When I first started quilting I choose the least variety of fabric to make the quilt look good and spent a long time agonizing over whether this fabric went with this other fabric. It sometimes took days and several trips to the fabric store to even start my masterpiece. Then I started making scrappy quilts. It boggled my mind that other quilters could get so many pieces of fabric to coordinate so well together. In my mind they must have spent months picking out each individual fabric to go so well together.
Now I know that it can be easier to use alot of different fabric rather than picking out those 3 or 4 perfectly blended fabrics. My first scrappy quilt came about by accident. I wanted to make a scrappy "Morning Star" quilt. I started picking out fabric and tried to make sure each fabric I picked went well with every other fabric I had already picked. My head was spinning.
Finally I decided to just start sewing, because even if it looked hideous (and some of those fabrics absolutely look hideous right next to each other), that was okay. I just wanted to sew the quilt!
When it was all finally done, I stepped back and looked and it was NOT hideous. In fact it became one of my favorite quilts. Since then when I intend to make a very scrappy quilt I just reach into the scraps and sew without thinking. Other times I try to use scrappy color groups or values to keep the design visible while adding a bit of sparkle to the quilt.
Happy Quilting,
Jeanne
I absolutely love to start with a basic quilt block, fracture it into smaller pieces and then either make it scrappy, watercolor or gradient. At first I was intimidated by how they were done, but it can be easy and fun.
Take this "Corn and Beans" block with only 2 color or value groups. Divide the 2 squares into half square triangles, then each unit into thirds. You will have a fractured corn and beans block.
Next you choose lots of different fabrics within each color or value group and you get a great new quilt block. You can make it scrappy, or watercolor style or color gradient. Use jelly rolls (2½ inch strips) and this block measures 18 inches square or nickels (5 inch squares) and you'll have a 37½ inch block.
Make 9 of the 18 inch blocks. Lay them out and turn the blocks to even more fun effect. Add a border and you have a 60 inch or so quilt in no time.
