Just WHICH batting scraps do you keep?

That's a tough question. I hate to throw away batting scraps, especially if they are larger pieces that I can use for something else. But what do you do with all those scraps of batting? Just how much of it should you keep?

I've been doing some cleaning and organizing in my sewing room and found three large garbage sacks of batting scraps. Yes, three very large, full to the brim sacks. The scraps range in size from 4-8" wide and anywhere from 8-92" long. Those sacks have been there for at least 4-5 years. And I haven't once retrieved one scrap of batting from them since I put them there.

Why? I just have too many scraps I want to keep. I already have a small pile of batting scraps that I am pulling pieces from for potholders, pillows, small quilt wall hangings and other various projects. I will never use my entire stockpile of batting scraps.

So, I decided to take the plunge and toss them. If I haven't used them in the past five years, most likely I won't be using them in the next five years. I always like to keep batting scraps on hand to use for practice quilting sandwiches, little projects and even for picking up lint (works great as a cleaning cloth!). But I am also constantly adding to my batting stash with the scraps from large quilts and other larger projects.

It's a continual cycle. I stitch a large quilt and my batting scrap pile is replenished. Gradually piece by piece, that pile diminishes and by that time I've stitched another large quilt and yet again added to the pile. The space I have that held the three large sacks of batting will be put to much better storage use (like fun fabric!) than just little bits of batting.

In my mind, I just can't justify keeping that many little pieces of batting. Yes, I always want to keep some available for small projects and trial pieces. Yes, I will sew some larger ones together for a larger wall hanging or project. But there is also a time to just throw the little pieces in the trash.

My general rule is: If it's at least 8-10" square, I keep it. Many times I end up with strips that are 8-10" wide by 80-90" long, which is an excellent piece of batting to keep. By piecing one, two or three strips together, it would be perfect for a wall hanging, small quilt or lining a pillow or pillow sham. But if it's less than 6" wide, I toss it. Even if it is in a long strip. It's just too narrow to do anything.

How about you? What do you do with all your scraps of batting? Do you keep every little piece or have a general rule as to the size of batting scraps you keep?