Pieced scrappy backgrounds and borders
 

I originally posted this question in Fabric Moratorium but I think my question needs a larger audience. :-) I know there are some incredibly creative scrap users out there who might be able to help me out. I'm also peeking at the 2.5" birthday thread but haven't yet found what I'm looking for. Finally, since my original post, I've had some more thoughts, so I've added those in italics. :-)

I have a question about neutrals and scrap backgrounds. I have been trying to come up with a plan for a piece of scenery fabric and some coordinating bits & pieces.

The picture here shows what I call the piece of "scenery" fabric which is 36" x WoF - I've folded part under to try to make it work as a sort of rectangular window centre panel. I am then looking at building up the size with some concentric borders, some of which will be pieced (I'm leaning towards flying geese and 9P maple leaves right now but math might make me change this).

So the question: If I'm using scrap backgrounds for my FGs and leaves (plan was for one background and one main fabric per unit - not mixing it up more than that, I hope), is it likely to be too distracting, especially if I use a plain cream for a narrow border between each of the pieced borders (similar to what I have framing the "window")? This border will certainly not blend right in to some of my background pieces but at least it would be consistent across the quilt and will help me make the borders fit into each other nicely.

I am now thinking of making the background of the leaves totally scrappy so that I have the option of potentially adding an extra column and row of 2.5" background squares on two sides to separate the leaf blocks from each other and perhaps give them more movement along that border, if that makes sense.

Thanks for any thoughts/strategies/insights!

It's probably mostly a matter of personal taste. I enjoy a busy quilt, so your plan doesn't sound problematic to me.

I took a look at your photo. All your fabrics read as " solid", and there's great contrast between the lights and browns. Just use them as you would if you were painting.

If I were doing this they would be totally scrappy, as there is so much brown and cream already in your fabric I'm afraid everything would just blend together.

Thanks for the input - much appreciated! I'm so grateful to be able to ask what must seem like very silly questions sometimes here on the forum. I'm not sure why this particular project is causing me such anxiety but I finally just started cutting yesterday and am already feeling better about it. Now that the blades have been released there's no going back (or so I have told myself) so what happens, happens. :-)