mim

I'm with the brown paper bag!!! Somehow it ends up looking just great. I have tried other ways that aren't as great in the end.

Random means just that.

Mim

duckydo

a good way is to put lights in one pile and darks in one pile then don't try to match them, just pick them up and go. We did that with scrappy log cabin quilts in our quild and they turned out very pretty.

Innov8R

True random is extremely difficult for me because I want to arrange and control. Random does not allow for arranging and controlling. I have learned to accept that I am not a random kind of person. Scrappy does not have to be random.

Fabric Galore

A random quilt means just that to me. I cut out strips of fabric 3" wide and no longer than 12". I then put all of the scraps into a laundry basket and reach in to grab a strip. I sew the strips together end to end and the only time I put a strip back is if it is identical to the last strip. I keep sewing until I have a ball of fabric that is bigger than a basketball. I then cut the row of strips the width I need for my quilt. I put the rows of strips back into the laundry basket and I randomly join the rows together until my quilt is the length I need. I call mine a Brick Wall and I am always amazed at how they turn out.

toverly

I "plan it" by intentionally placing the same fabrics together throughout the quilt. Once I'm happy that it happens then it isn't a problem anymore. I agree that the more you struggle with it, the more likely it is to happen and only happen once appearing like a mistake. The more you plan, the less scrappy.

AVFD215

The design wall I use, is a large section of picnic tablecloth that I have stapled on and raped around a 1 x 2 piece of wood. I have a hole in each end I hang on nails I put into the wall (and remove when done). The lines on the front show through to the back. The fabric I got from Joann's, but probably available elseware. I do have to take the photos off the wall before I use it.

1screech

I have found it does not really matter in the whole scheme of things. When it all goes together, it will look great.

DJ

I know the feeling! I made a king size quilt for our bed using 14 different fabrics. I just couldn't seem to find an arrangement that didn't have some of the fabrics touching the same fabric. I find that it doesn't actually bother me at all, and I have to look closely to even find them.

Good luck! I guess "random" means "random"!

Irishrose2

[QUOTE=rryder;7825986]Design wall. Much easier than trying to lay pieces out on the floor or a table. I put my pieces up on the design wall and then take a pic with my cell phone. That really helps since sometimes I notice things in the photo that I didn't see when lookin at the real thing. Also you can turn the photo into a black and white pic and see if you've got the values arranged the way you want them.

Exactly, minus the b/w - I haven't learned that talent. Brains work better looking at a vertical layout as opposed to a horizontal.