Using up scraps

Great ideas.
I always use rags for cleaning, and yes, they are good if you can overlock them.
I also use them for draining wet / fried food where I might otherwise use kitchen paper. I have a bucket and sling them in for regular boil washes.
I also make, depending on the fabric, handkerchiefs or make-up / cleaning pads.
I have also used at the lining / interlining for face coverings.

You say that you are not good at sewing, but should you want to try making clothes again, you can use old sheets for making toiles.

Dye cotton sheets, then they are useful in a number of ways, lining tote bags, backing for patchwork quilts, drawstring gym bags or scrubs bags for NHS, advertise on freecycle if you have too many as someone will snap them up.

I've been recycling old tshirts into cleaning rags for years. Our plumber used to go off with a bundle whenever he was doing a job for us. He found them invaluable.

Make fabric trays... (you need stiffening). They're fun.

noodle-head.com/2011/10/fabric-tray-tutorial-2.html

I've just bought some Christmas fabric to make some for December for sweets etc.

You could make device beanbags - they are very easy to make and popular too. I've made some out of old sheets, just edge them with contrast binding. There are loads of patterns online, basically it is two rectangles, sewn on three sides, then you fold it and sew it across the top leaving a gap (to fill it). After filling, finish it by hand. I leave a loop to pick it up with when I finish it with the binding. Here are patterns (but there are many online). The 25cm x 20cm fits a Kindle.

www.awilson.co.uk/make-kindle-pillow/

www.youtube.com/watch?v=v68FBB7GJJM

lovebeigecardigans rug hessian is widely available on the internet. A site called ‘ragged life’ is good. And eBay too.

You could make facemasks from the bedding.

Reviving the old thread here as I've had a brilliant idea. My youngest DGD (2) apparently loves playing shops and with the play kitchen. I thought I could make some mini tea towels, oven gloves, apron and shopping bags. Decluttering has also unearthed some cloth dyes so I could dye them all the same bright green or yellow and I thought I'd stencil her name on to everything.

And to answer Meryl's question as to why I have an overlock machine: I know the theory and plenty of sewing techniques but am just so cack-handed. Actually the overlock machine is a godsend as it makes sewing a lot easier. I made the smock for DGS' art lessons at school. It turned out rather well. Stupidly didn't take a picture.

You could make a rag rug from small scraps if you've the patience - just knotting required, although it needs a canvas base and these can be a bit tricky to get hold of.

Little Dresses for Africa is a UK charity that asks for dresses to be made from pillowcases, and then sends them to Africa for little girls from poor families. The pattern is so simple, just a hem and a couple of straps, and the charity provides a template on their website. They also ask for Sanipads. Please check out their website for more details.

How about making lots of drawstring bags in different sizes, to use as gift bags instead of buying wrapping paper - we should all be finding ways to avoid all this single-use stuff. You could add embroidery or appliqué to the bags, or decorate them with fabric pens.

JackyB
You hint that your sewing skills aren't very good. But you have an overlocker. Apologies if I've got that wrong.

Animal rescue homes are always looking for sheets, towels, etc., but not duvets or pillows!!

The sheets are partly from my Mil where she had already sewn them together at the edges, the middles having worn through. They are 100% cotton.

Pillow cases? When tidying away some bedlinen yesterday I realised that I have literally dozens of them! They will be joining the collection.

Linings is a good idea, though, and lining patchwork is also an obvious solution I hadn't seriously thought of.

I have done patchwork using paper as a backing material and will have a look at Elegran's suggestion.

You could use some of it as backing for Foundation Piecing patchwork like this www.youngquilters.org.uk/resources/stitch-and-flip-using-foundation-piecing.html This is not quite the same as Foundation Paper Piecing - what a minefield of names all these techniques are.

You could turn some of the sheets into pillow cases, even for under cases.

I used a lot of mine as linings for tote bags, laundry bags, shoe bags etc.

Are they usable? I have just put lots of bed linen onto freecycle. Seems a shame to cut them up if they can be used.

I finished up with all the bed linen from my parents and from my OH's parents when they died and they have just been sitting in the airing cupboard for years - I am moving soon, so out they have gone! I hate to tell you, but some of my scrap material has also gone!!