I realize that I am probably asking the wrong group ;-) , but I have been reorganizing my sewing space and going through my fabric stash and was wondering: when is a scrap of fabric considered too small? Apparently I have kept everything over the years and now have some scraps that literally are 1-1/2" square! Just looking for some opinions on guidelines.

When the scraps are too small for you, you can either use them for stuffing or send them to someone who makes minis.

DH uses 5/8" squares in his tiny piece quilts.

Believe it or not there are people on this board that are making quilts with 1 1/2 in. squares.

I cut scraps as I go most of the time and keep them organized. I'm planning a jelly roll quilt and a scrap flying geese quilt, so ---- a. one 2 1/2" strip and b. one 5 3/4 squares for speed piece geese and c.) no more than four 3 x 5 bricks for geese. I try really hard to throw things smaller than this away, but I've found a little container to save them. Can't seem to through away even bits.

Keep itsy-bitsies for "crumb quilts". They are so fun to make. With the cost of fabric going up, I want to get my money's worth!

After seeing collage quilts, I am trying to save every teeny, tiny to make one. They are fascinating and beautiful wallhangings.

I save everything that's larger than 1". I used to toss it, but I have a friend who is trying to get me more interested in scrap quilting. I may try it someday; if not, I'll donate my scraps to her - she uses them all!

i toss all those small pieces in a box to use in my class "Skinny Strips and Little Bitty Pieces" They are great for string quilts. I will have them close buy and when I want a break will do a block or tao.

1 in HST is the smallest I keep. Anything smaller goes to a friend who uses it for stuffing and itty bitty scrap quilts

I keep alot of small scraps. You can make strip quilts or tablerunners, purse, bibs, wall hangongs.

I save anything bigger that 2". The smaller stuff goes into a ziploc bag to send off to a friend. I save a lot of my little stuff and give to an art teacher I know, too. she uses all kinds of things in her classes.

I only save them down to the size that I know that I will actually use.
Anything smaller gets put into another container to be given away :D:D:D

I'm making a Postage Stamp Quilt with 1 1/2" squares (for a finished 1" square)!!! I need 10,000+ pieces. In my scrap quilts I use pieces as small as 1" square.

what is too small is what is smaller than what you go back and put to use...if you are an applique=er then you probably use some pretty small pieces at times, if not then there is nothing wrong with sorting them out and passing them on to someone who will use them. i donate small scraps to individuals here on the board, the elementary school art department, the pre-school, the boy scouts, and the senior center, all of which love getting them :thumbup:

So I guess what you all are saying is that I need to go back and rescue some fabric from my trashcan! At one point I was doing a paper pieced applique jacket and bought a lot of 1/8ths of fabric (the smallest you can buy at Joanns) and have a lot of long, skinny strips. Thanks for all your input(s)!

They're never too small for me. LOL

Wow, will love to see a picture of it when it is done.

I give my scraps to the art teacher at my school. She appreciates and uses them and then I don't have to figure out what to do with them or where to store them.... Any art teacher at a middle or high school will put them to good use!

I'll go as small as 1" and at times even 3/4" for crumb quilts. I just started my first one.

What are crumb quilts? I have lots of scraps and as a senior citizen I have to use everything. Fabric is getting so expensive.

For me anything smaller than about a 3" square goes into a bag, when the bag is full I give it to a friend who does mini's. Goodness she uses pieces that finish to 1/4" or sometimes even smaller. She loves me--grin.

Shirley, Crumb quilts are made from tiny pieces of fabric. Here is a link to a tutorial that you might find helpful. http://www.quiltville.com/crumbs.shtml They are fun and I can see where they could be addictive. If you google crumb quilt tutorials you'll find lots more great info :-P

Hi What is a crumb quilt?

They are fun quilts made with small scraps of fabric. Here is a tutorial with pics http://www.quiltville.com/crumbs.shtml

About the smallest I save are 2 inch squares.
I guess it depends on the type of quilts you make.

TraumaRN, There is a book called 'Nickle Quilts' that uses 1" square pieces of fabric. I bought the book because I thought it was unique. I haven't made a quilt, yet. It's on my 'to do' list.
Eiltcoq.

if they are too small for your comfort zone, consider an art teacher at your local school... jr. high or high school level! They start to get into abstract collage stuffs then, I just emailed my daughter's teacher and asked, and she said she'll take them all! I also save my empty thread spools, they make great "wheels" when the engineering kids build prototypes of buggies to test and destroy :)

chunky quilt, look on quiltville.com

me too ,one more quilt.

i use the small scraps for cathedral window quilts and biscuit quilts.

one inch for me... below that is only for crumb quilts. Wait maybe I need to make one of them!!!!

I tend to save really small pieces. I just finished a quilt with leaves on the border and almost all the different colored leaves were cut from pieces in my green scrap box from strips 1" to pieces as small as 1 1/2" square. I don't know why I keep such pieces, but it is fun to use them.

Every so often I go through my scraps and seperate them by color-and save them in big freezer bags for scrap quilts-I have been croheting rugs with the small strips and selvages

I have as small as 2 inch squares up to 5 inch. Love to do scrappy quilts.

if it's smaller than a 3 x5 brick or a 2 1/2" noodle, it goes in a bag ... somebody will want it.

OMQ think about joining our 1 1/2" swap going on right now. Here's the link to the swappers. PM Missi to get on the list. I have participated several times now. Will help you get to that 10,000 with different fabrics.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/group_a...jsp?gracnum=98

I always wonder the same thing, I just want to throw them away but everytime I do I end up digging the 2 gallon overstuffed baggie out of garbage and throwing it in the bottom of closet, I know I will never use them I don't like little pieces and I don't like scrappy anything so what should I do?

This group is the "right" group for any question. Never fails that someone has an answer.

I even take the little bitty pieces and little pieces of thread and put them in the bushes for bird nest. kids thought it was kinda cool when they were little to find the nest with moms "pretty stuff" in them.

Never throw anything away. There is always a use for it.