zozee

Thank you you for the warning. It never would have occurred to me. I just haven't put out scraps because my vet warned not to let my dog get anything (rope like) shorter than two feet to play with . Pit could get wrapped around the intestines. I wouldn't want that to happen to any wild animals either on the ground. Our house backs to woods so there are woodland critters all over the place.

emmy

I like the Gourmet Quilter's method of cutting scraps into the widest width of the scrap. That way she has more choice when making quilts as you may need rectangles, etc.

just_the_scraps_m'am

interesting reading! they're not scraps until you can't use them! i don't cut prior to having a pattern any more -- i have all 4" strips i can't use because i'm cutting 4 3/4" in one of the patterns i'm working on now!

Donnamarie

I usually cut semi-large pieces into strips, 1 1/2" and 2" and anything that is left I just cut it into a strip, whatever size. Then I store the strips in boxes by size. Any small pieces that would usually go into the trash I now keep. There is a women in one of my guilds who has requested that we make dog pads for animal shelters. You put two fat quarters together (could be the ugliest fabric), leave an opening and stuff it with all my fabric/batting pieces that I wouldn't save. Then sew up the hole and we now have pads/beds for animals. The shelters welcome them and they can easily just toss them into a washer and dryer to reuse.

quilterpurpledog

I sort them by color and keep in gallon sized zip looks. Periodically, I will spend 30 or 45 minutes a day cutting some into squares or strips. That is when I get rid of the bits that cannot be used. I use them with fiber fluff and shredded batting for stuffing critters, etc. It works great. I try to stuff the mixture in the center of things and use the fiber fluff nearer the outside of the project which I want as smooth as possible. I learned this trick from a quilt guild that made critters and blankets for kids.

joym

Thanks for posting this info.

Sewnoma

I cut narrow selvedges (3/4" or so) off and keep those in a jar marked "ribbons" - I use them for all sorts of things around the house - the prettiest ones get set aside to be used when wrapping handmade gifts; I have a bowmaker template thing I can wrap them around, put in a stitch or two to secure and pop it off to make a selvedge bow that I think looks neat. They're also great for tying plants to stakes out in the garden. DH uses them to tie up cords and hoses and things in the garage. I've used them for things like tying around tupperware to make sure the lid won't pop off during travel. All sorts of uses!

I make foundation-pieced crazy quilts, so I will save very small and odd-shaped fabric scraps for that. Anything I deem too small or too frayed goes into a trash can I have lined with a fabric bag and when it gets full I stitch the bag shut and give it to my pets. Batting scraps and thread snips go in there too. I have 3 dogs and 2 cats and they all like sleeping on my scrap-bags. They usually survive about 3 washings and then need to be tossed because they get too lumpy inside; it seems to work out that I have a new one ready to go right about when one is needing to be tossed out.

I think the batting scraps help keep it fluffy - I notice if I have a larger than normal amount of poly batting scraps the bag seems to last longer. I snip up batting scraps - usually my batting scraps are long strips about 4-5" wide, I fold it up and chop it up with my big industrial scissors so it'll mix around better. I don't bother to do anything with the fabric scraps because usually only very small scraps make it into the bin in the first place.

I DON'T put fabric or string out for birds...my largest dog is a lab/husky mix, I just brush her on the back patio and leave the fur there for the birdies. They LOVE it, and there's a ton of it! I don't know how that dog isn't bald, so much fur comes off of her...

EmiliasNana

From Sewnoma: I cut narrow selvedges (3/4" or so) off and keep those in a jar marked "ribbons" - I use them for all sorts of things around the house - the prettiest ones get set aside to be used when wrapping handmade gifts; I have a bowmaker template thing I can wrap them around, put in a stitch or two to secure and pop it off to make a selvedge bow that I think looks neat. They're also great for tying plants to stakes out in the garden. DH uses them to tie up cords and hoses and things in the garage. I've used them for things like tying around tupperware to make sure the lid won't pop off during travel. All sorts of uses!
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Great idea Sewnoma. I usually cut my selvages 1" and had a whole bag FULL so decided on my last retreat to sort by color (as close as possible) and sew on paper foundation sheets from MSQC (10" sqs). So far so good (I have 15) and I think I will have enough for a picnic quilt or throw. Love your ideas though, so will use that for my leftovers, before I start again. Especially like the tip about making a ribbon. Would love to see a picture.
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roguequilter

i sort my scraps the same way. easy to find what i need when looking for just the right scrap for projects. my shreds tho now get saved. they make great kitty toys tied into a bundle and attatched to a strip of selvedge. i also lay them flat and zigzag back & forth over them to use as embelishments on cutsey projects. ie .. bundle of scraps became the magpie nest on the top of the chimney on a block i designed last year. birdhouse condo, titled "those new people upstairs!". the recipient loved it and my humor. i'd load a pic, but even tho i follow the tips for using ipad, my pics are waaaayyy over large.

salemrabbits

I do a lot of scrappy quilts, actually mostly scrappy ones. I try to cut the "scrap" to the biggest size I can, which means 1 1/2" squares for my postage stamp quilt, 2", 2 1/2" mostly, I also cut scrap fabrics to these "string" sizes- if possible, as well as charms. Anything bigger gets folded by color. I make LOTS of string quilts and crumb block quilts from the excess and use as much as I can, after that it goes into doggie beds. I am very lucky that my quilting friends gift me scraps- sometimes I trade their scraps for yardage if I have something they want! I prefer playing with scraps over yardage most of the time.