Fabric Scrap Buster Bins

Every sewer has fabric scraps laying around! Try this fun project to help organize those scraps and use a few in the process. If you’ve been wanting to try free-motion quilting these bins are an easy less-intimidating way to practice! Download printable instructions.

Materials:

• External fabric ¼ yard (there will be excess fabric)
• Lining fabric ¼ yard (there will be excess fabric)
• Fusible fleece ¼ yard (there will be excess fabric)
• Matching thread
• Quilting thread for free-motion quilting (optional)
• ¼” sewing foot
• Ruler and rotary cutter
• Iron
• Wonderclips

Tools:

• Baby Lock Sewing Machine

Steps:

1. If you decide to free-motion quilt your fabric on the external part of the bin do this before you cut into your final 6-inch square panels.

   1. I cut a 7-inch strip to the width of the fabric and free-motion quilted it with the fusible fleece attached.

   2. This is an optional part of the process but is a great introduction into free-motion quilting. I used the meander technique with a variegated thread.

   3. If you have never given free-motion quilting a try drop your feed dogs and practice on this small and easy project.

2. Cut five 6” square panels for the outside part of the bin.

   1. If you didn’t quilt your fabric at this point press with the fabric and the fusible fleece together with a hot iron as per the manufacturers instructions.

3. Cut five 6” square panels for the internal part of the project

4. Starting with your external fabric place your squares into a T shape on your work surface.

   1. NOTE: the main T sections are the side panels the block to the right is the bottom and the last block on the right is the remaining side panel.

   2. If your fabric is directional make sure they are correct before you start sewing.

5. All seams are sewn using ¼-inch. Use a ¼-inch foot for this setting the needle on a center straight stitch.

6. Take the first two sections and sew from the top corner stopping at the bottom and leaving a ¼-inch space.

7. Press the seams. The section with the opening will be facing the right-hand side.

8. Take your next sections right sides together and sew from the top corner to the bottom leaving a ¼-inch space.

9. Press the seams. The section with the opening will face the right-hand side.

10. Now we are going to sew the bottom panel. Join right sides together and sew all along the bottom leaving ¼-inch spaces at each end.

11. Press the seams.

12. Now join the last section again leaving ¼-inch seams at both ends and press.

13. With right sides together clip one of the T sections to the bottom panel using Wonderclips. Sew from top to bottom.

14. Then sew the other T section to the bottom panel. You will start to see the formation of a cube.

15. Sew both sides together.

16. For the bin lining repeat steps 4 to 15.

17. You now have two cube bins.

18. Place your lining inside the exterior cube right sides facing each other. Take the storage section off your machine to allow for free-arm sewing.

19. You will want to leave an opening to fold right side out so start about 2 inches away from a corner edge.

    1. Making sure all your corners are matching with the lining and the external pieces sew all the way around except for a 3-inch area to turn out.

20. Pull everything through the tiny opening gently the push the lining into the external part of the bin.

21. All that’s left to do is press the top sections and top stitch the project.

22. Congratulations on your finished scrap bin.