Scrappy Fish Art From Repurposed Materials & Extra Piecework

What Are Repurposed Materials?

Repurposed materials are leftover or unused items given a new function instead of being thrown away. In sewing, this means turning fabric scraps and leftover piecework into finished products like the Scrappy Fish, reducing waste while creating something new and useful.

What to Do With Leftover Fabric Scraps

If you sew for any length of time, leftovers, or ‘scraps’ as they are commonly known, begin to accumulate. Most sewists will organize their scraps by the project, some will sort fabrics by color. I use a hybrid sorting system. Leftover piecework is carefully sorted, labeled by project name, and stored in plastic bins. Moderate sized pieces of plain fabrics are sorted and returned to my fabric inventory for use in future projects. Recently while I was looking through one of my bins for a specific piece work, I realized that I needed to downsize so that I could free up space in my studio.

My scrap stash was larger than I remembered and was taking up far more real estate than I could spare. My biggest dilemma was what could I create with small amounts of beautiful piecework that customers would want to buy? Nothing immediately came to mind, so I set the large bin beside my sewing table forcing myself to focus and consider possible design ideas. Days passed and I was stuck. This box was stressing me out and I had no idea what to do with the piecework. I was beginning to think that this would be a problem that I couldn’t quickly solve and would be forced to put the box away for a future revisit.

Finding Inspiration for Repurposed Materials in an Unexpected Place

One evening while I was sitting in my office, inspiration struck. Staring at me from my corner cabinet was a beautiful tropical fish statue that my father received as a gift many years ago. When I moved into my own place, the fish moved with me and has long held a special place in my cabinet. It isn’t large, but it isn’t tiny either. To me, it’s the perfect size and allows me to enjoy fish without the mess and maintenance of an aquarium. I realized at that moment that I could make a fish with leftover piecework. The idea was simple but inspiring.

Designing the Scrappy Fish

I removed the fish from the cabinet and carefully examined it. Using it as a reference, I drew my own fish and began designing my ‘Scrappy Fish.’ After a few hours, I realized that this was the perfect project to use up many of the fish/tropical prints that were currently occupying my scrap box. I created a template and began utilizing existing materials and supplies. The creative process was fun and inspiring. I’ve created several fish in two different sizes.

Turning Scraps Into a Beginner Friendly Sewing Pattern

So far, the feedback on the fish is extremely positive and I’ve received requests for other animals. I realized that this would be a terrific pattern for other sewists looking for ways to make a dent in their scrap stashes. So, I wrote a pattern. This beginner friendly tutorial features comprehensive, step by step instructions, photos, and detailed lists of necessary materials and tools. If you are interested in making your own fish, you can find my tutorial in my Etsy shop.

So far, the feedback on the fish is extremely positive and I’ve received requests for other animals. I realized that this would be a terrific pattern for other sewists looking for ways to make a dent in their scrap stashes. So, I wrote a pattern.  This beginner friendly tutorial features comprehensive, step by step instructions, photos, and detailed lists of necessary materials and tools.  If you are interested in making your own fish, you can find my tutorial in my Etsy shop.

How to Display Your Scrappy Fish

Not sure how to style your fish? Here’s a display idea:

Here’s a decorating idea. Make your own school of fish and use them to decorate your wall. These fish create a realistic looking “maintenance free” aquarium!