JulieW8

Pretty much #1, with qualifier: I want to see it first. However, if I see enough "good" stuff, I'll take whatever is being offered. I find a willingness to do that generates more generosity and word-of-mouth ("oh, I know someone!) that has resulted in some primo stuff. And I can take stuff to the thrift shop as easily as the giver can! (I always ask if they mind and nobody does - they just want to get rid of it.) If I don't see anything redeemable, or enough redeemable stuff, then I pass completely.

Never #2 or #3.

I recently took a bunch of fabric squares a friend offered (she doesn't quilt, they were from one of her relatives). Turned out to be oooh... hundreds... of squares cut to 1-1/2, 2-1/2, 3-1/2 and 4-1/2 inches, as well as quite a few 4-patch block UFOs. Would I have rather had yardage? Absolutely. But I have lots of miniature quilt patterns and I've already sewn up several miniature quilt tops, and converted the "lonely" 4-patch blocks into mug rugs. But the capper was 2 bags of denim scraps of decent size. Because she's not a quilter, she was going to give it to the thrift shop, but I pounced on it and said thank-you-very-much!

I feel it's worth my time to sort through everything to find what I want to keep, then get rid of the rest. And at some point, I will probably hit my limit on those tiny, tiny squares and they'll go, as well.

mshollysd

I do so much charity quilting that I accept everything. My MIL passed last fall and she was not a quilter but a sewer so I have so much of the sewing notions that I ended up donating some of those. She also did some needlepoint and crewel and embroidery that my church ladies got to pick what they could do....(most of them are elderly) and it was appreciated. I do have a lot of scraps that have been given to me, that I need to find the time to do some scrappy quilts for the charity quilts.....

mshollysd

Plus, it is like Christmas morning for me to go through the items and see what I can use......

Becky's Crafts

I've always accepted it, kept what I could use, pass some to others who would like certain prints and drop off the rest so other quilter's can get what they want of what's left. I've always gotten beautiful pieces that complimented my stash & those giving me what they no longer want love seeing all the items I make with it.