I made a scrappy with lots of browns/tans/black and it turned out nice too I think...it actually came in a kit I bought at a cute little shop in Grand Rapids, MI.[ATTACH=CONFIG]422553[/ATTACH] Super easy to make, you'll love it!

You are right. I guess I have never seen one made scrappy. It is pretty. I personally like the 3 colors or at least similiar tones due to I can see the secondary blocks better.

Love the look of the scrappy one. The one in browns is also very pretty. I say go for it with the layer cake and let us see the results.

Wow this is a beauty!!!

Quiltfrog has several different patterns using 1/2 sq triangles. I have been working my way through them. So far I have done the Carpenter's Star, Around the Half Square, and the 2008 Christmas quilt. I did the Christmas quilt pattern in blue and brown with a white background for my BIL. It was stunning.

I haven't done it yet, so I probably shouldn't give advice! I am planning a Carpenter's star that will be a "controlled scrappy" with my fabrics all from the same color famikly, but varying in value. I figure if I keep the background unified, and alternate dark/medium-dark with light/ medium-light I'll get the 3-D effect.

So I say separate your layer cake fabrics into value groups, and go from there!

Alison

I am making a batik star quilt (not Carpenter's Star this time) using Hoffman's Batik Crackers (10" squares) It works out beautifully IF I make my HST diagonal seams .5 cm instead of 1/4". That's the width of my regular foot. This way, each square is in 8 HSTs, 4" finished size each. When I am done, I will have 4 extra squares after a twin quilt for DGD. I usually prefer NOT to use precuts, but I am glad I did for this quilt.

I agree with Alisonquilts about sorting the squares. I have 2 light and 2 dark segments in each of my stars.

Can't see why you couldn't use a layer cake...make your half square triangles with taing 2 pieces sewing all the way around and cutting diagonally both ways and there would be your HST, do that with the backgound squares you would cut at 10in and use one layer cake piece....

Thank yo everyone for the help. I think I found my solution. :)

I totally agree with Peckish, it looks beautiful with scrappy pieces BUT you must have 1 unifying colour for the background as per her suggestions - black, white etc.