Scrappy quilts are not in my comfort zone but I want to make one. When you choose fabrics do you use the same type design say small prints, mixed with tone/on/tone. Do you stay with lights and mediums together to make it look the best. Should I mix all ranges of light/med/darks???? If you go with darker colors do you make it meds. and darks. I don't know that I'd throw any wild fabric in because again I don't know if that's right. Usually it's in the eye of the beholder but this beholder needs some help. Thanks.

I made a disappearing 9 patch from fat quarters and made it scrappy, was fun

here is the link to show you the picture of it

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-62011-1.htm

The only distinction I make is whether it's white-based or cream-based, and even that sometimes doesn't matter.

If you haven't done one before, try a small project. You'll be amazed at how beautiful it will be, even when you think there's NO WAY those fabrics could possibly go together!

Diane, for me scrappy has no rules but if it's out of your comfort zone maybe a controlled scrappy would be best.
Maybe grab a bunch of your favorite scraps and go from there.

I think you'll love making something scrappy. I started here: http://quiltville.com/cathedralstars.shtml Bonnie's site has wonderful scrap quilts. Check them out and you may find some inspiration.

This book helped me. Simple Strategies for Scrap Quilts by Lynn Roddy Brown. Good scrappies to you. I am on my second on now.

I love making scrappy quilts! I tend to concentrate more on lights/mediums/darks to make mine "work" for me. Everything else is pretty much secondary as far as color/fabric design goes.
Thankfully, I learn more with each and every one I make :)

I made a controlled scrappy "square in a square" with black sashings and fuschia cornerstones. Each 2 fabrics in the square in a square coordinated with each other, but each block didn't coordinate with the other blocks. I hope that makes sense. The black really made it all pop!
I hope you have fun with it whichever way you go. :P

I am not very comfortable with scrappy quilts (I like matchy-matchy) but I recently did a Scrappy Sampler quilt. To make it easier for me, and my matchy issues, I stuck with reds and creams and one major fabric running all throughout it.

i think most of my quilts are the 'controlled' scrappy type. that's because i use a lot of different fabrics in small amounts instead of a large amount of a few fabrics. it always seems to work out for me even though some of the fabrics don't go together at all. i usually chose a 'theme' so for instance the latest one i did was 'manly' so i chose manly fabrics like plaid, denim, corderoy and tartans. then i cut some of each and put them together so they are basically random other than not allowing two peices of the same fabric to touch. i did another one in a fall theme. many of the fabrics i chose were not fall themed at all, some were summer or spring but in orange, red or yellow. i think i used over 20 different fabrics. one was even ice cream cones. the only rule i made for myself on that one was that each fabric had to have a fall colour in which i included orange, red, yellow, greens and browns. so although alot of the fabrics had nothing to do with fall the overall look was 'fall'. so that is why i call them controlled because i set boundries but for each fabric i chose i probably did not use more than a fat quarters worth to make twin size quilts. i have more scraps from these scrappy quilt fabrics than what i used, i think. anyways just jump in and have fun. the first will probably be a learning lesson but that doesn't mean it won't be beautiful. (:

All my quilts are scrappy, but usually within a color scheme. Fall colors, pastels, etc. To me there is nothing better than to use up what you have. Wierd, I know. I also like to use fabric from cast off clothing, or a special shirt that no longer fits. I guess it is also very "green" to reuse and cheaper.

The smaller the pieces, the more diverse the pieces you can throw together and it will look great. I usually make log cabin quilts with 1" finished logs, and I use all my scraps in them. The only rule is separating lights from darks, and if it's medium it may be used in both spots.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-82165-1.htm
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-23612-1.htm

I like "ORGANIZED" scrappy :) It would bother me to have a concentration of fabric in the same area or the same fabrics touching...but that's me! :)

I think all of mine have been scrappy. I think its fun, and SO much cheaper!!!!! Just dont worry about it, it will be beautiful.
I do simpleones, like a 9 patch with all 30s, made like a checkerboard with whites. Does that make sense, first cup of coffee, lol!

Thank you everyone for your comments. I may dump my fabrics in a brown paper bag and just pull fabric randomly. Actually I am planning to use Bonnie Hunter's Pineapple Blossom and keep the center color the only constant fabric. Wish me luck.

lots of luck... i recently re-discovered Bonnie's quilt site... am currently trying to "use up" from a huge stash (an entire wall) and am beginning with "cutting the strips" from the large scraps..keep us posted!!

Small world my hubby and his family is from Middleboro!

Scrappy is just that.....Scrappy without much thought or consideration to the usual rules of selection.
I got a jelly roll in a swap and made a tube quilt. I sorted by light/dark or light/medium so there would be some contrast. A little by color but not toally. Even put some fabrics in that I would not otherwise use such as letters and pictures.....It worked great. I believe the success is not obsessing over it too much. Toss the fabric down and shuffle them up and bit and then go for it.