50+ Scrap Fabric Projects for National Sewing Month 2023

It’s National Sewing Month!


The theme for this year’s National Sewing Month is Sew Sustainable. This year’s theme is an opportunity to gather up your fabric scraps, old clothes and textiles, and odd cast offs and turn them into something new. Being scrappy and sustainable is a subject we love at Thimbles. 

 

National Sewing Month Sew Sustainable graphic

 

Every year for National Upcycling Day in June, we publish a blog compiling all the really fun, scrappy projects we’ve come across. We’ve done it for 3 years now, so we have A LOT of resources if you’re looking for inspiration. In fact, we have more than 50 different scrap projects to choose from!

We pulled some of our past favorites to share below, and included some paper piecing projects as well. You can click through any of the projects shared to view the original post. Enjoy!

 

Embroidery Hoop Hanging Baskets

Two fabric baskets made from fabric scraps hanging from a pegboard above scissors and crafting supplies on a table

 

Hailing from our very first blog on the subject of scraps, the Embroidery Hoop Hanging Baskets from We All Sew is a forever favorite. They’re great for decluttering your sewing space and the perfect excuse to invest in an organizational pegboard (like Julia Child! We should all be a little more like Julia Child…) 

 

rotating selection of scrap projects from Favorite Free Sewing Patterns for Using Up Fabric Scraps

 

Read Favorite Free Sewing Patterns for Using Up Fabric Scraps for the Embroidery Hoop Hanging Baskets and other scrap patterns like a scrappy pincushion, scrappy quilted ornaments, quilted coasters and hotpads, and more!

Selvage Zip Pouch

a zip pouch sewn from discarded selvages on a table with craft supplies and tools

 

If you’re a quilter who can’t bear to throw away your selvages, this adorable Selvage Zip Pouch is for you.  By themselves those selvages don’t seem like much, but gathered together in a chic pouch and they suddenly come alive. The design feels contemporary, fresh, and incredibly charming. 

 

rotating images from Our Favorite Scrap Projects

 

Read Our Favorite Scrap Projects for the Selvage Zip pouch and other scraptastic patterns like a postage stamp quilted pillow, luggage tag, quilted sunglass holder, and more!

 

Flannel Shirt Tote

an upcycled flannel shirt with breast pockets turned into a tote hanging on a chair

 

Upcycle an old flannel shirt and whip up the cute Flannel Shirt Tote from Quilting Digest. This feels like a great fall project. We especially like the idea of choosing a flannel shirt with pockets to create additional storage without having to do anything extra. It’s a genius idea!

 

rotating images from MORE of Our Favorite Scrap Projects

 

Read MORE of Our Favorite Scrap Projects for the Flannel Shirt Tote plus other scrappy projects like an upcycled denim clutch, hand sanitizer holder, quilted baby booties, upcycled jacket pillow, and more!

 

Turkey Towel

A white towel embellished with a turkey made from fabric hexagons in the English Paper Piecing style

 

English Paper Piecing projects are perfect for using up scraps, so we included the Turkey Towel from our Portable English Paper Piecing Travel Projects on this scrappy list. The Turkey Towel from Wild Olive feels like a fun beginner EPP project and we like that you can really embellish anything with it—napkins, table runner, pillow, placemats, etc. You can easily whip up a few turkeys in time for Thanksgiving!

rotating images from Portable English Paper Piecing Travel Projects

 

Read Portable English Paper Piecing Travel Projects for the Turkey Towel, a paper pieced candy corn bag perfect for Halloween, a hexagon needlebook, two zipper pouches, and more!

 

Pincushion Pouch

side by side images of a wrist pincushion with zippered pocket holding sewing tools

 

Utilitarian and useful, the Pincushion Pouch from Babylock uses very little fabric and can be finished in a few hours. We love that it’s not just a wrist pincushion—that additional zippered pocket is EVERYTHING when it comes to easily accessing and storing your odds and ends.

 

rotating images from 9 Quick Weekend Projects

Read 9 Quick Weekend Projects for the Pincushion pouch plus a gorgeous Kaffe Fassett hat box quilt, pillow, and zipper bag, a makeup travel case, a Tula Pink hardware holder, and more!

 

Pen Holder

Pen Holder made from denim scraps on a craft table

 

What can we say? We love a pocket. This cute Pen Holder from BERNINA features upcycled denim and feels very back-to-school chic. It’s also easy enough for a beginner sewist, so bring in the little ones for some fun upcycling that will keep them organized this school year!

 

rotating projects from EVEN MORE of Our Favorite Scrap Projects

 

Read EVEN MORE of Our Favorite Scrap Projects for the Pen Holder as well as lay flat shoe storage bags, string quilt blocks, a rope bowl, a cord keeper that uses just 2 small pieces of fabric, and more! 

We hope you found something fun to quilt and sew for National Sewing Month 2023. Le us know what you’re making and tag us in your projects on Facebook and Instagram so we can follow along!

 

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pinterest image of scrap fabric projects