Scrap Coins

"Coin" Strips made from scrap fabric

My fabric scraps are threatening to take over my sewing room, so it was time to rein them in a bit. I found the adding machine tape at a thrift shop a couple of years ago and purchased it on a whim, but it is handy as a foundation for these odd bits of fabrics and the "coin" strips.

I have no idea why strips of fabrics are called "coins," but it is a term that is used widely in the quilting community. Directions for a Chinese Coin Quilt can be found here. Mary also has a tutorial for making wider coin strips without a foundation.

I cut the strips of adding machine tape to 15.5 inches long, but any length would work. The strips are nearly 3 inches wide, so when I trimmed the excess fabric, I squared the strips to 15.5 inches x 3 inches. I have no idea what I will do with these coin strips, but I'm sure the perfect project will reveal itself before long.

Update: This is similar, yet quite different from paper piecing. The paper is only serving as a foundation or stabilizer for the fabric. My scraps are odd bits of fabric - some cut on the bias; some, not. I used the paper for these scraps because many had biased edges that stretch too much for precise, or in my case, consistent sewing. The paper will be removed when these long strips are securely attached to an edge that will not stretch.

Some people make piano key borders for their quilts, but I am not sure if it could be made with scraps and biased edges. You might want to Google "piano-key quilt border" for tips.