Not Random Enough
 

I like a lot of colors. I love scrappy quilts, but no matter how well I think I am planning, something always ends up being too close to another piece of the same fabric (at least to my eyes).

Does someone have a way to "plan" random? Will it come down to pinning numbered pieces of paper to each square?

Depends on how much it matters to you.

I do know what you mean about "random enough" - and it does bother me if there are "clumps" of color in spots when I want them "scattered."

I have 250 different Christmas fabrics so I wanted to make a scrappy Christmas quilt, I cut out all the squares and put them in order of background color only, then I went one at a time and put them in rows. Or you could start in the center and work out. Center row then the row above and then the row below.
I then pick up a row at a time and then I number the row.

the design wall helps where I can step back, then rearrange before sewing. People seem to be able to throw anything together and it looks good. I'm not one of them.

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.

Rob

If you plan it, it isn't random any more.

I use the put the scraps in the bag and pull them out. If I don't like what I pulled next to what I have, just toss it back and pull again. Look up Bonnie Hunters Quiltsville you will see her method and see is the queen of scrappy.
peace

The last scrappy I did was six inch blocks from my largest scrap bin, I'd do a row and then step back and then make a few more rows then lay them out, go watch a show or something else for a bit then come back and look at it again. It took longer but I'm very happy with the result

Wow....very smart!!