I'm saving mine the way they are for a crazy quilt. I have one my grandmother made with all odd shaped pieces, and that's what I want to do.

As you can see and read, you have lots of options. For me it depends on the size of the scrap - I make them into the following things: gift bags, 2" squares, strips for log cabin blocks, cool scarves, landscape quilts, yo-yos for future flowers on quilts/wall hangings, pot holders, trivets, scrappy blocks for future quilts, strip quilts and etc... The list is endless, let your imagination run free.

so far all i have done was to put them in a bag !!!

Last year I spent about a monthe ironing and cutting up my scraps into usable sizes (see quiltville's Bonnie Hunter) and now they are all organized and ready to use. Worth it with today's fabric prices!

I have even taken a couple of yards of muslin and cut them into quarters, and made a quilt that way, I keep muslin squares cut all the time, but you can use different shapes of muslin also, I have seen one cut into a diamond shape , it makes lovely quilts. and I ususally back them with flannel, so they arent' so heavy, but still warm/

I checked out the quiltville.com and found so much information that I need to spend and hour or more reading.

great site.

I put mine in a box and send them to someone on this board that makes scrappy quilts for charity! I don't have the clutter and someone else is making use of them. I find this a win win for both of us

Salvages can be used by sewing them on a base fabric for tote bags, pin cushions, star blocks. Use your imagination. Quilt blocks

I either cut them up ala Bonnie Hunter style and use them as leaders and enders OR sew them into blocks for charity quilts ala:

http://quiltingisstillmypassion.blog...-tutorial.html

Esther

I donate them to the local elementary school for art projects.

I leave my as they are and sort them into conatiners by color. As soon as I cut them a certain way, I would need them some other way.

I sort mine by color but don't cut them until I am ready to use them in a scrappy quilt.
For me a scrap is anything smaller than a FQ.

I spent Sunday cutting into 2 1/2in. strips and 2 1/2 in. squares and using the strips to make quilt as you go place mats,fast and easy. Then I have binding hand work for T.V. at night. Sure cleaned out my scraps and put them to good use. The placemats go to the guild as they donate for Meals on Wheels for Christmas.

i throw my tiny,tiny scraps into a bag to stuff beds for our cat and dog. those that are a little bigger i throw into another bag. they can be used for many things. leaves or flowers or sunbonet shoes , strips, squares......many things. i save every thing.

I cut mine into strips. others I cut into squares. I start with the biggest possible block I can cut. then put them in large clear plastic bags and label as to size. My largest block is 8 inches and the smallest is 1 1/2 . I then use then for scrappy quilts. You can always sub-cut the larger blocks into smaller blocks if needed. I had 3 totes full of scraps last spring and now I barely have a small basket, but I do have 8 quilts that I made from my scraps.

I make lots of quilts and some scraps I don't want to use, I take to Goodwill. I have so much fabrics that I don't want to take time using all my scraps. I figure someone that can't afford fabric will be able to use them.

I throw them into a tote. When it gets full, I cut them up into different size squares and will eventually use them for scrap quilts. By the way, I have a plastic grocery bag with very small scraps/slivers, etc. if anybody wants them. I think they are only good for stuffing, but I've seen on this board where some of you use really small bits of fabric. Pm me if you want them.

i cut some into strips, some into circles(for yoyos) anything else i keep to use for stuffing

This is probably way more information than anyone needs, but maybe if you see where someone else is going, you can decide where you want to go (and how to get there) more easily.

WHAT CAN I DO WITH THOSE WEIRD & SMALL SCRAPS? There are so many patterns for scrappy quilts, and several members have posted them already. One very recent one is BOTTLED RAINBOWS: http://www.stitchedincolor.com/2011/...-to-make.html. Here's another weblink to a photo of someone else's design for this quilt block technique: http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-141917-1.htm.

WHAT WE'RE DOING IN MY GUILD: We had the first meeting to organize the newly formed SCRAP BEE yesterday afternoon.
- We all decided that we all needed to start cutting the scraps into usable sizes and shapes (squares and rectangles for "the usual," and hexagons, tumblers and equilateral triangles for those who want to do hand sewing).
- We all decided that once we start cutting, we can start sewing the component units for a quilt, whether for our own quilts or someone else's. We also decided to use our cut stash pieces and components for swapping or barter with each other. We're VERY generous, so no problems are anticipated - generosity is infectious!
- !!!!! We decided that all those pieces that usually end up on the floor (or should end up in the wastebasket) will be saved and given to both our community service bee to use as stuffing for the fleece bears they make for community outreach and to our local chapter of the American Sewing Guild to use as stuffing for Anti-Ouch pouches (pouches made for breast surgery recovery, which fit between the arm and the side of the chest to prevent friction during the healing process - since it's 100% cotton, there'll be minimal heat retention since cotton breathes). If either activity reports an overabundance of stuffing scraps, we'll still save them for stuffing pillows and such for our bee members.
- We also decided that once we start cutting, we can THEN start sorting into "general pile" and specialty shoeboxes (batiks, 1930's fabrics, Civil War fabrics, novelty/animal, Christmas/Halloween fabrics, etc.)
- We decided to start stash-busting by bringing to next month's meeting 25 Half square triangle blocks that finish at 5" square. We will swap at that time or give away what we're sick of looking at.
- We passed around a chart of columns labeled with colors and a separate page listing fabric TYPES (batik, 1930's, Halloween, etc etc etc) and colors. People at the meeting put their names in the blank column on the left and checked off which types of specialty or theme fabrics they liked or had a lot of. Now we have a list of who wants/likes what so swapping stuff between meetings is a lot easier. Someone who has a lot of yellow can find someone who needs or wants more yellow. The bee coordinator is now typing up this master list and will email it to everyone in the group for reference; new members will be added to the master lists and the updated versions will be sent out.

WHAT I AM DOING NOW: I am cutting and sorting into the following:
-SQUARES (UNfinished): 2.5”, 3.5”, 5”, 6.5”
-STRIPS (UNfinished): 1.5” x WOF, 2.0” x WOF, 2.5” x WOF, 3.0” x WOF
-RECTANGLES (UNfinished): 2” x 3.5”, 2.5” x 4.5”, 3.5” x 6.5”
-THEMES: 1930's, ANIMALS, BACKGROUND, BABY, BATIK, CIVIL WAR, FLANNELS, HALLOWEEN, JUVENILE, PATRIOTIC, SOLIDS, XMAS
-BLOCKS (finished): 4-Patch 3.0”, 4-Patch 4.0”, 9-Patch 4.5” WHITE, 9-Patch 4.5" BLACK, HST 4.0”, HST 5.0"
-SHAPES: Hearts (various sizes), Hexagons 1.5" side, Triangles 3" base (finished), Tumblers 3" base (finished), Yo-Yo circles 5" (2.25" finished)

Some members of our scrap bee like hand piecing and applique, so we're all cutting those shapes to swap or give away to those who are interested to help build their components.

I cut my scraps into 2.5" 3" 3.5" and 4". I make a lot of 9 patch blocks with them and use these cut squares for leaders and enders when working on a project so I'm actually building my 9 patch stash when working on a current project. I use these completed 9 patches in charity quilts.

this is what I do with selvedges!http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-153430-1.htm

I usually cut mine 2 1/2 x 5" and made charity quilts from the strips. They were very easy to do and require little if any border.
Stephanie

I save all my scraps - have plastic see-through boxes that I use for each color. Needless to say I have several. I applique and even a very small piece (1/2 inch) can be used. I label my boxes by color and stack them. Easy to get to when I need a certain color.

this is a fast, fun way to use scraps:

http://quiltingisstillmypassion.blog...-tutorial.html

I never know what I will use the fabric for so I just file anything that is wider than 1.5 inches in the drawers by color. Then when I need a certain green, yellow or red, I know where to find it (at least MOST of the time....) :lol:

I sort scraps into groups like girls, baby ,boys, western, woodsy, 4th of july and so on and leave them the size they are until I am ready, I bundle them with kitchen string and but a paper note on top and store the bundles in a plastic bin.

I love scrap quilts. My latest is a tulip string quilt. I don't cut my scraps up either. I save almost everything because I do lots of raw edge applique. I do sort by color.

sorting to light, med, and dark is very helpful to do as you go. it's a long project to do it when you want to jump into a quilt.

I iron them, fold them and put them in my scrap baskets. I'm trying very hard to not save every little piece, but if it is bigger than a quarter I save it. If the pieces have a pattern that won't work for anything I, gulp, throw it away.

I sew them the way it is and make scrappy tops and sometimes I will cut those scrappy tops into 12 inch squares to use in projects.

I leave my scraps as they are and then cut them when i have a use for them. That way, i am not disappointed that it is a bit too short etc. I also would not be bothered to cut them all into neat little piles.

I cut them into various shapes with my die cutter.

Most scraps are cut into various width strips, and squares for hopefully a
future project. Larger pieces are sorted by color or theme. Unfortunately
each category seems to grow without being used, while more fabric is
purchased. So much fabric, so little time!

I used to keep everything just the way it was. I was up to six totes full of scraps. Just decided I had to get rid of some of them so I took anything smaller than 1/8 yard and donated it to the local women's club to make quilts. I still have two large totes full of scraps that I am keeping. I plan to cut anything I can into 2 1/2 inch strips to do jelly roll race quilts. The rest I hope to use in scrappy quilts of some kind.

ditto

I only toss things that are smaller than 2". I cut up my remaining fabric whenever I cut a quilt top and then I store them in plastic bags of like sizes. Some are blocks, strips, triangles what ever I can cut out of the remnants. If you don't see yourself sewing scrappy quilts I make quilts for children in crisis and will gladly take your scraps and put them to good use.

I do a lot of applique, so I leave the scraps in those weird shapes, fearful that IF I cut them , I might lose "just the right spot"

If I can square them up I do but with odd pieces I put them in with the crazy quilt pattern.

I keep all little scraps in a plastic see-thru box, along with 8" square muslin. When I feel like sewing & can't decide what to do, I sew scraps to the muslin in crazy-quilt fashion. When I have enough squares I'll put them all together!

Until recently, I had all my scraps shoved into boxes where they were creased and tangled, which meant I wouldn't use them. But now I cut them into 2 1/2" strips (like Jelly Rolls) and roll them up in matching sets. This means at least they dont' get creased any more and I love making Jelly Roll quilts. I even found a J.R. pattern which I hand piece when I go to my quilt group meetings.