i would leave your fabric in the pieces it is in! the cutting up your scraps kind of applies to 'scraps' the fabric left after you have cut what you need. so if you use a 1/2 yard piece, cut a couple 13" squares out of it...what is left...that's your scrap and that's what you would cut into your 'usable' pieces. but to start, it is so nice to have nice large pieces and sometimes you want those strips to be 42" long...if you cut all your 1/2 yards into fq's you will limit yourself with what you can do with them. so pre-washing, ironing, folding and stacking is enough 'scrap-therapy' for the time being. :thumbup: