OK, I love the looks of scrappy quilts. Have many books on doing these. My problem is I'm someone who always matches color. Even when I worked at the school and they had these mismatch days for dressing I couldn't do it. Got extremely nervous!!!! Sensory overload!! I have tons of fabric and would love to do these especially the HST ones. I figured maybe I could make separate piles (or bags - that way I can't see whats coming) of lights, med., and darks. How do you get it to come together? Do you use 1 fabric to tie everything together? Trying to wrap my head around this!! :-)

I'm the same way. I just can't seem to do a scrapy because I want everything to match.

I don't think scrappy quilts have to be made from mis matched colors etc, just made from your scraps. If you can put together colors that go together and make a quilt, or wall hanging, or table runners, doll quilts or tote bag or even little coasters, it can still be a 'scrappy' quilt.
I can't put mismatched colors either.
Have fun with it whatever you make and post what you make.

Same for me - I've seen some scrappy quilts I just adore, but I seem to go back to doing symmetrical, balanced pieces :-D

I guess I'm a scrappy wanna-be :lol:

I have never had a problem mixing up my fabrics. But then I grew up with true scrap quilts my great-grand and grand mothers made. You can start by deciding on a pattern and color(s). I like Depression block on Quilters Cache. If you are using say green, cut your squares and divide them into lights and darks then place in separate bags. Choose one from each bag and make 2 HSTs. When you have enough arrange them into the blocks and sew together. Once you are comfortable with a "controlled" scrappy quilt perhaps you can move on and use more and more colors. Nothing says a scrap quilt cannot be "controlled scrappy", your quilt, your rules.

I had the problem at first; but then opted for controlled scrappy. I chose each individual fabric and planned where they would go, made it much more comfortable for me.

Another way to do a controlled scrappy is to just use two colors. A two color quilt can be made with two fabrics or dozens of fabrics in just two colors. I did one in red and ivory for my daughter in law that was just stunning. It's one of the few quilts I don't have any pictures of. The pattern was a star block. Each block had two different reds and 3 different ivories.

It does help to get over the matchy-matchy when doing a scrap quilt to just divide into lights and darks and throw in a bag and sew on whatever comes out of the bag next wheather it matches or not. Clashing fabric combos *really* give a scrap quilt life and personality. Pick a light/dark pattern and go for it!

I cut up my pieces and put them in paper bag one had lights the other medium/darks. I pulled from each bag without looking and whatever came out is what I used. I freed me up from trying to plan a scrappy quilt.

I took a class one time where they gave us two grocery bags, one light and one medium or dark and we had to work out of them without looking. Helps you get over the dilema of obsessing.

this year sewing for quilts of valor I saw a lot of scrappy that were gorgeous... you can pick a couple colors.. and keep it pretty controlled..same color values or hues. Play around. I have a great pattern with a heart and 6 inch scraps light and dark that I can send you from my files when I get home// if you like... easy too. I just can't access it here from daughters computer.. email me Private and remind me.