I hate to throw away any fabric. I keep a large container under my sewing table where I put my scraps when cutting out a quilt. When It starts getting full I sit up my iron and cutting board and as I watch tv I cut everything I can into 6 1/2 inch blks, then I go back through and cut what I can at 4 1/2, then 2 1/2 then I use what is left for string piecing. (I don't like 5 1/2 blocks I like even nujmbeers). I love scrappy quilts so this works fine for me. Great to cut down on number of blocks and use 2 1/2 etc blocks instead of sashing. Puts a lot of color in a quilt.

I just recommended this to a friend who was talking about tossing her scraps!

Perfect way to manage them!

That's a great way!! Do you ever just get in the mood to cut?? I do sometimes :D

I cut mine up as I finish a quilt. Anything too small to even bee a string goes in a bucket to make pet pillows for the local animal shelter. Works great and I throw nothing out

Check out Bonnie Hunter's site. http://quiltville.com/ She has a lot of good ideas about scraps. I have made some of her quilts and will make many more.

if you do not have use for your scraps-instead of sending to a land fill you should ALWAYS pass them on- plenty of people in need- who would/could put them to great use...
the local senior center- the local quilt guild doing charitable projects, the public schools art departments, scouts and 4-H ers,
plus probably a few hundred right here on the board who would be willing to pay you postage for them- never throw them away- that is just too sad to even think about

I have a tall plastic tote for my scraps and when it gets full, I find a scrap pattern and use some of it. My goal to empty the bin has failed miserably - it seems that the scraps multiply overnight. DH suggested to leave the light on so they don't do anything naughty. lol

I have several scrap quilt patterns that I often use to control my scraps. When my scrap bin starts to overflow, I spend some time cutting and put everything including the pattern into a shoe box. Then when I am between projects or bored with the current one, I can pull out my shoebox and stitch some blocks. This works well for me.

I have 6 large totes full of scraps with the intention of someday cutting them into strips and squares, but have realized that when/if I do that, I won't have time to make the 15 already planned quilts with the fabrics all together, SO I'm sending them to a beginning quilt pen pal of mine, that doesn't have much money since she retired from work(RN) because of MS, and hasn't been able to get disability. I usually send her a little something for her birthday and Christmas, just a couple spools of thread, she's just so thankful to have whatever it is I send her.