I do controlled scrap quilts. The controlled color might be red for example with several different fabrics, but all about the same color. I get nervous when I have to coordinate so many fabric choices and spend too much time "fussing" about which one is "perfect". Thanks for sharing the Mary's Quilt site. I had not seen that one before.

I've recently fallen in love with scrappy patchwork. Mine is more of a controlled scrappy. I also only make small projects like pot holders, mug rugs, and mug sleeves. I'm trying the "quilt as you go" method.

I'm reading this thread with great interest, as I am a new quilter and surprised at how quickly scraps accumulate. My question to everyone is: what is the smallest size scrap you would keep?

I am also really into controlled scraps. Lol* Lord please don't strike me down when I say this - but I seriously did not like Bonnie Hunter's quilts when I first started quilting!!! Hers was the first site I found online about ten years when I was just beginning and I used a lot of her tutorials to get started but I didn't make any of her quilts until a couple years ago. It took me some time to "get" the concept behind her scrappyness...and I still am not quite as scrappy as she is but I see the brilliance behind what she does. There is a lot to be learned from that lady!

As for my scraps, for the LONGEST time I didn't like to cut them up and mess with them. I found when I used Bonnie's method I used the more - but it's seriously a pain for me and takes up too much space. Recently I started just cutting everything into 2" strips and putting anything smaller than that in my "string" bin. I seriously have an INSANE amount of scraps and it just makes life easier. I'd much rather just go buy a group of fabrics and shoot for controlled scrappy then pull 'em out at random.

For me this varies. At first I kept EVERYTHING...and I mean EVERYTHING. Now I keep strings about .75 inch to under 2" and no piece smaller than 1.5"x1.5". I love making small quilts and do lot of paper piecing so I do keep "crumbs" around - I have a basket that I just call my "itty bitties". But if I have like 800 1" triangles left...I often toss them because I just have SO much that I'll probably never use them as it is!

all of the above---well sort of---i make plenty of scrappy quilts-sometimes they are quite controlled- sometimes they are not- sometimes i use a pattern- either one i have or one i see somewhere- sometimes i just start sewing scraps together & see where it takes me. if my (scrap) is fq sized or larger it gets folded & put back onto the shelves with all the fabric- if it's smaller/odd shaped/a real scrap- it gets tossed into a tote...when i decide to work on something scrappy i start with the tote- sorting-pulling out what i think will work for what i have in mind- then i may add pull more fabrics from the shelves. there are lots of scrap lover books- patterns- or you can just look at any pattern out there & (choose) to make it out of your scraps- one block at a time- i also applique alot- so my scrap tote comes in handy for all sorts of applique pieces.- i participated in '50 stars in 50 weeks program' here on the board this past year & used mostly scraps for my 50 stars- with a common background--some participants used all scraps- even their backgrounds. as soon as i finish my wool project i'm trying to get done i plan to start a new (lone-star) project that uses 256 different 1 1/2" strips of fabric- 128 lights, 128 darks- i'm going to try to do it with scraps.

Have made a few scrappies but dont really prepare them anyway. But have made several Mile A Minute, also several strips just sewn together. Have fun creating.

I make only scrappy quilts. I started with "controlled" scrappy quilts and gradually grew bolder. My first ones were only one color with a small spark of another color as accent. Then I started going hog wild :) I use lost of different patterns--some I find on the web and sometimes I invent one. Whatever you do have fun!

All my quilts are scrappy. My GGM, GM & my mom made scrappy quilts. I can't help it, :thumbup:that's the way quilts should look to me.

I love the throw everything in including the kitchen sink method. I think after taking a class with Bonnie Hunter, it freed me to see that everything really does go together. I still laugh when I think of her telling us, to use the ugliest thing we can find in our stash in everything. If it still bothers you, you just haven't cut it up small enough yet!