Four Easy Scrap Fabric Projects to Try Today

If you're feeling a bit stuck with your scrap fabric collection, you're not alone. Last week, I was wandering through my stash and had a sudden idea—BAM!—and I made a few cool things with my scrap fabric. Here's how you can make them too! No pattern, no printing, just scraps and a sewing machine!

1. Pillow

This is my favourite project, and it's a classic for a reason. Make a pillow! Seriously, you get a large piece of scrap fabric and make one side patterned and the other side a solid, simple colour. Sew the two sides together, leaving a small hole to turn it inside out.

If you don't have any stuffing like I did, you can actually fill the pillow up with small pieces of soft offcuts of fabric. You don't even need stuffing!

From my experimentation, soft chiffon, silks, and thin light fabrics work best inside the pillow. The thing I like most is that unlike stuffing, the fabric scraps won't get flat over time. Because they're denser, they hold their shape nicely, meaning you can fluff them like a real couch cushion!

I made a lined pillow for my friend's birthday, and she loved it!

2. Baby Blanket

You don't even need a child in your life to make this! A baby blanket is a perfect project—and no, I'm not joking. I was going to a baby shower, unsure of what to get, and I thought: out of everyone there buying brand-new clothes, expensive toys, and plushies, why not give something heartfelt?

All you have to do is pretty much the exact same thing as the pillow! Get two elongated cuts of fabric and sew them together just like the pillow. Then leave a small hole to flip it inside out. Once that's done, make sure the corners are pushed out nice and sharp, and lie the piece flat so the inside seam isn't poking out.

Now, take it to your sewing machine and align it with the edge of the fabric. Stitch an even border around the piece; this makes sure it stays nice after it's been washed, and it also gives it a lovely finished edge! (And if you're feeling really confident, you can even do square stitches throughout the piece for a more quilted look which makes the blanket even stronger!)

3. Tote Bag

Once again, a total classic! But if you're reading this list and thinking, "Ugh, not another idea where I need a convenient extra-large piece of fabric that I don't have," STOP! You don't! I'm going to tell you how to make a patchwork tote.

Get your scrap pieces of fabric and sew the edges together. If they're slightly crooked, cut them so they aren't, and sew them together. Cut them so they align nicely, sew another two pieces together, and then sew those together too. The goal is a rough diamond-patterned patchwork—nothing like a regular square quilting style. We want it to look like a stained-glass window!

Now, the only downside of designing it this way is that if you don't stitch it correctly, there's a chance some pieces might un-stitch themselves. And importantly, unless you line it, it will be slightly bumpy and unfinished feeling on the inside. So maybe use a softer fabric instead of a thicker fabric like heavy cotton. Otherwise, you could cut up the pieces to be much smaller, but that can also create a bit of a bumpy effect.

4. Doll Clothes

Doll clothes! Custom-made vintage-style classic doll clothes sell really well on Etsy! And it's something really easy to make. If you're still a beginner, it might be a lot easier to make a doll dress before jumping into making a full-sized one. This is something I recommend to a lot of beginners!

Try to do something unique, and even if you don't feel like selling them, you could buy a cheap second-hand doll, dress it up, and donate it to a children's hospital or a similar foundation.

Thoughts and Suggestions

Anyway, those were my four ideas for today based on some things I've made recently. If anyone has any suggestions or comments, please leave them down below!

Happy making!