Scrap Quilting

Circa 1950 scrap top

Hello friends!

Today's question is:  How do you define scraps and/or scrap quilting?  I was watching Sue at the From Small Things channel (here) and she asked how quilters define their scraps.

Her question and thoughts resonated with me.  As the new year has commenced, quilters have been reorganizing their fabric and looking at their scrap fabrics.  It always surprises me when folks consider fat quarters to be scraps.  I grew up thinking that the leftover pieces from projects could be considered "scraps" unless there was considerable yardage (rarely happened though).

Brown Goose Quilt, circa 1950

Sometimes when we look at older quilts we suggest that the quilt may be utilitarian.  Around here, that might mean the quilt was made for the cots of farm workers.  

One true scrap quilt that I own is this hexagon piece:

Hilda's Hexagons, circa 1930

We know the provenance of "Hilda's Hexagon Quilt" because she was able to relay the story of the quilt before she passed.  This quilt was truly a scrap quilt, comprised of many fabrics from dresses her mother made and some other household items.  She could go through the quilt and state where many of the fabrics derived.  

Some quilts appear to have been made from what we now refer to as a "deep scrap bag."  In other words, there appears to be a variety of decades in the one quilt.  Below a few of the dark pieces appear to be prints from the late 19th century in this 20th century quilt:

I'm wondering how you define scraps.

Have a safe and happy day!