Before I get into the real meat (assuming there is anything worth reading), I wanted to give you the link for one of my favorite ways for making flying geese. It’s here. Requires a little math but the flying geese come out real nice.
One more tip on this block . . if you’ll press the seam allowances on the half square triangles towards the light fabric instead of towards the dark fabric, the seams will butt or nest and it will be so much easier.
I do believe it’s harder to make a pretty scrap quilt than it is to make the quilts I normally make . . with just 4 or 5 fabrics. If I was a giving up kind of girl, I’d give up but . . I’m not giving up. All you folks who make beautiful scrap quilts are saying “what’s so hard?” Well, sit back, keep reading, and I’ll try to explain it.
I don’t know what I was thinking. I guess I was thinking if I made each block using the same color family, it would be ok. I’d have a green block, a blue block, a red bock . . or two of each but I failed miserably. My first block was green.
It’s all blendy. Not good.
Then I said . . heck with this . . I’ll just make them all different and all I was going to do the same was put yellow centers.
Better but the green in the top right half square triangle is too light.
From a distance, they look worse! I guess this is how you learn. The plan is that I will make the centers all yellow, the four rectangles a medium/dark and everything else will be darkish. We’ll see how that goes.
One thing . . they are coming out so neat . . even if they’re ugly! 🙁
I haven’t given up . . I’ll make more blocks. I’m going to figure this all out.
Kat Scribner says
I think making eye-pleasing scrap quilts requires you to work “outside your box”. Personally, I learned that we are happier working a “controlled” scrappy. After all, when we decide what quilts to make and what palette to use, we are exercising our “control” issues. LOL If we work placement in this kind of block , assigning light, medium & dark areas consistent, we seem to be happier.
Patricia L. says
Scrap quilts are more about value than color in my opinion. Choose what block parts will be light, medium or dark and then add the accent if needed. Your yellow would be the accent. Try designing in EQ7 with a gray scale palette. That will help.
Howdy says
Yes yes yes to all you said Patricia – I often will lay fabrics out and squint at them to arrange value and the idea of using grey scale in EQ is brilliant
JudyL says
Putting all the fabrics in EQ would take way more time than I’m willing to do. Scrappy is supposed to be easy, painless and quick and if it isn’t, I’ll just go back to using regular fabrics. I often put fabrics in EQ and use gray scale when using 5 or 6 fabric but when using 50 or 60 .. no!
Howdy says
You would use the grey scale to design where in the block you want light, med. and darks. When I use EQ for scrappy stuff I’ll pull enough fabrics from the library that’ll work to give me maybe 3 or 4 different blocks and then those blocks get spread around in the layout and flipped if possible to make it look as scrappy as I can. When actually making the quilt it’s way more scrappy and usually no two blocks will have the same fabric combination but the light med and dark values will be in their place.
Clear as mud huh? LOL
JudyL says
I had already done that but it just didn’t translate into the fabric choices. Hey . . it’s my first scrappy quilt. I have to learn.
Patricia L. says
I would never scan fabrics for this. I just meant to design in grayscale on EQ then use scraps sorted into the values of light, medium & dark.
Meloney says
I think that if you were to just make the blocks and keep on making them and not thinking too much about it, that you will find the scrappy blocks go together well and will blend. But, I over think them and then I make a mess. I make lots of scrappy and love to add other folks scraps because mine don’t seem to sparkle with only my own scraps. Maybe I use too many of the same colors or tones or something. I like your blocks. my suggestion is to not over analyze them.
Michelle says
I agree with Meloney. If you stare at each individual block, you’ll make yourself nuts — unless you’re working with a really tightly controlled batch of scraps. Once you start adding more blocks and more fabric, it all starts to work out.
Roberta says
Actually the light green isn’t too light, it’s the same value as the pink in the bottom goose wing. When you have more blocks done they will balance out and you will like it. One block does not make the quilt. As long there is difference between the lights on the outside and the yellow inside anything goes. Have FUN!!!!
Hugs!!!!
Glenda says
I really like this block pattern and am looking forward to all the others you will post this year. Thanks for starting this project!
As far as the colors, I just make sure that there’s plenty of contrast between adjacent block pieces. The more contrast, the better for me. It looks like you’re already starting to do that. It’s going to be fascinating to see how this plays out.
shirley bruner says
Judy, Judy, Judy….the whole idea of scrappy is that it does NOT match. nor does it matter if it blends or not. pretend you can’t see the colors…..they all look white to you….and just put them together. the blocks you have made are perfect. scrappy doesn’t have to matter about dark or light…it’s scrappy…. a little of everything. just keep going….quit trying to match up things. it will all work out in the end.
Sherry V says
Your all green block does seem a bit blendy, but if you do others that are blendy your eye will pull out the difference. I really like the second block. Making more like that will let all of them “even out”.
Ranch Wife says
Ugly? I think NOT sweet Judy! You put a whole lot of those scrappy blocks together and you will fall in love. I love your idea of keeping the yellow center in each block and kudos to you for stepping out of your comfort zone! You are inspiring me…I’m going to learn how to knit. 🙂
Tina in NJ says
The two main things I need in a scrap quilt are value and variety. I usually work on several scrappy quilts at once to get more variety. Most of my fabrics are either dark or light. However, including a small percentage of medium value fabrics adds texture, and some yellow (I really don’t like most yellows) adds sparkle. Once your blocks are made, spread them out and let them tell you what color your quilt will be. Then use that color, either scrappy or one fabric, for sashing or borders or whatever. At least, that’s how I do it. (I think I got that last bit from Sharyn Craig.)
pdudgeon says
Judy, do you know what the most important thing about these blocks is?
THAT YOU MAKE THEM! and don’t worry so much about your green on green block.
i just saw a scrappy star quilt in a magazine and one of the stars was all dark fabrics on a dark background. that ‘different’ block just made the whole quilt because it was unique. without that block the quilt would have been ok, but nothing spectacular. but including that block in the quilt as a design decision really made the whole quilt pop because the contrast was so great.
so hang in there and hang loose; just grab the fabric and sew, because it will all come out right in the end.
Donna says
Judy your scrappy block looks good. Please don’t fret over each block. Just remember the more fabrics the better in scrap quilts. Put your pieces in a paper bag (not centers but the outside pieces) pull out a piece and sew. When the quilt is done it will be so pretty. Just try it for this month and see how you like the end product. Love ya!
Lee says
I would agree with you on your first block, not enough contrasts in the greens and it looks muddled, but on the second scrappy block – it’s great!. And echoing what Roberta and a couple of others said, once you have more blocks with those same pieces and other scraps, it will balance and your eye will go from hear to there and all over and back again and it will be perfect. Keep that light green and don’t overthink it 🙂 Scrappy = happy 🙂
Linda in NE says
Keep going, you’ll get there. Your green block just needs more contrast…a couple of lighter greens would have perked it up. My scrappy quilts are mostly done in “color families”. Staying in those color families but using all kinds of prints & solids will make it plenty scrappy. Reds, whites and blues for the QOV quilts; pinks, browns & neutrals; browns, blues, neutrals; totally scrappy with neutrals and one or two fabrics used in places throughout; or maybe just all 30s fabrics or one color family with white, cream or assorted neutrals. Having a plan tames it a little but allows lots of variety.
Laura says
I don’t think you can look at one scrappy block alone and consider it either a success or a failure. I think you need many scrappy blocks together. Then you need to put them together in an interesting way. You might have an easier time with a controlled scrappy look. Use all batiks, all red, white and blue, or all one color to start.
Lea says
When making scrappy I can’t judge a quilt by one block. Once they are all together with a border they tend to look a lot nicer.
Darling Jill says
I think the block looks fine and was about to say WAY TO GO, JUDY! when you said that the green is too light. If it bugs you that much, just take a corner from the green block and put it in the brights block. But if you are making a quilt, that one corner is not going to stick out so much. I think it is a great block!
Susan says
Judy, I didn’t read all the comments this time, so someone may have already mentioned this, but you are looking at just one block. If you have a whole quilt where here and there a bright piece stands out, it’s wonderful! The dark really is too dark and blendy, but in a scrappy quilt, again, it’s just one block and with some other dark ones done the same blendy way, and some lighter blocks, it would not stand out.
Susan says
Actually, you are probably over planning and over thinking this process. =)
CindyM says
I make lots of scrappy quilts and I’m pretty good at it. I think I have a natural knack for choosing the fabrics. But I know wonderful quilters (like you) who really struggle with it. And I sort of understand it. But it will take a while. Overthinking is probably one of your issues. Even some of my favorite scrappy quilts I didn’t like the blocks until I put them all together and was able to tie them all together with some sort of common sashing, borders, etc.
Katie Z. says
I tend to find that, when going scrappy, I question my choices when I consider a block individually. It’s when I mix them together that I find they work!
Ila says
It’s nice to know I’m not the only one…I can’t do scrappy…not without a lot of stress. But I’m trying…I’m trying. Thanks for making me feel I’m not alone 🙂
SaraF says
I think hit on the solution – thinking about light, medium, dark. That yellow center is going to be really sharp.
Cathy says
I love your scrappy version, and think it is perfect just the way it is. When doing scrappy, the differences in the darkness of the dark fabrics give the quilt sparkle and depth. If you don’t like the other one, put it on the back as part of a pieced backing.
Deb@asimplelife Quilts says
I’m right with you on the green block… but in my Humble opinion the other block will be just fine when it’s siblings are surrounding it. I like unexpected scraps that stand out a bit scattered about the quilt. Too much thinking takes the fun out of scrappy!
Deb K says
Judy, I’m not naturally a scrappy quilt person, either. However, I watch those that are and keep thinking I ought to try it. There are other “planned”quilts in the queue before I get to that though. One of them is finishing the borders on Road to Brenham and being ready to start Tell It to the Stars. I do have a question about your flying geese opening comments in this post. In a previous post you mentioned a favorite paper-piecing approach that was a cd. You can then print out any size flying geese. Would you refresh my memory on that company?
Judy Snider says
Don’t force it Judy, start with a more controlled scrappy look!! You don’t have to use all your scapes in the first block. I love this block and plan to make my blocks with gold(yellow) centers all different fabrics, green rectangles and red(any shade of) triangles. I think it will make a block that looks pretty and will be great as a table runner or small wall hanging or the center of a quilt.
WiAmy says
Many things that I would like to say have already been said! There is an old saying–value does all the work and color gets all the credit. This is true especially in scrap quilting–and the smaller the pieces, the more true it gets! There are value finder tools such as the ruby beholder (a piece of red plastic, that blocks most color). A red tool works with colors except red. For red fabrics you should use a green version. You can also snap a picture and view it in black and white.
Scrap quilts with color families work well for a bit more of a controlled look. Sometimes I do this and prefer this. For example: use all blue and brown fabrics with creams for backgrounds.
When using tons of colors in almost all color families, a few consistent fabrics in strategic locations does wonders to bring a little control into the quilt.
If a few fabrics are a bit bright, like your bright green, as others have said you need to use it more and add a few other bright colors so that your eye dances around the quilt as you decide where each block will go in the final layout.
You must have blocks that follow (ie: that really blendy one) so that the leaders can stand out! The more you make scrappy quilts, the more comfortable you will be with this idea (in the end you should like the follower, but just not as much as the leaders).
I do agree that scrap quilting is a bit more difficult than using just a few fabrics. Often times you, have more work in the piecing stage because in order to get enough variety you can’t have all the same type units with the same fabrics. Also the final layout is a bit more challenging because the blocks are different, and you need to choose exactly how you want them to look (colors sprinkled throughout or certain colors in certain locations).
patti says
my first love was scrappy quilts, and when i tried to make one (and then others), i was always disappointed because they didn’t look “scrappy.” it wasn’t until i made several that i found one i liked and determined that what “made” it was the number of scraps that i had used. instead of maybe 8 or so, it was more like 60. the other consistent thing makes or breaks a block is the value of the fabrics within it. but if you toss that one block that you don’t like in with alot of others, you won’t even notice it.
lots of good advice from other quilters here, makes me want to do it; that and the fact that i really like this block! IF i get the other things on my to do list accomplished, i might jump in nearer the end of the month.
Diana in RR, TX says
Tell you what, you come and pack up the rest of the kitchen and laundry and I’ll make your scrap block! The demo guys will be here between 8 & 9 Monday morning! You should be making a brown bag quilt! Seriously, you can do!!!! I have faith in you!
PAT says
Judy, I can relate to the anxiety of pieceing all scappy blocks in a quilt. I do not do scappy quilts either. Mine are all specific pattern with colors layed out. I think I have gotten use to letting someone else plan for me and now this scrappy which should be easy is something unfamiliar to me. in my guild, many and all kinds of scrappy quilts are creative. i have very few scraps because i cut the fabric for specific projects or quilts. just last week, i decided to make some scaps. I like controlled planning and let someone else think out the steps and colors for me. Guess what, that way, I cannot be spontaneous and carefree and make that scappy quilt I want. I do fiber arts and lot of it is made out of all sorts of medium. I am trying to make my choices easier in quilting. So what my quilt guild does, they put their scraps into a paper bag and choose. And the blocks work out. Just learning to give up the control. It does get easier after a few blocks, like 20 of them, and I get into the rythmn. I found before I did this, I was obsessing on whether if this color looked good next to another scrap, thus making it harder to finish the block. I guess I was sabotaging myself, by overthinking the process. I can remember when I first began quilting, and could not put fabrics together for a quilt, even if it was laid out for me. I was making it too hard for my self. So I am going with the flow, and let the process happen and just pick and choose from the bag, and not worry about it. Quilts are made with Love, and those lie who under them appreciate the work and love that went into them. So don,t stress, just enjoy the process. Pat
Laurel from Iowa says
I have tried and just cannot do scrappy. I am happy that you are trying, though. Good luck!
Cherie says
I second Roberta’s comment, the green in your scrappy block isn’t too light. When you put lots more like it together, it will sing!
Rebecca in SoCal says
I started quilting with scrappy quilts–I didn’t even know there were coordinated lines for a couple years. I probably stretched my blending “muscles” when working with my neighborhood group (we refused to do TOO much reorganizing of layouts, but did always have a “theme” that we all contributed to, and a background or sashing to bring it all together.) I find it hard to choose just a few fabrics for a quilt. I like to say about scrappy: if one color is kind of wrong, it doesn’t matter when there are ten more!
Brava to you for stepping outside your comfort zone. The worst that could happen is that you may find you don’t care for “scrappy,” but it will be the voice of experience. The best is a whole new style for you!
One hint: I have heard/read that the smaller a piece is, the darker it will look. If you have doubts about any more of your fabrics being too light, use it in the flying geese!
Charlotte says
Judy,Judy, Judy,you too can do this!! For many years I used only 5 or 6 fabrics in a quilt. Them one day I knew I HAD to use some of my scraps. Oh my where do I began!! Then someone gave me a great tip- as long as you use lights, mediums and darks it all works out fine. Try the paper bag trick, it works great, start with about 10 fabrics in l, m, and d, put them in the bag, the one you take out, without looking is your next fabric! Just to let you know, I just finished Bonnie Hunters’ Crayon Box , in a king quilt and I stopped counting fabrics when I got to 100!! So You also can do a scrappy quilt, they are great!! Good luck!!
Karen Langseth says
I make mostly scrap quilts…..or planned scrap…..before starting, I make sure all my fabrics play nicely together. For example, I don’t put kid brights with reproduction fabrics. And when you do a bunch of the same blocks, they all can’t be stars of the show. So even though your green block looks to bland, when its put next of a block that does have contrast, it just blends in and plays nicely.
Kristin says
Oh, Judy! You are cracking me up! You are way too hard on yourself. There are tons of comments here and I just skimmed a few, so I’m sure that others have shared a similar viewpoint. The rainbow-y block, where you were critical of one of the fabrics being too light…Once you make an entire quilt of those blocks in a similar rainbow format, those “problems” you see now will be what add interest and sparkle to the quilt. That brighter piece is what I call a zinger. Trust the process a bit and let using scraps be organic. To quote my friend, “the more friends you invite to the party, the better they get along.” Or something like that. Add something different to the next block and the next block and soon, that becomes the norm!
Regarding the ‘blendy’ block. That’s good, too! Just not in the same quilt as the rainbow block. Make all kinds of blendy, deeper blocks and you are good. If you did a quilt where 1/3 are dark green blendy blocks and 1/3 deep blues and then 1/3 deep red/cranberries, it would be STUNNING! But– a totally different look from the rainbows.
Hang in there…you can do this!!!
Sara says
Judy, I agree with those who have said “don’t over think it”. I found myself doing the same thing, until I let it go and just sewed the next piece. The only things I try to consider are: don’t put the same fabric right next to each other, and keep backgrounds the same value/color. I would agree with those who said “the more, the merrier”. I love your second block! The green is just fine, you will see. I think that you are doing great outside your box. Go Judy!
Nancy says
I agree with your comments about the dark one. However I think the one with the light green square will be fine when added to a scrap quilt. If you look at traditional scrap quilts you sometimes see a patch or two that is a bit too dark or too light. It keeps the eye moving.
Nancy says
Per my calculations, each 9 inch block uses .91 yards of fabric. So it’s about 10 blocks to use up a yard of your stash.
Jo's Country Junction says
Don’t worry about the scrappy one. Once there are more like it, there won’t be a problem on not seeing that light point so crisply.
Mary-Kay says
I have a hard time making a scrappy quilt. I’m too much into matching up the colours. But whenever someone comes over and they are looking at my quilts, they all really, really like the scrappy quilts. I must saw, once it’s all done, they are very cozy looking quilts. It’s hard stepping out of our comfort zones. You should try one of the Buggy Barn patterns, where you stack up a pile of fat quarters and chop them up and sew it back together. Nothing matches and you have to square it up when you’re done. That’s even harder!
Bev Gunn says
Judy and others who are “scrappy challenged”–Check out some of Bonnie K Hunter’s videos (web-cams) and she will give you a good idea of not overthinking. If you want one part of the block to always be a red-pull 5-6 reds for the different blocks. If you need lights-pull 10-12 lights and mix the up in the block. It is the same as making your patterns-just using multiple fabrics in the same color families instead of a single fabric. I would bet most of you have 6-9 different pinks or purples or browns-pretend they are all “one” fabric and use them randomly throughout the blocks. Viola-a scrappy quilt! Relax and enjoy your bountiful supply of fabric!
Mel Meister says
I know I’m late in posting, it’s been a busy first month of the year, but as a scrappy quilter I wanted to chime in. I haven’t read the other posts, so I don’t know if anyone else said this. Please, don’t worry that there is a light green corner. You are still trying to be “matchy matchy”. When all the blocks are done and you are putting it all together, you can find a place for that block. I learned to over come the “matchy” syndrome by putting my patches in a paper bag and just use whatever I draw out, even if some of the fabrics were the same! It was a hard lesson to learn, but the resulting top was beautiful.