place mats and table runners are good sized for practice pieces, the practice pieces can be made into tote bags or shopping bags. i have zig-zagged some practice pieces together and donated them to the humane society, they use them for 'pet beds' at the shelter. when i use just plain muslin to practice stitching on i then give the little quilts to the granddaughter's they use fabric paints, markers, crayons, what ever they want and color them, and they use them to 'practice' sewing by putting them together (they like to sew pieces together to use for their forts (walls and floors ;) )