joe'smom

I haven't tossed any scraps. I've given some away, but mainly I've just crammed them into plastic grocery bags and tucked them away to deal with 'later.' I know it's going to take so much time to go through them, and realistically, when am I ever going to do it when I always have a greater claim on my time? At least I have a friend I can pass them on to, if I eventually accept the fact that it's too much for me to deal with. I think the claim they have on me is more sentimental than practical.

Onebyone

I take my big basket of scraps to retreat when I go and dump the scraps on a table. They are usually all gone by end of retreat. What is left I put in trash. The basket is always full of scraps to take. I go to two retreats a year. I don't feel guilty about getting rid of anything. I don't keep stored clutter in the house. Two whole house moves in one year and the too good to get rid of thinking went out the window and I keep that window open. I do have to push myself to get rid of quilting clutter I know I will not use.

petthefabric

Onebyone. Like the retreat idea.
Last retreat; 2x/d I collected trash and stuffed animal beds. Local rescue facilities are really into them. Had several beds and bags for more. All used up by next guild meeting. Sorry to say, only cotton/rayon are wanted for bags. So poly/synthetic fashion fabric goes to land fill.

Yes. I feel guilty.

The guilds I attend have give-a-way tables every meeting.

keep the ideas coming.

petthefabric

loved this idea. Trying to figure how to save it for future use.

patricej

i used to feel guilty about throwing scraps away.
i don't feel that way anymore.

i do admire those who save scraps if they actually use them.

so ... just asking to be a trouble maker. [mwaaah haaa haa]
at what point is it a scrap vs. small leftover piece?

toogie

I am one of those that does use scraps, as you can see by these ‘blocks’ I’m making.
I think I was brought up, ‘waste not, want not’. It is very time consuming bc I edge finish all seams and even up edges as I go, making 12.5 inch blocks. I’ve been asked if I was crazy before, so you may ask the same thing.

KalamaQuilts

we are all so different! to me a fat quarter is yardage. I am a scrappy quilter, in that if a pattern calls for red I'm perfectly happy using 20 reds, bored stiff using one red. So I save everything down to 1.5", and cut down as I go along with projects. No stuffed bags for me, I'd feel so much pressure it would make me ill
I'm also slowly losing my vision so have paid postage for a number of boxes of scraps from members here, and cut them down for the future. It won't be long and I won't be able to cut, but I'll be ready. I'm very hopeful to have a box awaiting me when we get back home in October

that said, I have zero problems getting rid of things I no longer use. FlyLady converted me in 2001. I've downsized my house by half at the very least, when we do move smaller, it will be an easy move. Nothing but keepers left.

Dedemac

I found that our local humane society will take scraps of any size and any fabric. So every few months I take all the small and larger pieces that I don't want to look at again to them, they even take batting scraps. It's a win win!

joe'smom

Since posting earlier, I decided to stop putting off the scraps! I've found it's not nearly as difficult as I anticipated. My focus in quilting has narrowed and I know what kinds of quilts and fabrics I enjoy, so it's going very quickly. I would say that 95% is going in the donate bags, 1% in the throw away bag, and I'm keeping larger squares, rectangles, and strings. Now that I've started, I want to whip through the bags as quickly as possible!

WMUTeach

Ditto for me. I suspect that saving scrap and using scraps is unique to each of us. I get irritated and frustrated by piles of scraps that are not being used. Those feelings are greater than any guilt that I might feel. The guilt disappears when I walk into my sewing room and I can see what is there, have a clear space to enjoy my quilting. For me, anything smaller than 2.5" strip or square goes away. I tried saving and using scraps and strings this winter and making crumb blocks and I did not enjoy the process, too time consuming, and I didn't particularly like the end results.

Just so y'all don't think I am a wild wastrel, I keep a paper bag near my machine and when I have small scraps and cut offs from projects, I toss them in the bag. If a scrap can be cut into 2.5" squares or strips, it is a keeper. Those I use! One of my quilting friends makes dog beds. I did for a couple of years then said, "No more" when the SPCA had a room full of beds that had been donated. When I go to my monthly quilting work day, I take my bag along and give what ever scraps I have to my friend so she can make beds.