Dina

I am looking for advice, but you need to know a bit of the history here. I made my first scrappy quilt from scraps I got in a grab bag at my guild to make a charity quilt. Thanks to a lot of help from folks here, I ended up with a pretty nifty quilt.

I am fairly new to quilting and send pictures of my quilts to my friends..for them to admire. I have told them I would make quilts for them if they wanted and if they saw one they particularly liked. One of my friends in Oklahoma fell for this scrappy quilt and wants to buy fabric so I can make her one. I am quite happy to do this, and would even use my scraps, but she wants to really be involved and wants to select the fabric.

Sooo...she has been looking at fabric, and today she emailed me these questions. I am too new to know the answers.

1. Should the fabric in a scrappy quilt be somewhat color coordinated?
2. Should she just pick fabrics she likes?
3. Would a black or mostly black border be a good or bad idea?
4. Should there be a balance between bright fabrics and pastels?

I told her I was pretty sure that anything goes in a scrappy quilt, but I would ask my experts.

Are there any hints you can give me about selecting fabric for a scrappy quilt, whether it be scraps or new fabric??

Also, I think someone mentioned an online fabric store that somehow allowed you to place fabrics next to each other to see how they look? That might be handy for her....and for me. :)

Okay, thanks for any help you can provide. Here is a picture of the charity quilt that she likes so much.

Dina

amma

Choosing an equal amount of lights, mediums and darks, and you can't really go wrong :D
With a scrappy, just about any color will work for a border. Black can make most other colors pop, white will give a nice crisp look. It is really a personal preference :D:D:D

TonnieLoree

First of all your quilt is charming. 1. Does she like the look of the pattern or the randomness of the colors? 2. It's her quilt, so let her choose the fabrics of choice. Seems like she is leaning to that instead of random. 3. I prefer black over white, but that is me. 4. Again, it sounds like she wants to be selective. IMO, it SOUNDS like she loves the pattern but wants to select the fabric.

Does that help you any. It could be a great help to you if she would just go and buy what she wants. Please, don't loose any sleep over this. :-)

ckcowl

1. Should the fabric in a scrappy quilt be somewhat color coordinated?
sometimes scrappy quilts are color coordinated - there are a couple names for this- dedicated scrappy- organized scrappy- --- some people just really really can not put scrappy together without a plan-

2. Should she just pick fabrics she likes? Yes
3. Would a black or mostly black border be a good or bad idea?
black really makes colors stand out and give a definite (feel) to a quilt---they really pop---you can achieve a (good=popping) design with white too- or really any solid that is a sharp contrast to the rest of the fabrics...black is great for drama!
4. Should there be a balance between bright fabrics and pastels?
with scrap quilts color really has nothing to do with how well a quilt design comes together--
what matters is VALUE!!! you need a good mix of light, medium, dark for it to work.

I told her I was pretty sure that anything goes in a scrappy quilt, but I would ask my experts.
you are right- anything goes with scrappy- if you like that sort of thing---some people have to have everything coordinated
Me--i love scrappy! and have quilts that contain batiks, homespuns, calico's, novelty prints...
sort fabrics into light, medium and dark with total disregard to color and you will have a striking quilt- especially if you use black or white for a background.

Are there any hints you can give me about selecting fabric for a scrappy quilt, whether it be scraps or new fabric??
try to have a good mixture of textures- large prints, medium and small blender types- the more variety the more they tend to work.

Also, I think someone mentioned an online fabric store that somehow allowed you to place fabrics next to each other to see how they look? That might be handy for her....and for me.
fabric.com is one but there are a number of shops now offering a design wall- you can choose fabrics - send them to the design wall and see them all together---move them around- put them on top of each other---it is a great feature!

have fun with it! let your friend pick out anything she likes-- it will be wonderful! :thumbup:
:thumbup:
i think about 80% of the quilts i make are scrappy's :-D

Dina

Thanks, this does help. I intend to involve her as much as I can so she will like the finished product. :)

JUNEC

That is really great info - will be bookmarking this link

ckcowl

1. Should the fabric in a scrappy quilt be somewhat color coordinated?
it can be- some people really can not put together a quilt that is not coordinated- it's called (Controlled Scrappy)
it is not necessary though== there are wonderful scrap quilts that are not color coordinated at all.

2. Should she just pick fabrics she likes? YES

3. Would a black or mostly black border be a good or bad idea?
black adds alot of DRAMA to a quilt- it will make colors jump right out- white works too- but if she likes black go for it- it can make a quilt very (rich) looking
4. Should there be a balance between bright fabrics and pastels?
color really has nothing to do with a scrappy quilt--
what makes a scrappy quilt work-or not is VALUE!
you need a good mixture of lights, mediums, darks in order to have a successful scrappy quilt.

I told her I was pretty sure that anything goes in a scrappy quilt, but I would ask my experts. You are right - anything goes with a scrappy! the more variety the better.

Are there any hints you can give me about selecting fabric for a scrappy quilt, whether it be scraps or new fabric??
try to have a good variety of textures along with the values- large, medium and small prints also give the quilt movement/excitment....variety...
sort fabrics by value

Also, I think someone mentioned an online fabric store that somehow allowed you to place fabrics next to each other to see how they look? That might be handy for her....and for me.
fabric.com offers a design wall...there are a few other shops that also have them- you can select fabrics- send them to the design wall- then go (play) with them....i love fabric.com- been shopping with them for over 10 years- they have free shipping at $35 and i can always spend $35 :thumbup:
have fun with it---remember- a scrappy is a stress reliever- where scrappy's are in the works- the kiss system works best (keep it simple silly) :-D

raedar63

You can always coffee or tea dye if you don't like how they turn out, it kind of balances out the colors.

Dina

Thanks for all the good information! My friend looks forward to doing this and I think it will be fun.