I have noticed that even if you think two (or whatever number) fabrics that you don't think would look good next to each other, it somehow works when making a quilt. A large number of quilts that I have made, have been leftovers from other projects. I do the "reach in the bag and use what comes up" method, and I have to say that the quilts always look very good when they are all put together. The only thing I really try to do is to not have the same fabric in close proximity to the first one.
I just finished a(n) Arkansas Crossroads, and before that, a truly scrappy Irich Chain and they both really looked nice.

I agree with you totally...if you sort them or pull them randomly, they are still scraps!!

I've made four of the "grab and sew" scrappy strip quilts. Put a plain border on them and then a border print border (because I have a whole shelf of border prints
I need to use up) and they are quite attractive. The plain border gives your eye a place to rest and makes it a little less busy. The border print corrals it all and gives it a finished look. I just finished one with a red strip down the center and black, white, black strips down one side and white, black white strips down the other. I had a border print that was black, red, and white and that was the finish. It is a gorgeous quilt and is at the quilters now.

I think your version of a scrappy is just that, Your version. When I first started doing scrappies I started with log cabins and that was a good choice I think, because it made me concentrate on value, rather than color. I pick thru my bins and put in what I want, but always, light, medium, dark. I do the same with my string blocks when doing them. Many times I have a unifying neutral, or black, or gray, or dominate color. Just something that ties everything up and gives control over the chaos. When I first started, there were certain colors I couldn't use next to others. Soon as I put the quilt together, there would be the colors I didn't want together right next to each other. Some things you just can't control. I just finished a spoolin around quilt, it has over 2,000 spools, no repeats, but...in two cases similar blocks are right next to each other - How does that happen?
As I said, my first quilt was a blue/yellow log cabin - I still love that quilt, just because all my scraps are either yellow or blue doesn't make it any less scrappy in my eyes.
Love, love, love my scrappy quilts. I would be so bored working on 2, 3 or 4 fabric quilts - couldn't do it.

[QUOTE=HillCountryGal;6591110]Agree. There's more than one kind of scrappy. I like making both.

Here's a picture of my most recent. It's kind of :rolleyes: controled.. in that I used a black strip in the middle of each block.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]463893[/ATTACH][/QReUOTE]

Really pretty string quilt and I love the black in the center. You could do the same thing by cutting the blocks in half & mix the blocks up, or quarter your blocks - excuse me I have to go play now! lol

When I first stumbled on Bonnie Hunter I had never done a mystery quilt, but she had just finished Carolina Crossroads. So, I saw it, loved it and made one in just her colors. I've done all of her mysteries and never been disappointed - I do have favorites and one I wasn't wild for, but it taught me something, so that's fine. But I was a member of another group who did mysteries and I was going to do their latest mystery, but was busy with another project. I picked my fabric and right away, the first block or so, I saw this was lame and did not start mine. Boy was I right. The plume ugliest quilt ever. So you have to look at the previous mysteries. If you like them then go for it. If not, be warned!! Bonnie has never let me down.

To me, I think of scrappy as using random left over pieces and putting them together to make a quilt. The pattern and layout are not important to me. I just like using assorted "odds and ends" pieces that are to small to do another project with.

I like scrappy quilts: lots of colors, lots of patterns, no particular order to anything. My friends at First Saturday wouldn't know what to think if I made a plain, orderly, carefully planned quilt. They would think I had been taken over by aliens or something. I think the appeal of scrappy quilts is the brightness of color, pattern, and texture. HMM! Maybe that's what appeals to me about stained glass windows.

I had trouble picking fabrics for a Bonnie mystery until I paid attention to value. If she uses a bright...I use a bright. If she uses a dark, I use a dark. My problem comes when I use something like yellow that can get muddled or disappear if its next to a light/neutral. I have a small plastic spatula that is clear red. If I cannot decide if its a light/med/dark, I look at it thru the spatula! A medium can become a light if its next to a deep dark color or it can be a dark when its next to light/white. When I started I had ALOT to learn about color and value! I still learn something on EVERY quilt. Some quilts I like better than others...but I LOVE to make 'em all!

I remember in the 70s when I first started quilting, I used discarded clothing to make scrappy quilts. I'm not sure but I think at one time, quilt shows might have had a restriction of what material went into a scrappy quilt. I could be wrong. I think all scrappies are beautiful.