charlottequilts

I sort smaller pieces or strips by color. I've noticed that strips can become twisted when I am rooting through folded yardage in larger baskets, so I include these as well.

One great discovery this spring was a set of 6 white, lined baskets at WM online. They are made of some sort of wicker, but they don't smell even slightly (which is unusual with wicker and rattan). I have learned that all plastics, hard or soft, off gas to some degree (the hard dash providing that excellent "new car" smell, for example), and, not knowing quite what the effect of that is, if any, I decided to go for more baskets. These seemed rather nice for the money.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Baum-Lined...White/35515158

hugs,
Charlotte

luvstoquilt301

I cut them up immediately using the Creative Grids Scrap Ruler Set. This has worked well for me and my very small sewing space. When I get a bunch of them I make a quilt.

ghostrider

I keep useable fabric pieces with the remaining yardage of the same fabric which is stored by color and type (batik, print, solid) because I want to know how much I have of that fabric in total. I don't want it in several places, I never precut anything, and I don't make scrap quilts. If pieces are smaller than I will readily use, they're thrown out.

ArtsyOne

I do the same thing as ghostrider, keeping large and small pieces of the same fabric together. Then I sort by theme or color, i.e., all my reds are together, all my pastel florals, christmas, asians, etc. Don't you just love sorting your stash?

Chester the bunny

I sort by size...and you don't want to know how OCD I am about it....oh alright I'll tell you. I have a plastic for every width from under 1 1/2" up to 6" in 1/2" increments.
The reason I go by size is when you are doing a scrap quilt and it calls for 2 1/2 squares, you take out your 2 1/2 " box and your 5" box. If you only need blue, then just take out the blue ones. That way you are not measuring to see if your scrap is big enough, and you are not wasting by cutting up larger scraps to now have more smaller scraps.
Yes I have a life outside the sewing room.

JudyTheSewer

I organize my scraps in a similar way.

Anything 5" square to about a 1/3 yard go into drawers by color. (Larger yardarge remains on the shelves until they are needed.) These charms through fat-quarter+ cuts can be used as small bag liners, postcards, applique and other projects that use small pieces.

I keep strips and squares per BHs method; 1-1/2" , 2", 2-1/2", 3", and 3-1/2" strips and squares. I also have drawers for strings and crumbs.

I like and prefer scrappy quilts with a lot of variety so if I need more blues than are in my precut strip/square drawers I first go to my small scrap drawers and cut those down as needed. If a larger variety of a color is STILL needed, I go to my yardard to cut strips as needed. Any leftovers from these additional strips that are not used right away go into my strip drawer for a later project.

Twisted Quilter

This is sooooo me.

Kris P

I classify anything smaller than 1/4 yard as a scrap. These are sorted by color and stored in shoebox sized clear plastic bins. When I'm looking for a certain color, or need an assortment, they are right there, and they don't get all wrinkled up in a bag or a huge bin.

solstice3

I sort by color but also keep holiday and baby prints separate. I might be wasteful but anything less than 2 1/2 goes in a bag for stuffing for puppy beds

lclang

I cut into squares and sort by size only. When I want to make something, I pick out what I want. I don't have much of a scrap collection as I try to keep them used up as much as I can.