Using up scraps....HELP
 

I have a big tub full of scraps.....I don't know how to begin sewing them together. Do I cut them all the same size? Sew lengths together? Make blocks? I've been tryinig to look for tutorials on how to begin a scrappy quilt and get so frustrated. Also, do I sort them by colors? Blocks? Lengths? Any input would be sincerely appreciated.

Here's a scrappy quilt that I made w/some of the ladies from my quilting guild.. It's made primarily of 1/2 triangle blocks & 4 patches.... Wish I could remember what magazine I got it from. Of course I went and changed all the dimensions of the blocks to suite my needs :)

Spectacular quilt!

I've been cutting all of my scraps to 2.5" squares. I may start doing some 2.5" strips and even considered doing a bunch of 1.5" strips to do some of those strippy blocks.

You can check out Bonnie Hunters blog at http://quiltville.blogspot.com/ she has lots of free scrap patterns and ideas this might help you.

go to the archive and look for the scrappy quilt pictures here on QB. Lots of great ideas there.

Even with scrappy quilts, I like to choose a pattern first, and then make an assessment on the colors and values of the scraps that I have.
In my favorite scrappy quilts, there is at least one element of continuity in them. In the beautiful quilt shown (from American Patchwork and Quilting), the same block is repeated throughout, and the light fabrics are all from a similar color grouping of cream. It gives the eye a place to rest.

I don't cut my scraps till I know what pattern I want to use. At one time I did cut them before having an idea and the pattern I had finally had my heart set on was not the size of the pieces I cut. So now I just sort by lights , mediums and darks.. Some get sorted by type batik, metalic and other. I do have a bin of fall color fabrics , as that colorway is the one I favor most.
My advise .. pick a pattern then sort , then cut.

direct link to Bonnie's system
http://quiltville.com/scrapusersystem.shtml

Here is one great link
http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...e-t135936.html

I love the small tumbler quilt for using up scraps, most of the time I don't think about colors...I just sew them together. The Twister is also a great one for scraps.

There are a lot of tutorials about quilts Go to YouTube and I'm sure others on the board will have other suggestions. you could separate with colors, blues, greens, reds, yellows, beiges/ off whites and whites.

there are lots of ways to make a scrappy quilt- some people cut their scraps into certain sizes & use a pattern- I've made lots of string quilts (strips of various widths/lengths sewn to a square foundation) and crazy quilt style blocks- where I cut a piece of muslin in a particular size (often about 10" is my favorite) then I use different sizes/shapes of scraps- adding them to the *foundation* until it is covered- the trim the edges even & sew the blocks together. some people like (planned scrappy) where they separate their colors - some people toss their scraps into a brown paper sack- sit down at their machine- reach in pull out a scrap- reach in pull out another one & sew them together- adding all around as they pull out each piece- until they reach a size they like- then just square them up... the great thing about scraps are- just be adventurous- try new things- have fun with them.

here is a really good one for small scraps. http://www.fonsandporter.com/article...t_size_options

I can relate.... would like to do a scrappy quilt and have lots of scraps but I have a question. When you pull those scraps out to sew them together, do you press them first? It seems like they wouldn't lay flat otherwise. What do you all do?

I had some left over 4 1/2 inch squares and just decided to make a scrappy with them as they were. I ended up liking the results. Sort of primitive, compared to the others here, but I liked it. Let me see if I can find a picture. Okay, this is before I got it quilted, but I just used SID and was very happy with it. Maybe this will give you an idea of what you might want to do. Obviously, it was easy.

Oh wait, I have another scrappy too, sort of a controlled scrappy. Let me see if I can find it. I made it after I got a "grab bag" of 2 1/2 strips from our guild and the challenge was to make a quilt.

Dina

Thanks for sharing, I love it.

Thanks for sharing, I love it.

Dina I love both your quilts and the fur baby.. Hugs

Scrappy quilts are fun to make and the receivers love them also.. I use the grab in the bag method, string quilts on a foundation, and 3,4,5 in squares. Also use strips. Have fun and hugs

nicely done... love the scrappy colors

After finishing a project all left over fabric is cut into squares or strips before I begin another project. That is the only way to keep them from gettin ahead of you.

Thanks. My quilt inspector "helps" with everything!!

Dina

amazing quits everyone.

I was going to suggest the tumbler quilt also. Very easy and quick. You can use any size of tumbler pattern, I have done 5 inch and want to try 10 inches.

Here's another voice chiming in to check out the free patterns on Bonnie Hunter's website. This pattern is the first one of her quilts that I made. I just kept whacking off rectangles from yardage and making B&W four patches and ended up with enough for two quilts, lol. After this I was hooked on scrappy! http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2005/...ng-stones.html

Besides www.Quiltville.com, there is www.MaryQuilts.com. They both offer a lot of free patterns to use scraps and strings. There are books galore ready to show you even more scrappy patterns and ideas. Currently I am trying Bonnie Hunter's concept of leaders and enders. There is a good explanation of it on the website. She also has a book under the same title. I was enjoying myself much making those crumb blocks from odd shaped pieces that I had to remind myself I needed to work on a specific project, too. :D

I recently started a scrappy quilt that is so easy , no measuring..what ever size your strips are you just sew them Together and then turn them on point and cut what ever size squares you like..it adds so much interest for them to be set on point..if you would like I,could send you some pictures.

I posted this over the weekend;
http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...e-t225176.html
The blocks pictured are "slabs" and they are fun to make. You don't have to have any particular pattern or size of fabric to make them. I did mine and sent them to Canada for a project they are working on for flood victims there. You can read about it and see a photo of a quilt that comes from this sort of thing right here:
http://www.naptimequilter.blogspot.c...slabs-for.html

Now that I've made mine and sent them off, I would like to make a quilt for myself this way.

There are so many ideas for scrappy's. Look at the pictures in the album by cat-in-a-mac
http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...y-t189958.html, You can also google or bing scrappy quilts. Good luck

excellent resource for anything scrappy.

his looks like Pick and Choose, I made one w/smaller blocks and black background. Fun way to bust some stash!

I have a few sizes I cut for scraps, and then the strips. However, since this last non DSM using time I took some of those squares and am making a heck of a lot of yo-yo's. I can't cut much right now, so this is helping keep me busy and connected. BTW I have no idea what I'll do with the yo-yo's.

I also recommend Bonnie Hunter's website. Lots of good info.

http://filminthefridge.com/tutorials/
Free tutorials. Strings, string triangles(pyramids) etc

I love her site. The other one that is good is Sew Katie Did. She does a lot of value quilts - perfect for scraps.
http://sewkatiedid.wordpress.com/200...ilts-tutorial/

Awesome quilt.

I think this is a Jacob's Ladder with sashing. Looks really nice, and I love the colors!