What do the words 'scrappy quilt' mean to you?
 

I love scrappy quilts, and primarily make them, unless I have a special request from someone to make something else. I love my scraps and love when people give me their scraps to play with too! I am relatively organized and often cut my fabric into planned strips and squares when they get smaller than a certain size, or when I'm done a project and I have some leftovers.

What do you think of when you think 'scrappy quilts'? Do you think of a modge podge of colours and styles that are not for you? Or maybe more planned scrappy, when you use scraps in similar colours or similar styles to create something gorgeous?

I mainly think of a project made from scraps of all different colors and prints. I usually call a planned scrappy the "scrappy look" or "scrappy style". I'm making a 9 patch now from some purchased for this quilt 1930's look prints and some actual scraps of mine so it will have a "scrappy look" but is planned and the blocks arranged to distribute the colors somewhat evenly.

I love the scrappy look, but I still must have a theme or plan of some kind. In my case, it is generally 1930's reproductions. I've done Dresden Plate and am now working on Friendship squares. Next will be the new one from Quilt in a Day. I keep my background constant (generally Kona snow) and use as many repros as I can get my hands on.

All that being said, I've seen some scrappy quilts on here that appear to be an explosion of the scrap bin and they look very pretty, too. I just don't have the nerve to try that style yet.

Mine are the "explosion of the scrap bin" variety.

I know people actually purchase fabrics to make scrappy quilts and that goes against the definition IMO:> I'm like Dunster. I use what I have(left overs). And I've never been disappointed.

I love the variety of colors and prints in scrappy quilts. There is such a wealth of them on this site, I am amazed at the quality of work and enjoy them all. Currently I am working on a scrappy type quilt made of orange stripes sewn diagonally on a muslin square. It's a work in progress.

I think of both and have done both and liked the looks of both.

For me it's the fabric leftover from another project. I have even used batting and backing left from other projects and didn't buy anything for the "scrappy" project.

I believe a true scrap quilt has many, many differing prints, whether they are in the same color family or cover the whole color wheel. To me a quilt with less than, say, 30 or more prints isn't really a scrap quilt, but rather a quilt with multiple fabrics/prints.

I have some vague memory of reading that Roberta Horton (or somebody well-known like that) wrote that a true scrap quilt has a minimum of 75 differing prints/colors/fabrics, or something like that.

Jan in VA

Wow, 75 differing prints/colors/fabrics --- I don't have that many fabrics in my stash yet! So I suppose it will take me a while to be able to make a "true" scrappy quilt, and I'll be one of those smucks who have to buy some fabric to make one, so under those circumstances, it will have a theme. Someday, I'd like to make a true scrappy quilt though!