saving scraps...how small is too small?
 

I'm new to quilting and am saving all of my scraps to hopefully learn how to use them instead of wasting them. BUT.....what size do they have to be to be at all usable? Are there specific methods on how to best use the smaller pieces? A couple of 1/4 seams can eat up a piece.

I don't save anything smaller than 1 1/2" square, or strips less than 1 1/2" wide.

As a person at the other end (in my 60's) I can offer my humble opinion. If you continue to quilt throughout your life there will come a day when the money is a little or a lot tighter and in terms of quilting I wish I'd planned better for that day. Until the last few years I didn't save anything smaller than 6 inches square/wide. Now I save nothing smaller than 2". I never saw myself making scrappy quilts, working with small pieces or doing applique. I struggled with putting colors together so fat quarter bundles and jelly rolls were my friends. Sometimes I got rid of fabric I decided I didn't like. Now after years of quilting and getting better and more confident I look back and wish I'd kept the fabric I ditched because I could have cut it into 2", 3 1/2" or 5 inch squares and used it. Instead of just making quilts I now make mug rugs, pot holders and table runners which uses smaller cuts. One day I will learn applique! I also wish I'd taken the time once a month to cut the scraps into manageable pieces and organized them by size. It's frustrating and overwhelming to cut years of scraps not to mention it kills your arm and hand. I bought the book Scrap Therapy, Cut the Scraps by Joan Ford and made that my system. Off the subject but I wish I'd purchased more backing fabrics as I went along. No matter how much you want to do it don't throw away the first things you make and photograph everything!!! I gave two of my first quilts to Goodwill because I was ashamed of them and I kick myself every day. Happy quilting!

I would save anything any size. Paper piecing and appliqué both require small pieces. If saving cut pieces I would have storage for different sizes 11/2" stripes and squares, 21/2" strip and squares, 31/2" stripes and squares up to 101/2" strip and squares. Plus fat quarters or 1/4 metre lengths of fabric and bolt metre size for backing. I should spend when you can and see fabric you like. You never know when money becomes required for other things.

An offset log cabin block uses pieces as small as 1" x 1.5". I have also made regular LC blocks using 1" strips so the smallest piece in those is 1" square. I may even try my hand at making a mini or two. Did you see this post recently? http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...y-t275987.html Now that tiny little pineapple block used some little bits I bet.

Tiny applique pieces can be less than 1" square. I am a saver. If I can get 1" x 1.5" out of it, I save it. AND more importantly, I try to use it. I organize my small scraps in different ways. I have bags of 1" strips sorted by value light, medium and dark. I have snippets of odd size scraps in ziploc bags by color. I have ziploc bags with completed HST in sizes of 1.5", 1.75" and 2". I have lots of 1.5" strips, again sorted by value for scrappy log cabins or to sash a block.

It all boils down to your quilting style and what you like to do. I don't mind working with the little bits so I stash them away. But if you are opposed to working with little pieces then you should pass them on to someone who will work with them.

Some people use those really small scraps to make confetti quilts. And you can use some pretty small pieces in string quilts. How small you save probably depends on your patience for making small blocks and scrappies and on just how much space you can devote to storing them. For years I saved EVERYTHING until I realized I'm not into scrappy and I probably had a fire hazard on my hands! Now I am finally learning to let go.

I don't keep anything that is less than 1.25" wide in my stash. I save everything else to make dog beds for the local animal rescue.

i don't consider anything too small... my leaders and enders project is with scraps cut in 1" squares