Casi

I'm a newbie and I see a lot of postings about scrappy quilts. Is there a pattern or someway of making a quilt "as you go along"? Do I have to one day sit down and decide how to put all my scraps into something? Don't know if I'm making myself clear! Thanks in advance!

zoeytoo

I'm new to the pineapple pattern but I think you could add as you go. But probably I'd consider where I'd add lights and darks. Like I'd use my darks on one block of that pattern and my lights on another and then assemble in a light to dark way or alternate.

ptquilts

Well if you are making it in blocks, I would just make a bunch of blocks and then lay them out. Sometimes you need a little planning, sometimes total randomness is good.

hoppyfrog

Check out Bonnie Hunter's site Quiltville. She has a ton of scrap quilt ideas.

May in Jersey

Making scrappy log cabin blocks may be something you can do. Separate your fabrics into lights and darks and sew away. Lights on one side and the darker fabrics on the other. This would mean cutting your fabrics to a certain size.

If you mean you'd like to take your scraps and just sew them together you may be thinking of 'crumbs". I hope someone on this message board can steer to you a tutorial about making them.

willferg

You might like this book (and can probably find it at your library):

http://www.amazon.com/Color-Heart-Se...1758513&sr=1-4

It's by Gai Perry -- love her name! Anyway, one of the projects is to cut up two inch squares, put them in a bag, and then pull them out at random and lay them out. You are allowed a couple of switches if some color placements bother you, but if you are tempted to move too many, you put them all back in the bag and start over.

It was a really good exercise for me. I learned that I am not cut out for true scrappy (no pun intended). I prefer controlled scrappy. But I did enjoy seeing what new possibilities could come up from scrappiness.

I highly recommend that book.

QuiltE

There's all kinds of possibilities as to how to make scrappy quilts. Some are vwery planned and organized,
Whereas some are just kind of made up as you go ... and what you feel like doing.

Here's a thread that might give you some inspiration!
http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...e-t135936.html

Lori S

A scrappy log cabin is a good way to begin a scrappy journey. Just seperate into lights and darks . I love this pattern for scrappies , as it makes efficeint use ( not much waste) of fabric. I like my "logs" to be 1 1/2 inch as the colors seem to melt into each other with this width. A big plusis there are sooo many possiblities for block layout.

TanyaL

You really need to look at the Scrappy Quilt show mentioned above and decide what you like. Some like total randomness. Some like very bright colors on a white background and some like a black background; some like no background, all scrappy pieces just pieced together until you have a quilt top. Some like the look of soft pastels and some can't stand the pastel colors. You need to decide first of all what colors you want in your scrappy quilt. Then you need to decide if you want to make blocks of scraps and sew the blocks together into a top or do you want to sew scraps together into long lengths or some other method. Find a quilt you REALLY like, then find or decide how it was constructed. You should be ready to go on your own - or to ask more questions at that point. In order to have a quilt you will really love, not just be proud you sewed fabric together, know what the finished quilt will look like - in a general sort of way. You won't really be happy if you use a lot of bright colors on a white background and half way through decide you like muted colors on a black ground. I'm not saying a scrappy quilt HAS to be controlled, just know what type of scrappy you like before you start. Do some research and you will be happier.

Tartan

I second the suggestion to check out www.quiltville.com. Bonnie Hunter has tutorials on a number of scrap quilts listed by name along the right side of her web page. She does step by step pictures of the patterns. I wish I'd had this resource when I first started quilting.