Leah Crisler

I love to sew. I used to win sewing contests for Masonic youth groups when I was younger. I stopped sewing avidly when I was married, and my kids were tiny. I started again with a burst of masks in 2020 but was derailed after a workplace injury impacted my right shoulder and arm. I finally got my sewing groove back this past holiday season and made many gifts. I had an heirloom fabric stash from my mom’s sewing when I was a kid, my project leftovers from high school, and quilter friends’ cast-offs. I am swimming in cotton woven fabric.

I got into bag sewing last year and quickly found my stash insufficient. Luckily, a new Joann store opened in the shopping plaza down the road from me. I would love to buy all the beautiful and sumptuous textiles for apparel and accessories, but Mama is on a budget. Luckily, I know about the Remnant Rack.

What’s a Remnant?

Remnants, as their name implies, are the remains of a bolt of fabric when there is less than the minimal yardage available on the bolt. For typical fabrics, less-than-a-yard cuts are remnants at my Joann. However, I have some utility/outdoor/upholstery cuts that are longer than a yard from the remnant rack. I like that I don’t have to commit to a proper cut of fabric and can experiment with different bases and patterns before making a serious buy. Remnants were how I dipped my toes into the world of clear vinyl, faux leather, jersey knits, and special occasion fabrics. More expensive materials, like Casa apparel fabric, upholstery fabric, and marine vinyl, are less intimidating when playing around with scraps before investing in a project’s material.

Remnants are often on sale

My favorite way to get a dopamine hit is by filling up my Joann cart with *fancy* fabric remnants worth $200+ and checking out for less than $l00. I have cleared out the entire remnant rack of fleece, faux fur, licensed knits, and denim for a steep discount. I love that Joann has so many coupon options, but I rarely buy anything that isn’t already marked down, so I rarely get to use them. Sometimes, I’ll luck out and stack discounts, but your mileage may vary.

Are remnants for you?

Honestly, I don’t know. I have many patterns that take fractions of a yard and a wide range of sewing experience on different machines. Remnant shopping for me is a bit like the sewing version of Chopped: the ingredients are a surprise, and you have to adapt to your circumstances. This last week, I went to Joann with the Interns. The selection of fabric bases was slim, primarily fleece. We found more than 3 yards of the same Star Wars print, just in a few different cuts, and some other fleece prints we liked.

I used to think of “tie blankets” when I thought of fleece projects, but I have made pajamas, mittens, hats, scarves, and other accessories with this fabric base over the years. Instead of planning a mess of tie blankets and cat beds, I will make hooded scarves, pajamas, pillows, iPad cozies, and other fun creations. Being creative with who a project is for, how they’ll use it, and taking some risks are key to rocking remnants.

Remant Raccoons

Are you adventurous in the craft room and enjoy smaller tastes of fabric? Be a Remnant Racoon with me! Share your creations and tips to avoid Remnant Roadkill.