a scrappy question
 

When making a scrappy quilt, do you include all of your scraps, or do you sort by brights, pastels, colors, etc.? Are there some scraps, such as black and whites, that get put back for another project? I have been looking at some of the quilts on this site, and they are so pretty. There is no fabric that stands out, or looks out of place. Does that really happen by random selection?

people do both...you have to look online and at shows and in books and decide for yourself which look appeals to you... personally, i like a little color definition, so i sort them by colors when storing... then when i'm in the mood for a few donor blocks (my 'watching TV while sewing in the evening' project), I just grab the blue bag and the yellow bag and go have fun... but that's JUST me.... the very next person may want to sew whatever comes out the bag next... my neighbor and quilting buddy has a regular trash barrel with all her scraps and she literally stirs the barrel till a nice piece comes up on top and calls to her.... to each his/her own....

I think value has more importance than color. Lights next to darks always looks better to my eye.

there are definitly different (types) of scrappy quilts- some people simply can not (deal) with going totally scrappy- them make what is called (Controlled Scrappy) where they meticulously sort their fabrics and decide on a color scheme- then there are people who actually toss a bunch of scraps into a paper sack- sit down and their machine- reach into the bag pull out a piece- then a second- sew the two together- grab another----these are often done on foundations- and you just keep adding fabrics as they come out of the bag until your block is the size you want- then you might choose a (predominant) color from the over all & decide to use that for sashings- or borders---often these types are put together with black or white- or some other solid- some people sort their fabrics into lights, mediums and darks- then start creating blocks.
there are literally hundreds of scrap quilt books and patterns- string quilts- or log cabins are a good way to make your first scrappy- to see what appeals to you- a log cabin (generally) has lights on 2 sides & darks on the other 2 sides; string quilts can be done by just putting all of your 1"-2" strips into a bag- and sewing them onto a foundation as they come out of the bag- with no rhyme or reason- you really wont know what (kind) of scrappy quilter you might be-until you try making one---if you find you simply can not-will not put 2 random prints/textures/colors together---but find yourself sorting according to color/theme- you are probably a (controlled scrappy) type of gal- if you can (throw caution to the wind) and go for it- you are more of a (traditional- use it up) scrappy quilter- :)

I agree with DebraK. For a nice example, see today's post by anne0886 and scroll down a bit to see zigzag quilt by Peckish. Very simple pattern, but also very attractive. Have fun with your scraps!

I've tried lots of different scrappy quilts. First one I made was at a guild sewin and we picked a fabric out of a bag and sew it to whatever fabric we picked out next and so on. Really didn't care for the quilt at all so I decided that I like a little bit more control when I make a scrappy quilt. I made one with all different blues, yellows and creams, make string blocks with the same color in the middle and add strips of various fabrics that sort of go with each other. Recently made a log cabin that was controlled with rows one and two in the same white fabric in each block and rows 3 and 4 in the same black in each blocs and so on. I used about 4 different whites and blacks. So you see scrappy means lots of different things.

Thanks for the comments. I will have to do some more looking. I think I need a little control.

I toss my scraps on the floor, stand back a few feet and toss the ones that just scream "get me out of here" into a seperate pile.

for me it depends on the pattern..

Ill use light VS dark for HST
Ill use ANYTHING for 2in scrappy
Ill use controlled scrappy for pretty much everything else.. .

I've made a few scrappy quilts. One was scrappy with Civil War type fabrics. Anything batik or bright would not have looked at home in that quilt.

Another time, I found a great pattern that had me separate my scraps into lights, mediums, and darks, and then I sewed them together in five types of pairings: light to light; light to medium; medium to medium; medium to dark; and dark to dark. The shift in values made for a phenominal quilt. If there was a fabric that I couldn't classify as either light, medium, or dark (ex. big pink flowers on black) I didn't use it in that quilt.

I seem to have a little left over from several quilts, but not enough of any one kind to make a scrap quilt. Maybe I need to continue collecting.

So many possiblities of colors, print size, lights, darks, loud, quite, I sort and sort and sort. Sometimes, I have so much fun looking at, feeling, and sorting my scraps that I don't get down to the bussiness of making a quilt.

boy..I guess you got all the answers already! it truly does depend on A-the quilt you wish to make, B- the person making the quilt, C- what sort of scraps you have

I love your method Lori! I may have to borrow it for my next scrap quilt.:)

I like scrappy quilts and anything goes as long as it is cotton. I'm working on one now with triangles and there are many, many colors, from lighter fabrics to the white background. I just grab a piece and put it down but it is sort of controlled as I hate to have two many of one color in a spot. Have made 3 different scrap so far and love them all. They go nicely in any room in my house. Oh, I have planned color ones and patterns that only needed 3 or 4 fabrics but what else do you do when you have bins of fabric? I will have to sell a lot of it as I will never use it all, not even the feed sacks. It is all a matter of what you are doing and when I make a scrap quilt I do have a layout in mind which sometimes is changed when I start laying the scraps out.

I didn't intend to make a scrappy quilt, but this is how it happened. I was going to make a blue jeans quilt, and I had plenty of material from light blue through dark blue denim and intended to make square patches. Boring! So I dug through my stash and found two different designs of leftover upholstery fabric (had intended to make bags), one in a pretty blue floral pattern, and one in a pretty pink floral pattern, which of course went great with denim. But I still didn't want just "squares". So I started dumping out my scraps and thinking. Suddenly it hit me. I'd make snowballs of the squares, cut off the corners, put plain triangles on the floral upholstery fabric corners, and print triangles on the denim snowball corners. But it was still boring, to me. So then I really dug down into my scraps, and started pulling out colors and prints, (but no black or white) and by the time it was all over, all of my "snowballs" were sashed with 2 inches of totally scrappy colored sashing, put together in no particular order or shape, just sewed together any which way and then cut into 2½ strips for the sashes, and wide enough to made a double folded 1" border. I used a thin batting, such as you might use for placemats, because the denim and upholstery fabrics were so heavy, and used "Starry, Starry Night" with it's varied blues and lots of bright stars for a backing. I did have it professionally quilted, because it was just too thick for me to handle, and she did a beautiful job with all the different fabrics. Each denim has a floral pattern you can see, that mimics the florals on the upholstery fabric. She "feathered" the sashing, which really looks great on both front and back, because on the back what you see are florals enclosed by a feathered lattice, with the stars still shining brightly through. It's gorgeous, and I have one very, very happy niece who had been begging me to make her a Blue Jeans Quilt, and was quite stunned and happy with the results. (This was one of my kids who didn't want anything "quilted" because it was "Old Fashioned" until she discovered Blue Jeans Quilts, and suddenly I was getting begging e-mails and texts!) She proudly tells me that No One in her group has anything like her quilt, they got all their quilts from Penny's, and they're pea green with envy. I told her to tell them she had her quilt "privately commissioned". And she did! What a funny kid! One minute I'm "Old Fashioned", and then suddenly I'm "awesome". And yes, I know I'm going to have to wait until she's in her 20's before we're "friends" again. That's the way it works. Until then, I'll go in and out of style.

The point is, sometimes these scrappy quilts come together totally through serendipity!

"The point is, sometimes these scrappy quilts come together totally through serendipity!" MacThayer, I loved your story!
I agree with what everyone wrote. As for me, I've discovered I like "controlled scrappy".

Check out Bonnie Hunter's site at www.quiltville.com She is famous for her scrappy quilts. She has several free patterns you can use to help you. I have made several of her quilts using my scraps and they are beautiful......

MacThayer -I loved reading the story of you quilt. I guess I need to build more confidence to do what feels and looks right to me. Thanks for you replay.

A someone once atold me that there not such a thing as an ugly scrappy quilt. It is because your eye goes every direction and never lights in one place so nothing is ugly. I usually don't sort. You definitely Ned both lights and darks.

I also try to use different sized prints next to each other. Even in different colour value the same size prints seem to flow into each other and you lose some definition.

Some people will make scrappy quilts with every type and color of fabric. I personally think they are too "busy" and like to make my scrappy quilts more controlled...nothing too light, nothing too bright, and nothing with too busy of a print.

When I make scrappy quilts I pull fabrics from my stash, making sure I have all the colors represented.
Paying attention to include a wide range of prints, almost solids, solids.
I do not mix pastels in. Personally I think the same value should be used throughout the quilt.
Pastels looked so washed out compared to the wonderful fabrics/colors we have today.

I agree also.

I agree. Value is the most important aspect for me; otherwise, it all just blends into almost a blur. Value gives the definition and highlight that makes it pop, in my opinion. My biggest lesson was not to stress over it. The scrappy is really out of the box for me and I love it when it's completed.

I am NOT a scrappy quilt person, but I'm saving my pieces left over from quilts. I am a control person, so it's really hard for me to use them in another quilt. Thank you all for your posts.

I think I am a control freak and will select the scrappy look I want when making a quilt. I love the scrappy quilts best and remember all the ones Mom made me from my old clothes. It was fun finding the fabrics. I tend to sort the fabrics depending on the end result desired.

I always start with coupling together lights and darks and work from there.

I just sew together and try to off set seams so I don't have to match very many seams and just sew to make a quilt. I am sewing up all my scraps from previous quilts, just wanting to make use of them and get them out of the cabinet. I usually like a more controlled look. I never go by value, only colors I like, matchy = matchy are my favorites.

Good idea, Jenny Penny

there is a great scrappy quilt show on this board with so many wonderful versions of scrappy. i hope they can help to give you some inspiration. there are planned scrappies, random scrappies, controlled scrappies, color themed scrappies, you name it. enjoy the show.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...e-t135936.html

i am working on two postage stamp quilts. believe it! one is a random psq and the other is the perkiomen daydreams by bonnie hunter. once i saw the pic for this one i knew that i wanted to make it. of course i will be collecting scraps for some time to come but i have started on both. the blocks for the perkiomen daydreams quilt is a controlled scrappy block (400 of the) with the lights and darks on either side of the yellows and reds strips. good luck with your projects.

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