I am in the process of making that quilt right now. I am using a group of fat quarters that were coordinated and I have added to them. It is very scrappy, but controlled scrappy, if you know what I mean. I am doing it just as your pattern suggests, 2 colors per square. Most of my fabrics are in the medium range, so the contrast is coming from opposite colors on the color wheel, and contrast in the size of the prints, or floral and plaid, etc.... I am doing mine with hand applique so it is the project that goes with me wherever I go. You may have to do a few blocks to know the look that you want. I've done a couple that probably won't make it to the final cut, I bought new fabrics for more recent blocks that I like better than some of my first choices. If you want the pattern to shine, then you may want to narrow your fabric choices down, if you really want to use all those fabrics then the pattern may not be as obvious, which is fine as long as that is the look that you are after.

Thank you everyone for the quick feedback. All of my scrappies have been controlled as well - my avatar is one that was only red, yellow, green, blue. That's been the extent of my experience here.

I really like the idea of making a light and dark stack and letting the colors fall as they may. I think I will try this. I also like that by hand appliqueing, it will be a great take-along project. I am realistic though in knowing that it will probably take a year or more, especially since I will hand quilt it when I finish the top.

Again, thanks so much! It's a bit intimidating for me to take on a project of this type and not know exactly what it will look like when it's done. I feel more confident after reading all of your responses.

I would probably keep it at 2. I was doing something scrappy like that, and I was going to do crazy colors, but I laid it out and loved the 2 color look.

Thanks for showing us the pattern and fabric - definitely helped me visualize :D

Yep, I agree. 8 is too much and 4 is good.

OR you could make the "flower" the same color, maybe your favorite, all the way though the quilt and use diff colors for background of each block! Ooo I like that idea!

Don't ask me. I begin making a scrappy quilt controlling the blend of colors, lights and darks. Somewhere towards the end I run out of the fabrics I chose and have to begin adding more fabrics - that's when the 'fun' begins.
May in Jersey

I too like the idea of using the light and dark in each block. Be sure to post a pix as you are working on it - can't wait a year!

I separated the fabrics into lights and darks. A few were kind of in between, but by putting them in with the lighter ones, I came out with 38 in each stack. Perfect! It was much easier to visualize after doing that sorting.

8 per square is definitely too many. My eyes would go buggy on me with too much busyness. Several of you have suggested 4 colors. Clarification question: do you mean 2 colors for the background and 2 colors for the petals, or each of the four colors getting a corner of the background and a petal? In my mind I'm leaning toward the first, or just going with 2 colors per block total.

By doing the math, I think I'll need more fabric to make a queen size, but I don't know yet if I'll use setting squares or do the whole thing in these blocks. I may get yardage of a coordinating fabric and incorporate it into some of the blocks, setting squares, and border. Thank you for your patience as I think out loud here.

I guess what I need to do is just start cutting and laying out to see how it all falls. When I decide how it will all go, I'll use a separate sandwich bag for each block so I can grab and go as I need to and know I have all the right pieces together.

Again, I appreciate all of your ideas. It's been really helpful and is motivating me to take the leap and get started.