What Happens to My Fabric Scraps?

One question I hear fairly often is, "What happens to all the leftover fabric?"

The short answer?

Almost nothing goes to waste.

When I'm creating my upcycled flannels and summer tops, I start by removing the graphic from a T-shirt. After that, I look at every remaining piece of fabric to see how it can be used again.

If the shirt has long sections without seams, I cut it into one continuous spiral to create T-shirt yarn. Other pieces are cut into strips that become the colorful tassels on my handmade keychains.

Even after I trim the tassels, I save those tiny fabric scraps. Instead of throwing them away, I use them as stuffing for crochet projects. Right now, they're being saved for a balloon dog I'm working on!

I've also started collecting colorful thread clippings from sewing my newest collection of summer tops. I don't have a finished project in mind just yet, but I've seen some creative inspiration and can't wait to see what they become.

The same goes for broken jewelry, loose beads, charms, and other small craft pieces. If something can be reused in a future project, I keep it. Sometimes the smallest leftover piece becomes the perfect finishing touch for something completely different.

I think that's one of the things I love most about creating. I enjoy finding new possibilities in materials that might otherwise be thrown away.

Every scrap has potential—you just have to look at it a little differently.