But here goes. Is scrappy mean what ever you have in scraps? Example: I have cut 5" squares from any little fabric I find all different color, designs, can I just connect the squares at random. All the "scrappy quilts" I have seen on the board are gorgeous and all same color and design. Would mine look bad? Some advise would be helpful before I start connecting squares. Lol thanks monie. Told you it was dumb

My scrappy quilts come from my scrap bin. I use all colors and use white or off white as accent. I usually use random placement of color. They are my favorite kind of quilts.:)

I think scrappy means non matching, as opposed to buying a certain number of fabrics and making every block with the same fabric. I also think scappy can have a unifying fabric tying it all together like my recently posted purple quilt. The squares were very mixed, but the sashing was all the same color. Blocks or strips for a scrappy can be cut from your stash or purchased fabric. It doesn't have to be from a scrap pile. All my opinion and I'm new to this, so I may be incorrect.

scrappy to me means anything that is a mixture of fabrics - like when a border is considered "scrappy" because it is made of a variety of fabrics rather than just one. I'm surprised at the "same color and design" comment because I haven't seen that at all. If you join your squares at random they would definately be considered scrappy. You might want to lay them out first though to be sure they don't randomly end up with all dark colors in one section, etc.

Some scrappy examples:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-57606-1.htm
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-99071-1.htm
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-99071-1.htm

I agree that my scrappys are scraps. But I know what you mean about most of the 'scrappy' quilts here -they have very definate colors and patterns. Make yours with any scraps as you see fit and it will truly be from a generation ago.

Some of my favorite quilts are just as you describe! My mother made quilts like that, all colors and designs, squares sewn together at random. She always tried to evenly distribute the colors as much as she could. I've made several like that too. They have that old fashioned look that I love.

There are no dumb question. Just ones that are never ask .

There are NO dumb questions. Many like "controlled" scrappy, others like totally scrappy, depends on you. You can put your scraps in a brown paper bag, pull 1 out, then another and sew together and continue on. It will be beautiful when you're through.

Thanks everyone! Just wanted to make sure it would be a nice quilt. I understand to spread out the colors and put white squares as accents. This helps a lot, thanks again. Monie

Hi Monie,
There are no dumb questions. Here is an example of squares randomly put together. I love it. Now it is your turn. Go for it. :-)

I think simply calling it scrappy assumes you will abandon all rules and just go for it.

Everyone I do is like that. Some of them seem planned, some don't. None of them actually are.

I think that you are describing controlled scrappy. However, there are other scrappys as well.

I've been trying to use up a lot of my scraps this year.

I've done what you say--by just sewing squares together. However, because I had so many squares, it was easy to separate them into blues, yellows, purples, etc. so I made, for example, blue and yellow squares (alternating squares), browns and greens, etc.

But here are some of the tops I've been working on this year.

I make "Scrappy Arse" and "Scrappy planned" quilts. Sometimes both of them get cut into quilts made for my friends' pooches. They are called "Fugglies". The doggies have never complained. I get to use up a whole bunch of scrap material which will be deficated upon and chewed to bits.

As soon as I realize that something is going "south" or "downhill", I know that there will be a new batch of pups that still don't give a damn what they look like!. Plus, they get to take their fuggly to their new home with them.

scrappy can be as scrappy as you like- some people just have to coordinate no matter what- others can reach in a bag pull out 2 pieces sew them together- grab another- and continue until they have a quilt-
sometimes scraps are sorted into lights and darks-then joined-
what ever suits your fancy will make YOUR SCRAP QUILT.
they all work- and if you put one together- and it doesn't have the spark you want- you can cut it- add white- or black- and bring it to life.
the great thing about scrap quilts---you use up all those scraps- and they pretty much always work out.
abandon everything you've learned about color theory- and make a scrappy quilt!

oh wow I love your scrappy quilt!

I use the scraps that I have saved and when I piece a scrappy quilt together I try to alternate a light piece next to a dark piece.

I also had a stack of 5" charms. I did the 'pull it out of a sack' method, but for me it was a bit too chaotic. I un sewed it into 4 patches, added white sashing and I love it now. It's a personal preference, but looking over the scrappy quilts I like the best, they all seem to have a single color sashing or accent block. Seems to tie it all together for me.

I love, love, love the look of scrappy quilts.

I am new too, and have been reading about scrappy quilts, and looking at lots of pictures.

Here is one thing I have read about that I am going to do: lay out the pieces and get them in an order that I like. It may take extra time, but I think I will be happier with it in the end.

Also, it seems that the ones I like do have some color block that is throughout the quilt as an accent color block.

I have learned so much from the wonderful quilters on this board. AND since I am totally addicted, it's nice that I'm not alone.

I've discovered that too. Somehow, to make them look coordinated, without actually going out and buying a lot of fabric to tie it together is the thing that makes the quilt pleasant to me.

I think scrappy just means lots of different fabrics. I once posted a photo of a quilt I made with just 6 different fabrics I purchased, and another member commented that it was "scrappy". So who knows what the term actually means. To some people it seems to mean- little pieces.

Then there are quilts in which no two pieces are of the same fabric-- no repeats. I believe those are called "charm quilts".

no question is ever dumb. I know I have asked what I thought was a bunch of lu-lu's. Only way to learn anything and everyone here is so very helpful.
Scrappy to me, means whatever I have in my grab-bag of scraps

justflyingin- I really do love your scrappy with red sashing strips. Thanks so much for giving me more ideas for my scrap box. Love all the pics everyone is posting.

I like all of these examples shown!

I wondered how I was going to quilt it. What do you tie the quilt with?

I use perle cotton or embroidery floss. In the early days I used yarn but I don't like the way it looks.