mhollifiel

Interesting you should ask this. I am just now addressing this issue and have spent spare time in the last week cutting scraps. I decided to go with the sizes that are sold in precuts; 10", 5" and 2.5" WOF strips. Any "leftovers" beyond that got cut into 2.5" squares, 2.5" X 4.5" logs, and 1.5" strips in irregular lengths. I have about finished and look forward to just sitting down and piecing my Project Linus tops especially now that the shorter, cooler days are upon us.

DebbE

I have scraps from the 50's to current, and it was driving me crazy. Had so much I couldn't keep track and felt I wasn't using them properly. Found Bonnie Hunters method and I've been cutting ever since....1.5,2,2.5, 3.5, 5 and 10 inches. I cut the 5 and 10" ones into squares - the rest are cut into strips as long as the fabric is that I have. I now have a number of containers of each size and love that I'll be able to use those to make tons of scrappy quilts. Once I'm done with cutting I'll reorganize my quilt room again (amazing how messy it gets with this project) and can start quilting with those scraps. In the meantime, I quilt a bit on projects I have going, cut some more, etc, to keep from getting bored. This is done between working full time of course.

liont

Question - do you bother with grain, or cut along whichever orientation to maximize the scrap?

DebbE

Another nice thing with pre-cutting is that's the only part of quilting that I dislike doing. A benefit is I cut up the 'ugly' fabrics, too and those goes into the bins, and those aren't wasted - and sometimes I quilt those wrong side out, too, depending on the fabric. Amazing how many pieces of 'ugly' go into a quilt and either it enhances the quilt or you don't see the 'ugly' anymore. Just getting all that done has just opened up the creative side of quilting that much more for me, because the part I don't like doing is already done....

DebbE

I keep to the grain as much as possible. Its wonderful seeing all those bins fill up and all those scraps dwindling....

MimiBug123

I'm a non-cutter, too. When I get around to it (ha ha) I think I'll go with Bonnie Hunter's sizes. Right now, I am in piecing mood, so the scrap bin can wait. Right now they are in a large trash bin, over in the corner. It has oval shaped holes in the sides, so when I need a special bit for applique, I can usually see part of it and slip it out through the hole.

Scakes

I'm not much help with this question as I do all 3 of your choices. Depends on the mood I'm in I guess. I have plastic see thru shoe boxes that are labeled according to sizes; I have scraps that are in a bag. Every now and then I'll get in the mood to be neater and will cut all the piled up pieces into charms, strips, etc.

Geri B

I have a GO die cutter so it is easy for me to organize my scraps into shapes I will use......squares, triangles, strips and the everlovin' tumbler........I have also used the hex and circle...one for gfg and other for yo-yo project--ever going on.......I am a devout believer in the Bonnie Hunter leader/ender theory and now have a scrappy in progress from it.....sewing those squares together that way was a no brainer and suddenly I had enough to make larger squares and then sash around and look-it's a quilt!!!!!!! Ready to make more squares...just picked up a new book from JoAnn's that has lots of scrappy designs to use up all those pieces and f/q I have accumulated. Isn't this fun!!!!!

Bobbielinks

I have a draw I toss them in. When the draw becomes full I cut them into the largest piece I can- usually starting with 1/2 yard pieces, then fat quarters, then 6 inch squares, 2 inch strips; then store each size in its own draw with the lights on one side and the darks on the other side of the draw. Yesterday I decided to begin an "Oh My Gosh" quilt, so started cutting my 2 inch strips into 1 inch strips. A year or so ago I made a scrap quilt cutting my 6 inch squares into trinagles. The scraps from these two quilts are put into a "crumb" draw which I will probably give away when it becomes full.

spokanequilter

If the scraps are WOF, I cut them into the widest strip I can. The others are cut into 2", 3-1/2" and 5" squares, which have all kinds of possibilities for combination. For example, two 2" squares together will go with a 3-1/2" square; a 2" square and a 3-1/2" square will combine with a 5" square and so on.