It depends on how much is left. I'll try to use it up, but more often than not, it gets tossed. I didn't think I "wasted" a lot of thread until my quilter friend and I got together to make some baby quilt tops...She finally told me I was driving her crazy!! (among other things!!)

It happens so infrequent for me that I usually just toss it out.

I keep sewing until the bobbin is empty.

If I can't make it all the way around, I quilt to the edge and stop there, put in a new bobbin and resume. I hate hiding any more tails than I have to. I keep the small bits still on the bobbin for piecing. I am often amazing how much piecing you can do with that last 1/8th of a filled bobbin.

I know...it's dangerous for me to ask, since I'm trying to clear out old stuff and not save absolutely everything, but do tell me about, "thread bowls."

I use it for piecing, especially string blocks. If I throw it out I always put it in a bag or container (the bag my paper comes in is perfect) because the dog has a penchant for wastebaskets, especially those with tissue or paper towels, and I do not want him to chew on the thread by mistake.

I use it for piecing as well. Works great and uses it up right away so that the bobbin can go back into circulation.

I put all my thread in a thread bag and use it and small scraps of fabric to make my own fabric for art quilts.

I use it for piecing as well. Works great and uses it up right away so that the bobbin can go back into circulation. Tropit, while I haven't done much quilting recently due to family medical problems, I use up the partial threads, no longer needed threads once or twice a year in scrap projects. Doesn't matter what color you use and it all gets used up. Then space is freed up. I can ALMOST close the thread container again.

I have a low bobbin indicator on my machine so I don't waste much thread. When doing FMQ and I need to do a continuous line pattern, I may replace the partial bobbin for a full one to make sure I don't run out. Then I use the partials for piecing as long as it is the same weight thread for both.