As I'm sewing I try to sew the pieces that are the same size together as leaders/enders. Like if I'm doing a log cabin with 2.5" strips, I don't pre-cut my strips, I cut as I sew each strip, then when I get down to a small piece of strip then I'll set it aside until I have another small 2.5" strip and sew those together.
I also make a lot of crumb quilts, Crumbs are small bits of fabric 1"-3". See
http://quiltville.com/crumbs.shtml
some people call it mile a minute quilts:
http://quiltingisstillmypassion.blog...-tutorial.html
Whatever you call it, it is very addictive. I've made 100's of blocks and several quilts, donated a bunch of blocks to others and they've made several quilts. They are kind of tricky to quilt and our LA'ers have asked me to stop because of all the seams. Causes the threads to break when it hits a thick seam.
But anyway, the problem is that you never really get rid of your scraps. When you trim your squares, those trimmings become the beginning of the next set of blocks.
I've got a system down with my strips. I sew strips so I have ~13" wide. Then cut as many 12.5" squares I can from the strip set, then 4.5" x 10.5" as many as I can, then a 2.5" strip.
That way I'm making 3 quilts at a time. The 12.5" strips I sew all around like the Missouri Star quilt company 1/2 square triangle method
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekYpJzHoW6E
and make a super scrappy pinwheel.
The 4.5" strip I make this or something similiar:
http://www.quiltville.com/stringx.shtml
and the 2-2.5" strip I make chinese coins quilts-sort of like this but smaller coins with alternating fabric 3-4" or so.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6i5qP...EF21A981F69C28
My problem is I like to cut, press and sew my strips but I don't really like to actually piece things into a quilt.
You would not believe how many quilts I have in various stages of construction in my sewing room.
So when I finally force myself to finish I can turn in a bunch at once because I've been working on them all year off and on. I can finish 10 tops in 1 month and that gets people thinking I'm very prolific. No, I'm just a very big procrastinator.