I used the light/dark paper bag method with the first two scrappy log cabins I made. Some of the strips clashed pretty bad when I was sewing them together but let me tell you, those clashes gave those quilts LIFE and PERSONALITY in a big way!!

Do not be afraid to sew stuff together that doesn't match or that clashes!

Whenever I tried the grab bag thing, I found myself 'cheating'! :oops:

I just cannot do a scappy quilt even the bag method is so hard I have to coordinate my bag fabric I know shame on me but scrappy needs a pattern :)

I did what Chairaquilts said, www.quiltville.com has many scrappy ideas and I love using Bonnie hunters ideas.

I have done the light/dark bag method. It was initially out of my "comfort zone". I used up a lot of those odd shaped strips that way. Sew them on squares of muslin-no stretching because of the bias edges.
The scrappy quilt I liked the best was cut in the "tumbler" shape in an equal amount and I sewed strips of light/dark/light/dark. Then laid the strips on the floor and played until I liked how it looked. Then labeled the rows so they wouldn't get mixed up and sewed them together. The end result will surprise you. That may be a more comfortable method for some.

Don't forget you can use the reverse side of a piece of fabric too if you are randomly drawing pieces from light/dark bags!! Our guild has had some scrappy workshops, we did the "draw from a bag" too. If once in a while something doesn't look quite right to you, go ahead and include it, you'd be amazed at how everything does work together in the end.

I make "planned scrappy" quilts. i use scraps but I like to put colors that look good next to each other. I can't just grab and stitch. I'm picky I guess.

Thanks for all the ideas. I'm just going to do it. What ever comes out of the bag I'll sew together. I will off sent it with white or off white. Now I have to decide on that. I guess the first quilt will be the hardest to ajust my mindset on and after seeing the result of it the next won't be so hard.

The way you describe it is a great way to piece and quilt top using scraps. Go for it :)

Like this idea, will definitely give it a try. I'm a very structured personality and it gets in the way of creativity, got to learn to lighten up. This may help, thanks.