Hey, Ty - how hot & humid is it down under? Does it get really cold in the winter? I'm just curious. I live in central Florida and we range from a couple of freezes in the winter to about 6 months straight of over 90 degrees F, with July & August in the upper 90s.

As far as scraps, do you do applique? I think a lot of folks who applique keep really small scraps. I go through phases of keeping really tiny pieces, then deciding I'll never use them and throwing them away. Last year I made a quilt for a friend and the pattern had lots of flying geese where you sew a square onto a rectangle then cut off the corners, and I thought it was a shame to waste all those triangles, so I'm sewing them together into squares with the intention of making an ocean waves quilt. The squares are about 1-1/4".

Donna

Well, I do a lot of applique, so 1/2" is fine, but for regular pieced work, even 1" for me is a bit dinky.

Marti in Mexico

I've used 1" but I don't like to work with anything that small unless it is in strips. I do have a pattern for a beautiful tablecloth that used 1" pieces.

I would probably save it, but I also save lots of stuff I probably will never use. I just know that if I throw it away I will need it for something. LOL

Lynette

I don't do applique unless it is absolutely necessary, so until that changes, I guess I might use 1" strips for something, but I sure wouldn't use 1" squares! (Oh, I take that back! Exception: 1" squares used to "round" the corners of bottles in a jar quilt are OK.) Otherwise, I guess the smallest piece I would want to work with would be a 2&1/2" square or an HST cut from one.

I like to use 1" strips for sashing between I Spy squares. I'm like Donna in that I go thru phases.....right now I'm ready to toss the whole kit and kaboodle.......

I probably should go for a walk........

SharonG/FL

I don't do applique except under duress - LOL! One-inch by three-inches is my smallest saved scrap these days.

Teresa

I occasionally use 1" strips to finish at 1/2" in a quilt. but I don't applique, so I toss (into a bag for the Children's Museum - they like cotton fabric) anything that's less than 2.5 x 2.5 inches.

I would use those tiny scraps in a paper piecing mosaic type pattern. I made one with tulips and it had the smallest pieces that I have ever used. It sort of shaded the tulips if that makes sense. It was very time consuming to do but I always enjoy a challenge! Isamae

Like Isamae, I like to paper piece and some of the small pieces are what you need. I have a couple of boxes I just through them in and use as needed.

Have to admit I am probably a pack rat. Recently, I was working with some friends who threw some trimmings off a block into the trash. I quickly retrieved it and later made a paper pieced pillow, a duck in water, for my grandson. The fabric I retrieved was perfect for the water and plenty to finish the pillow. I think my friends were impressed. :)

It is a personal decision as to what you keep. If you can't use it maybe a friend can.
Sally

I don't keep anything smaller than 2 inches for my own use, except for strips that can be used to sash and even up odd size blocks. Then I use soem 1 inch pieces. I do save smaller pieces for friends who do applique, I just haven't got the knack for that yet.

beverly

I usually don't keep anything smaller than 2" square, but on occasion, I have crazy pieced my tiniest scraps.

I wanna show you what I made with tiny, tiny pieces of fabric. This whole thing is 7 x 12" in size.

I laid it on a piece of denim. Used a light spritz of basting spray. Then used my machine's built-in decorative stitches. Top thread is variegated, bottom matches the denim. I finished the binding by machine with a decorative stitch, too.

Now I want to do exactly the same, but bigger, to use as placemats.

If you make fabric postcards, you can use even the tiniest scraps.

I keep my more interesting tiny scraps seperate for this purpose.

You know, because I NEED another reason to keep fabric. Eventually, I'll discover a reason to keep threads, too.

Dianne

Here is a link that might be useful: How to make a fabric postcard

MaryLiz, what a great way to use fabrics.

I used to make miniatures of the quilts I made, so saved little pieces.

{{!gwi}}

I don't do this anymore, although I save a little of the fabric from each quilt, just in case.

Overall, I agree with Sally, that it just depends on what you want to keep and use :).

Cheryl

I love it! What a cute idea and using your decorative stitches shows off your patches. I save medium small pieces JUST in case I get the urge to PP...hasn't happen in a year now! I like one small tote for this but I look under my table and there are now 3..I strip cut my leftovers into 2 1/2" strips and 3" sq. so that's another tote but I did make a string quilt last year by doing this so maybe another one this year.
Jeam