I don't cut my scraps until I'm ready to use them and then never throw anyway anything too small or unwanted-all those scraps go into a pillow (made from unwanted fabric) for the animal shelter.
I also have my grandchildren & children with disabilities next door help me with these-a teaching moment on sewing & compassion.
Maire

Madquilter, what a great idea. Separating the lights from the darks. Right now, I have old doctor bags full of scraps. But I am guilty of throwing away small pieces of fabric. I only save the bigger pieces. Maybe I should rethink my method because I do applique an awful lot.

I cut up anything less than a fat quarter.. I am a scrappy quilter..

I cut with the Go so Ill match up the scrap size to die ..My biggest Go is the 9in hexie and the smallest is 2x2 so ill have plenty to match fab to die with.. and Ill keep cutting till i have nothing but threads left... Toss in appropriate sterilite drawer - each die cutout has its own.. When they get full I sew, sew, sew to make more room..

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IF there is anyone who tosses out their scraps shoot me a PM.. Ill gladly take them !!!!!

I make a lot of donation quilts for Newborns in Need....

Every lil bit helps..

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I just finished a 2 month project of cutting up my scraps and cleaning out my fabric. First figure out what sizes you want and the smallest you will use. I decided the smallest for me was 2.5 inches. Anything else can be thrown out. Yes I said Toss it. Unless of course you are or your know someone who is going to make a crumb quilt I think they are called .. Not me. I did
Fat quarter
10 inch
5 inch
3.5
3 inch
2.5
Some I did leave in strips 2.5 wide There were a few strips that I thought I may use for borders so left them wider at 4 and 6 inch.
Not many though.
I figure with the larger pieces I can always cut them down if need be
I now have everything in small baskets.
I am much happier. LOL

I am an obsessive scrap cutter
Starting with 6" squares, if the piece is large enough
5" for eventual Nickle Quilts
4 1/2", 3 1/2", 3", 2 1/2", 2" and triangles out of odd sized scraps.
I gave away my 1 1/2" squares to a bunch of Board members awhile back and no longer save them.
The 2" and 2 1/2" will eventually become 8" finished squares (each with 3 solid blacks in it) with resulting quilts for charities.

Call me crazy..or something...but I saved my scraps and leftover fabric for all my projects since 1999. Yes, I'm a bit of a pack rat anyway but that's another story. Occasionally I used a bit of leftover scrap in something new I was making but mostly the scraps grew and grew. I bought new for any new project. Well now...fabric is much, much pricier that was 12 years ago so guess what? I have quite a lot of very good fabric to use..and I paid a lot less for it. I haven't cut it all because I can use "string" sized pieces or larger chunks. When I cut scraps my favorite sizes are 2 1/2" strips, 5" squares 2 1/2" bars, etc. I have been using the precut scraps in a couple of Bonnie Hunter free patterns. I completed Pineapple Blossom (Quiltville Blog) and I'm working on Bonnie's "My Blue Heaven.". I love them. And you know what? I haven't even put a dent in my 12 year supply of scraps.

depending on the size and shape, tells me what to do with them.....I make a lot of Charity String Quilts so have one large box of nothing but precut strips. If the scrap is square-ish....I cut into strips, 1-/2", 2, 2-1/2"......If the scrap is fat-quarter size goes into my color sorted drawers, if on the smaller odd shape size goes into color sorted bags for applique work.....Have also started cutting 5" squares for twisted pinwheels......

Mostly, I don't cut my scraps until I'm ready to use since I don't know what I may want to use it for. If I do cut ahead, it is blades for a Dresden Plate or hexies for a GFG because they are a work in progress for me. I only throw away scraps that if I make a 1/4" seam on both sides there wouldn't be anything in between the seams (Like someone else said if you make it from scraps, it is free).

I'm doing a project with 2 1/2 inch squares I dont precut any unless for a project