fayzer

Look for "low volumn" FQ bundles. These are perfect to pick up those lighter neutrals that you need.

toverly

Just buy one good neutral and use it as a constant in a scrappy quilt. That's what I had to do with my batik scraps. There were brights and muds (darks) but very few lights. Now I have scrappy light batiks also, I have been picking them up when they are on sale a yard at a time.

quiltmom04

Well, I suspect you must have used light scraps in your quilts for contrast and just don't have them leftover. I think of it as a leftover meal. If you just had peas and carrots left, you might have to purchase something to go with them, right? Peas and carrots aren't a full meal! Same with fabric. You might have to purchase some lights to go with the darks to make them usable. Just don't over buy, or you'll end up with just lights!

Geri B

Went to the quilt show mentioned.....like the dp9w/hearts.......cannot figure out how that was done......anyone know? And would you please tell!

SlightlyOffQuilter

I wanted to share the Turning twenty I recently finished. It was done in all dark / mediums, but the different shades / colors gave it the contrast without it being muddled I think.
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lclang

Look through your stash for small pieces of fabrics that have lots of light in them. With the dark pieces they will read as lights. It's okay to purchase some if you need it, at least you are using those darks and making something useful out of them. Look through your closet for "light" garments that you no longer wear in fabrics suitable for quilting, or your husband's white/light shirts, pillowcases, mismatched sheets, tablecloths you no longer use, etc.

quilterpurpledog

I have this problem when dealing with scraps but I know why. I have a tendency to buy a bolt or almost a bolt of neutral off white and use it in lots of projects so I don't have scraps accumulate but I do have scraps of all the primary fabrics I use. I am trying to decide how to cut up a pretty large quantity of medium and dark scraps. I keep putting it off because I am afraid that if I cut 2 inch squares I will want 2.5 inch squares. But I know that I will have enough light fabric because of the large quantity purchase. So many scrappy quilts I seem attracted to have lots of medium and dark scraps and just one light.

youngduncan

Years ago I first heard the of "tan nothings" (beige on beige prints). I thought it was funny, so when I find a new one -- or a white nothing, or a pink nothing, etc. -- I will most likely get a quarter of a yard or so just to have something on hand when a situation similar to yours occurs. Besides, they don't take up much room on my shelf and they look nice.

tessagin

Check out a few estate sales. Sometimes you can pick up shirts and blouses for 25 cts-$1.00. I spent $3.00 at one sale and left with nearly 9 yards of material light -dark.

Material Witness

I was thinking of low volume quilts, too. What would be wrong with using all darks instead of all lights?