip to the section that sounds most fun to you.

These projects run the gamut from quick and fun to more involved and labor intensive. Where applicable, I’ve linked to existing tutorials on my blog. Otherwise, you should be able to find a tutorial via a quick internet search. Or, let your creativity run wild and create your own pattern.

VIDEO How to sew a lined zipper pouch

VIDEO How to sew a lined zipper pouch

I’m super excited about today’s video because it features a very special guest – Melissa from Melly Sews! I’ve been following Melissa for many years now and have found so many of her sewing tutorials to be immensely helpful in my own sewing journey.

A few months ago, I reached out to her because I was going to be in her hometown of Austin for a long weekend. She suggested that we do a DIY holiday gift exchange video and I quite readily said yes. Coincidentally, we both made a zipper pouch but in different styles! It was so much fun to meet irl and exchange these handmade gifts. Today, we are both releasing the video tutorials for how to make them.

VIDEO How to Sew Reusable Makeup Remover Squares

In today’s video, we’re sharing how to make reusable makeup remover squares. These little squares are a replacement for disposable cotton balls or pads and are an easy way to reduce waste and save money. Plus, if you have some cotton flannel in your scrap bag, they're basically free to make.⁠⁠ AND! This tutorial has a bonus lesson because it also shows you how to serge around a corner for a super clean finish. This technique will be helpful for all sorts of projects so it’s definitely worth it to watch the video.

For supplies, you’ll only need some scraps of cotton flannel, a serger/overlocker and thread. They’re super easy to make and so useful. I did some research on makeup remover that is packaged without plastic and the only solution I found was coconut oil. I’m currently using up a bottle of micellar water but I’m planning to switch over to coconut oil when it’s empty.

I hope that you found this video helpful. If you’re not already, make sure to follow my channel on YouTube to stay up to date on all my videos and let me know in the comments if there are any topics you're interested in seeing a tutorial about. Happy sewing!