joyce888

What makes a successful scrappy quilt? I've got lots of HST in various sizes and many in duplicate fabric combos. They are a combination of batiks and traditional fabrics and a wide array of colors. When I look at them they just do not look like they could be combined. Do I mix single fabric blocks between them or maybe try to make a block from the ones that match?

maryb119

I try to use the same color group like, batiks or 30's or jewel tones or dark prints....something like that. I admire those who just grab a random piece of fabric and sew it next. I make planned scrappy quilts. My idea being that if each block is pretty, then the quilt will be pretty too.

DogHouseMom

I've posted links to two quilts in the same pattern.

Mine is done totally scrappy. I paid zero attention to color, only to value (light vs dark). I used batiks, solids, blenders, prints, novelties ... EVERYTHING. I didn't look at the "color" or the "print" when I sorted them, or grabbed one to sew ... I only looked at "value". I do confess to fussy cutting some of the scraps to prevent horses heads from being cut off (as an example).

The original pattern by Bonnie Hunter was done is scrappy blues and cream/white.

If you want to go totally random scrappy like mine, sort your scraps into three piles - light, medium and dark. I used some of the mediums as darks by pairing it with a very light fabric, and I used some of them as lights by pairing it with very dark fabrics. Ideally, your medium pile should be no more than 1/2 the size of your light or dark pile to get the most of the dark/light values in the pattern.

For a single or two (or more) color scrappy like Bonnies ... sort the scraps into a blue and a white pile. You can probably also use some very light blues in the white pile.


http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...h-t260968.html

http://quiltville.com/blueridgebeautyclasslist.html

Latrinka

I've done some pretty scrappy ones where at first the blocks would NOT be pretty, or even cute, LOL! But I tied them all together using a solid darker colored sashing and border, and it ends up working out ok.

zozee

That's a good question. I haven't made many quilts, but the scrappies that I have (doll and baby size, mainly) made me ask the same thing. What can successfully mix? Personally I think there is a lot to be said for using a decent amount of solids (and by that I mean to include tone-on-tones) so the eye can rest. It's also about balancing darks and light values. I don't think it works well unless you have some sashing between busy scrappy blocks either. And I tend to gravitate to the aethetics of a quilt that uses the same "family" of prints, but I can't say that's always the case. Pattern has a lot to do with what works. I do squint my eyes when I'm not sure if something if working. And if I don't like a certain scrap, I won't use it just because the color, scale, or value is right. I want to smile at every piece I put into a quilt, not feel apologetic for a single one of them.

ManiacQuilter2

Very good question. You might want to look at Bonnie Hunter's quilt on her site. Mine are much more controlled. It is always a struggle for myself.

luvspaper

To me the key is having sashings or some kind of common fabric flowing thru. I am working on one right now where the light is the same throughout and the medium/darks are uncontrolled but within the same family/value lines. That's usually the way I go to get a "controlled scrappy"

just_the_scraps_m'am

it depends on the pattern you are using and whether or not you can keep the continuity going! all scrappies are successful -- but i think they teach you something...what you thought would/wouldn't work actually does!

sewbizgirl

That is a gorgeous scrappy, DogHouseMom! I like yours so much better than Bonnie's Blue and White one.

DeneK

This one I did for my DIL has everything but the kitchen sink. I really didn't want to do it. Didn't think I'd like it. But it was what she asked for. When it was done, I liked it so well it was hard to give away.