I divide my scraps by theme. I know that my pastel Kaufmann roses will not go with a scrap of royal blue with part of a red fire truck on it. I tried it - just does not work.

I'm having the same problem as you. When I look at others' scrappy quilts, they always look so planned out or color coordinated. I did one years ago, but I planned out where each color went and they weren't really "scraps." I've just started a new scrappy quilt using a nine patch. I wanted to do one where all the patches were different and didn't want to bother with cutting squares. So I bought several charm packs, but most of them have duplicates so I've given up all them all being different. So these aren't really "scraps" either, just new store bought fabric. I guess I don't quilt enough to actually have enough scraps of my own. So far, the block don't really look like they go together, and I'm thinking about sashing and border for it to try and tie it all together. I love the look of scrappy quilts and envy those who have made such beautiful ones.

Lol!! Part of my problem!! Lately I've just been cutting it ino cir cles. And making hexies!! Those I throw in a bad nd maybe one dy I wii sew them together!

I think sashings or borders does pull a scrappy together. If you lay a scrappy down flat, you will most always find a predominating color in it. And that color alone will keep a scrappy together. [I think,ha].

There are a whole lot of scrappy patterns and ways to do scrappy. I did one scrappy that only had two colors, reds and neutrals. It was just stunning. It really wasn't a scrappy pattern either. There were at least 20 reds and around 35 tone on tone white to ivory neutrals.

I did two string quilts where I pieced on newspaper and made half the blocks all light and half all dark and then cut them in half on the diagonal and put the halves together with the strings running opposite directions. They didn't have any sashing at all. They turned out really cool and I just used whatever I pulled from the pile of strings. I pieced them on the newspaper so they would still be stable when I cut them in half.

I did two scrappy log cabins and just sorted into light and dark and pulled from paper bags. The rule was I had to use whatever came out of the bag unless it was already in the block. There were some truly ugly fabrics and some fabric combinations that clashed pretty violently in those quilts. They turned out just cool though.

I have one scrappy pattern that I use to make the girl's quilts. It's just square in a square blocks with black sashing and solid cornerstones. I put all sorts of wild and crazy combinations together in the blocks and by the time they're done they're just gorgeous.

There's a thread titled something like "scrappy quilt show" on the board in pictures I think, it'll give you tons and tons of ideas.

okay, this is what I do
use everything I have include black & whites or a solid color to bring everything together. Some how it all works. Just for fun I Google how to make a scrappy quilt. See you all next week there is so much to look at.....

Most times scrappies don't have a color scheme. Here is one I am working on. http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...t-t224562.html It has so many different materials I am having trouble choosing what color border to put on it. They were scraps that I cut into strips, sewed together, cut into squares and cut them from corner to corner. I have also seen them where you take scraps as they are shaped and sew them onto a piece of backing material and they remain in the shape they are in and just placed randomly. I think you will be able to make something great out of just little pieces. Many times when making a quilt, I take the little pieces that are cut off and sew them together to make four inch blocks that I have put into a container. One day I will sew them together to make a quilt. I call it "Making More Material". LOL

If anyone knows of a person who wants to quilt and has no fabric or "REALLY" needs scraps please let me know as I have too many scraps and want to part with some. Can't bare to throw away good fabric -never could . My scrap bags aren't that big but it's getting to the point it bothers me. I have lots of other projects to do anyway. Even have a pkg of green print hst in a bag.

I think it is amazing how the most unlikely of scraps can end up looking fabulous when they are all sewn together. When I did my fading charms quilt in my avatar I started out by pairing like colors together and then along the way these like colors got matched with everything else and it turned out great. Sometimes the sashing and borders will help to pull it all together as the white in the fading charms does. I love looking at all the squares in this quilt and seeing what catches my eye.

I think you are correct in thinking it is the sashing, corner stones and borders that give cohesiveness to some scrappy quilts.

I know that was the case with the mystery train ride scrappy on this board that I did. My squares were all different colors, styles and vintages of fabrics. I chose a single rather neutral fabric for the sashing and a particular dark background calico for the "stars". Then as I added borders the first was a color that complemented the stars and the intended room. The second border I did piano key of many of the fabrics in the squares as well as a few additional fabrics. For the final border I'm wanting to do another dark background calico. Thought I had one that would work, but it has more pink than orange so not sure it will look like I want it to. Although there is quite a bit of pink in the squares, I'm wanting it to come out more gender neutral as it is for my guest bedroom and my boys (or my girl either) aren't really into pink flowers. ;)