I use old thread for basting and for the birds. I unroll it into a pile (my granddaughters love doing this!!) and then I sweep my rotary cutter through it several times, then put it in a baggie. I throw it out around the edges of the yard (we live in the country) and let the birds use it to make nests with. My grandson found a bird nest a couple of years ago with threads in it!! So cool!! I do the same with hair clippings and the pieces left over when I square-up quilt blocks.