I save pretty much everything. :oops: But, I like to make string quilts and crumb quilts for charity and have recently joined a group of ladies that makes quilts for foster children and there are ladies there that love to applique and make yo-yo's so my smaller pieces will go there.

Susan

Waste won't feel so bad if you jump on Connecting Threads today for cyber Monday. They are selling their samplers for 50% off. You can get a load of fabric in your $50 free shipping order. I just did.

Swore I would never make a DBL Wdng rng quilt when I first started this artform, there is one calling to me. I have been saving scraps in case I can't resist the urge.

My local quilt shop accepts "donations" of our clippings that they use as stuffing for pet beds they make & donate to the local pet shelter. I keep a plastic grocery bag hanging on the door knob of my sewing room. When the bag is full I take it to the shop, and start filling a new one!

When I make a quilt, I study the pattern first and then cut the large pieces out first and then the smaller ones. Before I even do that. I tear off the selvages first, always. I will then tear all the borders off too, as I like my borders to be on the straight of grain always.

The selvages are very strong. I roll them in a ball and put them in a special bag. I use these to tie my quilts onto rollers. All my quilts are rolled on cardboard rollers. The kind fabric comes on...The selvages are used to tie many things, I find a good use for them, even hubby uses them and they must never be include in your quilt. Tear the selvages of the backing too.

I never throw my scraps away. I use the smallest of pieces. I just joing them up and create something. The trick is to make a S&C quilt, ever so often so the scraps don't pile up. I love making scrap quilts.

Edie,I wouldn't worry, it sounds like you have enough fabric. I understand that cutting and tossing 26" long strips can add up no matter the width. so to minimize that, What I'd suggest is that each time you need to cut a patch, cut a strip that width and cut the pieces you need. You might eventually have 5 different sized strips of each fabric. Save what is left of the strip for future blocks. The next block you may need to cut a new strip but maybe you can cut the pieces from the strip left from the last block. Probably few strip sizes will actually be needed. Could be even less if you work with the EASY Angle ruler and Companion Angle ruler. Keeps number of strips down. I explained those rulers in my new book, S is for Scraps.

You guys are great with your suggestions for those tiny scraps. I have a bunch of strips up to 1 1/2" that I thought I could use for one of those rugs, crocheted or otherwise or a wrap bowl. Anybody have any luck with odd widths doing either of those?

I just got done looking at these! Here's the link:

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-79481-1.htm

Enjoy!

our quilt guild saves all those scraps and stuff dog and cat beds for the animal shelter. Jean

I cut up what's left into a mix of 1.5" strips (braid quilts of any size),4" squares (to be used in a number of quilt blocks, 3x6 rectangles (for brick or Chinese coin quilts), and one 3" square for a small spool block for a spool scrap quilt I'm planning. I store these "cut ups" in clean large plastic cat litter jugs until full, then either turn them over to one of my guilds' bees (miniature bee, a crazy-quilt bee, or community service quilts), OR BETTER YET negotiate the fabric for a finished project (small wall hanging, doll quilt, table runner, etc.) which I then keep for myself or regift (guild exchanges, door prize donations, hostess gifts, holidays).