My scraps get stuffed into a large Sterlite plastic translucent bin. Along with other quilt objects I don't want anymore. Other people quilting here, also contribute. I do art quilts that take whatever size I can find. My cat loves to sleep in it. Friends take from it. It's a pretty loose arrangement, but works for me. Occassionaly it gets editted. Anytime I go to a retreat, someone is making dog beds, so I contribute what I don't want anymore to that. Pieces get used to demonstrate or practice. I have no intension of being thrifty with it. I have one friend who loves my cast offs for her scrappy quilts....she's an expert at scrappy. When she's here, the scrap boxes (her's & mine) usually end up spread out on the floor. We have a wonderful creative time together.

I cut my scraps the way J Carol does but I also include some of Bonnie Hunters cuts. And I store them in boxes I got from my scrap therapy class. If I need more boxes I just go to my LQS and order more.

I am in the middle of taking care of two large plastic tubs of scraps. I determine the largest square I can get from each piece and then proceed to cut what is left into usable into 3, 2.5, 4. and 4.5 squares. Each size goes into a seperate smaller tub. I have smaller tubs of 2.5 jelly rolls, 2 inch strips and 1.5 strips. If I need 2.5, 2 or 1.5 squares I dip into the strip bin and cut away. I am so happy to be able to go to a certain place for something instead of trying to remember where the pieces were. I am doing the 'happy dance'. OOOPS....I forgot to mention that I originally I had FOUR large tubs and I offered two of them for 'free' on craigslist and got rid of them in two days. What a relief......and I met the nicest people. If you tired of sorting-Pay it Forward. You will feel very good.

I store my scraps in those storage containers you can buy at JoAnns that connect together - 3 to a stack with only one lid - I put the 1.5" ones standing up, the 2.0" and 2.5" ones stack up - I put a label on the outside of them with the size so I can tell at a glance what's inside. When I am ready to make blocks, I take out coffee filters and lay about 10 of them out in a row. I take my scraps and deal them like cards so each coffee filter has one of each different scrap in it. That way all the blocks I make when I take a filter to the sewing machine are different with no duplicate fabrics. It doesn't matter that the same material will be in the next filter's worth of blocks because they will be in a different order. Hope this makes sense. I also trim my HST's to those sizes and store those in the boxes too - they can be that 'little surprise' in a block that can make scrappys more fun. I have gotten to the point in my stash that I really don't have yardage - anything bigger than these sizes are stored by color in plastic bins about the size of shoe boxes. I LOVE SCRAPPY QUILTS and am completely hooked on making them. There are always two or three of them going in my sewing room. But, be watchful - they do tend to have babies when you aren't looking!

Even if you have a small stash, it does take a while to get organized. But once you do, you will love it. The "trick" is what works for you. Then after you get organized, don't wait. After each project, organize those new scraps right away.

I've have use my empty and clean Costco laundry soap plastic boxes with lids, and so far I have one for bias strips (leftover binding), one for straight strips(any size) and one for my smaller odd size scraps. I just cleaned another box and need to figure out what to put in it. Great ideas everyone.

mine are all dumped in a box at this time

I keep my current project scraps in a large glass container so I can see pieces, should I come up short on a block. I use a back of the door plastic shoe organizer for selvages, but the same could be used for scraps. I sort mine by color, but you could certainly sort by size. The one I have has 2 larger pockets on the bottom, perfect for strips. The older post I started about (and a picture) is here http://www.quiltingboard.com/mission...g-t179335.html

w7sue -- I also "deal" out my scraps or small pieced units to get them distributed throughout the quilt. Gotta say that I LOVE your coffee filter method!! I'm going to give it a try! Thanks!

I buy my kids the mega containers of cheese puffs. They're clear and when they're empty I use those.