I realize that not only do a lot of us happy fabric shoppers have a ton of fat quarters, but we're likely to have a stash of scraps as well. Sometimes there may be just a little bit of some fabulous fabric after cutting out a project, and you don't DARE throw it away! Here's one of my favorite things to do with scraps! This project is straight out of Diana Rupp's Sew Everything Workshop book - the "Den of Pin Pincushion." The BESTEST thing about pincushions is that you can have fun with different fabrics and adding trims - AND they make great little gifts for friends and family who are just starting to sew (or starting to get back into sewing)!

These are some small scraps of Benartex Woodstock fabric, and I followed Diana's instructions in the book to put these together.

These pincusions I made by making the pattern from Diana's book a little bigger, and then boxing out the corners. This is a bit of vintage barkcloth with a vintage button.

Here's another one made from a scrap of faux-fur, a scrap of ribbon, and a vintage button.

And, here is a pincushion made from a scrap of luscious silk & brocade fabric imported from India.

Now I hope you are inspired to take a look at some pincushion patterns or make up some of your own to make a dent in your scrap-stash!

Here are another couple of GREAT projects for using with fat quarters. These are both from Linda Lee's book, Sew Easy.

This is a cool project - a notebook or sketchbook cover with a pocket. I added the monogrammed patch to the pocket before attaching it per the directions, I think it adds a nice touch! The pocket is big enough to hold an eraser and small pens and pencils, a bookmark, or even some post it notes. I used one of Alexander Henry's Tatsu fat quarters for this project with a coordinating solid cotton color for the lining.

This project is called a Jewelry Pouch, but it can be used as a clutch or a carry-all for an I-pod (and all the cords, cases, and extra junk that comes with it). I used one fat quarter of Alexander Henry's Tattoo Too fabric, and added an extra layer of plain red cotton for contrast on the inside of the project. If you want to use the pouch as a clutch, I suggest also adding a layer of interfacing to give some extra support.

The project has three zipper pouches, which was a great way for me to use up some of those extra zippers in my stash.

You can see the red fabric I layered with the main fabric as a contrast when a pouch is open.

And, for the finishing touches, I added the ribbon closure and button before I completed the project, to make the clutch easier to carry.

These are both fun and simple projects to whip up - great for gifts - and a SUPERB way to use up some of those extra fat quarters!

Okay, I have to admit that I am one of those people who LOVE to buy those super-cute coordinating fat quarter bundles! But, there are times when my fat quarter storage reaches maximum capacity, and I need fat quarter help, STAT! Here are a few of my favorite projects that can easily be constructed from fat quarters.

These are two of my favorite Amy Butler patterns, the Swing Bag and the Drawstring Purse from the In Town Bags.

This is the Drawstring purse, and was made from four coordinating fat quarters of Benartex Woodstock fabrics plus a scrap of repurposed ribbon for trim. You can actually get enough fabric for TWO of these bags if you add another fat quarter for the lining of the second project! Super cute, and very suitable for summer.

I just love this project, the Swing Bag. I used different coordinating Benartex City Girl fat quarters for each side of the exterior, the interior, and the ouside and lining of the handles for a total of 6 fat quarters. This is actually a fun way to construct the bag, because you can make two coordinating but different sides to the bag, and just flip it over for a different look.

The Swing Bag is the perfect size for holding all your goodies at the farmer's market, the craft store, a day trip to the beach, or any other summer outing that requires a few extra props.

 I hope this gives you a few ideas of other quick and easy things to do with those fat quarters. I have a few other fav's for using up those stocks of fat quarters that I'll post about soon!

Jo's newly stitched Miranda Day Bag has completed her first set of airline adventures, flying through - in alphabetical order - Asheville, Atlanta, Cleveland, JFK, and Hartford. Here's a photo showing how handy all those pockets around the base of the bag are, and how roomy the interior is. The only thing I might add next time is a clear vinyl pocket with a flap on the inside of the tab - a place to keep my photo ID handy when going through security. Miranda is a great travel bag - she even got compliments from other travelers!