How do you approach scrappy?
 

I am planning to make a tumbler quilt for my son, and I have an assortment of red, white, and blue tumbler blocks already cut. Normally, I would set them all out on the floor in his room (the only room with enough clear floor space for the job, so I jokingly refer to his room as the lab for my quilting room, though he is not amused) and rearrange the blocks so the colors are distributed well.

However, that makes the process SO MUCH more time consuming...I have to pin the pieces of one row, take them to the sewing room, sew, press, take them back, get the next ones, keep track of the order. It takes a long while.

I could just pull blocks at random and sew them together; I'd be able to adjust placement somewhat as I went along a row, but I wouldn't have much control over placement vertically, I think. I dunno. I'd like to make this process simpler, but not at the price of having a quilt I don't like.

How do you do this type of thing?

The only thing I can think of is to layit out on a piece of paper. You wouldn't have to necessarily draw it but just put R/W/B on the paper. Your first row could be R/W/B/R/W/B/R/W/B, 2nd could be W/B/R/W/B/R/W/B/R, etc. If you are using a pattern you could just copy the pattern (B&W) and write directly on it.

I do have a design wall, but if working with a certain number of colors I have done as described above.

I have not done many scrappy quilts but to me it would depend on the size of the pieces. Most tumbler quilts I have seen have medium size pieces (6" long or so) and at that size or larger I would want to plan it out especially if you are just using a few colors. If the pieces were small (3" or smaller) and there were lots of colors/patterns, I would just chain piece them as the came out of the pile.

I'm a visual person so I usually lay it out on the floor and do one row at a time. I have been known to stack the pieces and sew from top down on the stack which makes it a little faster. I would do whatever method makes the quilt you want even if it takes a little longer.

I have space issues too. I actually pin them to a blanket and pin it to my curtains so I can take a day or two to look at it. This is actually my favorite part of the process and the part I started out helping grandma with so I don't think I could stand skipping it.

Then I pin each row and place a label on the left block to number the rows. From there I can sew them all and only have to worry about order too much. Because I'm new I occasionally get. Row flipped, but its usually one I can easily notice and restitch.

I wonder, and might not work as I just thought of it, if you layed it out on a flannel backed tablecloth, or just flannel I guess, then roll it up carefully and take the whole thing into your sewing room. Unroll a row at a time...sew it and put it back, keep on going

Since it's for him, maybe your son would put up with inching around it for a few days. During that time, you could get your layout done. Then, you could remove the entire thing before sewing by either a) stacking each row, labeling it and moving it somewhere else for assembly and/or b) making a diagram as you pick up each row, and/or c)take a picture of it and then pick up the whole thing in a heap. Just an idea.

I do the first 2, normally, but next time, I'll use the ipad to take a picture. Probably will put some paper numbers to the side of each row, as I am terrible at sighting down one.

hugs,
Charlotte

I saw this tip on a Fons and Porter show. Stack the pieces of each block on a cheap paper plate. Then just stack the paper plates on top of one another and carry the whole stack to your machine. I haven't tried it but it seems like you'd be able to keep everything in order.

Just re-read your post, and I see your blocks are already done. But maybe the paper plate method will still work after you get the layout you want.

when you have it laid on the floor, try labeling each block by row and column..,,. perhaps the first block in the top row is A1, the first block in the next row could be B1. and so on. then you can move them to your sewing area and your son's floor will be clear. oh, and put each number at the top of the block... that way, you can hold it by that top and have the right orientation of the block

You could use your digital camera (if you have one) to take a picture of the layout, or a picture of each row as it is arranged,
then pick up everything and refer to your pictures.

My approach is similar to yours. I cannot live with two greens or two blues sitting right next to each other. It does take longer, but I am completely satisfied with the final quilt. You have to work in a way that will make you happy.

I use a large piece of felted type material as a design wall, whether it hangs or lays on the floor. I roll it up on a large cardboard cylinder like upholstery fabric comes on. Lots of either paper scraps pinned to the pieces, or masking tape to keep everything in order once it's off the wall.

I need to arrange my scrappies to be happy with the fabric placement. I use several of the above suggestions.
- fabrics are placed on a flannel design wall in what I think is a pleasing placement
- I snap a digital photo and make notes on it in Paint regarding what should get moved where. For some reason, I catch a lot of mistakes by snapping a photo that I miss when looking at it with my eyes in person.
- once I am happy with final placements, I roll up the design wall and carry it to my machine
- I unroll the flannel one row at a time for construction
- if it is a quilt assembled by rows I sew a piece of paper with the row number onto the first block in the row. That not only keeps me straight on which row is what but it also helps keep the row from being turned upside down. And, no pins are in my way. I use a long stitch so the thread is easy to remove when I no longer want the paper marking the rows.

Your son's floor will be unusable until the design wall is rolled up. Or, as Cedar mentioned, can the design decisions be made with a design wall pinned to window curtains that are a big enough size?

I'm going to be of no help here because I LOVE CHAOS and there's always a little order hidden in chaos. I usually go full-out random and do very little editing.

I do try to make sure two IDENTICAL pieces aren't touching but that's about it. 2 different red prints are fine touching for me, but 2 identical red prints touching is something I try to avoid. But if it happens between rows I don't worry about it.

I do coin stack style scrappy quilts and I put together my rows and then play with arranging the rows to get a good distribution. Sometimes one area of the quilt ends up heavy with one color but I'm ok with that. If I threw those pieces into the air there's a good chance some similar pieces would be touching so if that's how Nature does it, I'm OK copying that. :)

I have a hard time with scrappy. My scrappy ends up being very planned scrappy which is probably not really the definition of scrappy. I'm doing "scrappy" with 2.5" squares as leaders and enders and not paying any attention to what is going with what, other than not putting two of the same color together. So that project will end up truly scrappy.

I'm more of a grab and sew when it comes to scrappy. I may not put two darks or two lights together if they are big pieces but other then that, it's scrappy.

I've done four quilts that can be categorized as scrappy and I just placed everything as randomly as I could. I had a blast making them.

I have space issues also so I do as quiltzstring suggested- I get piece of paper or graph paper and mark out the color layout. works great when yodon't have room or can't get on the floor as I can't do either! Havent had any issues other than misplacing my paper! Good luck! :-) would love to do that pattern but intimidates me!! If you have easy short cuts would love a pm and hear them ! :-)

I do what was posted earlier.. I lay everything out and play around with them until I like it. (my living room is my only good floor space). Then I take several pictures. As I stack them up I pin them with a piece of paper with what row it is. Then I sew the row and pin the row label paper back on the strip. I have the picture on my computer screen for easy reference. Good luck

Lots of good ideas, thanks everyone!

I have 2 design walls, and they're usually both occupied. So....I use my king-sized bed to lay out my blocks; then I put a piece of paper on the first block on the top row left, with A-1 on it. Then I pick up the blocks, always keeping the A1 block on top. First row done. Then I move on to the next rows, labeling them B1, C1, etc., stacking, and removing them as well. Using this method, the blocks are easily removed and sewn into the quilt in the order you intended. Oh, and I also take a picture as I go just to be sure!

Wow! I love this idea! I usually use post-its and pins to keep my stacks together. Also, I lay my block pieces ready for stitching on cardboard squares from the packs of scrapbooking paper. These are 12 x 12.

I label them, too. I have a fairly small place, so sometimes I lay out only two or three rows at a time. I can keep like fabrics from butting up against each other that way. I pin a piece of paper to the left edge piece of the row labeled with the row number and an arrow indicating which way is "up" (towards the top of the quilt). You can get them looking pretty good this way without too much layout room.

When I make the scrappy quilts, and want some order to it, I lay out the pieces and just over lap them. That way I can make sure I am not putting 3 blues together, and it is pleasing to the eye. And I do about 6 rows - sometimes 7. And then as I pick them up, I always go left to right and then pin them together with the first one is going to be the far left piece. I leave the note pinned to the left piece and then I know when I pick a row up which direction it goes.

I was forever sewing the rows together and then realized I had put them together upside down. This step helped me to keep them in order.

If you buy bread with the plastic tags on it, keep the tags. You can label the tags with a permanent market, A-1, B-1. etc to designate rows and pin through the little circle opening so they won't fall off and use them again and again.

Stack them up in colors or patterns for as many rows as you need and then sew top one from each stack. continue on...

When I have these rows of blocks laid out the way I want them (usually on my bed), I pin numbers on the first block in each row. Then I turn down the second block of row one and put a pin where I will begin to sew that seam. Flip that back up and turn down number three. Pin that and flip it up, etc. I can get the whole thing pinned and to the sewing machine, and I can sew it whenever. Everything is numbered and pinned. When all rows are sewn, sew the rows together.
Have fun!

Or,
you could do as Alex Anderson said, "shake them up in a sack and draw them out one by one, and no changing."

You've heard of the 800 lb. gorilla in the room? That's what my scraps are to me! Boxes and crates and bins of scraps. I take them out occasionally to pet and rearrange them and try REALLY hard to envision making a scrappy quilt. Then my OCD takes over and back they go into the closet, under the bed, etc. It's just pitiful. I think I may need an intervention!! I really admire all the beautiful scrappies everyone has posted, but can't seem to make myself "just do it". Thanks for this post and all the wonderful approaches and ideas. Now, back to my sewing room to admire my scraps. Please PRAY for me!!!

I have used all of the methods listed but my last scrappy quilt I used this and was pleased with result:D

This is the approach I'm leaning toward; I have tried a variety of systems and some have worked quite well, but I want this one to go more quickly so I think I will throw caution to the wind and take my chances. I will post the end result :)

Since it is only 3 colors, I would not call it scrappy. Make a pattern on paper, have your tumblers next to you and Began to sew. No matter what you do your son will like it.

Oh man...too bad you're not more local, I would love to intervene! LOL I love scrappy quilts, crazy quilts...bring 'em on.

Just do one. You can do it. Just ONE quilt. Cut yourself a bunch of squares from fabric that you like, toss 'em in the dryer or shake them up in a bag to get 'em all nice and mixed up and just sew them together into rows, without looking! Then just sew your rows together as you finish them, no editing. YOU CAN DO IT! Just ONE quilt, and if you don't like it you can donate it to charity and you don't ever have to do it again because you'll know for sure it's not for you. (And then you can send all your scraps to ME!)

But I bet you'll like it. ;)

Take the time to lay it out on the floor, photograph it, then pile all rows up with the top piece being the right side of the quilt and numbered accordingly. Then take all piles to machine, and verify with photo as you sew. (My design wall has fur-kid feet that want to 'help', so I can't leave it out to look at.)

id put all the reds in a bag.. All the white in a bag#2... and all the blues in a bag#3..

then sew rows of colors.. row of red.. a row pf white.. a row of blue...

my sewing machine sits on a wheeled cart. when I am ready to sew the top together, I lay the blocks out on the bed. I decide what goes where & also if I need to make it wider or longer or want to add sashing. I guess you could say that is my design wall. LOL last step is sewing it together! NO problem!

It depends on the shapes of your pattern. Could you gather like in hexagons, do them like rosettes then you add them together forming bigger shape and so on. And if me I will bring the machine to the same room . Finally I will fix to a bed sheet with pins or scotch-tape

Sewnome is right , make it easy as it is scrappy pic them randomly and you will like it sure course it's your art

I made a design wall out of some flannel, a thin curtain rod, and a row of grommets across one end. I put that up in my sewing room and it has literally gotten me up off the floor. I made it 60" wide by 60" long, and I love it!