Scrappy Sewing… when you aren’t feeling “scrappy”

If you're following the Alderwood Studio blog, you likely know Amber's aesthetic- clean lines and simple, refined color palettes. I generally find that my tendency is similar- I like to have simple palettes composed of solids to really let the pattern design shine. I often feel that scrappy quilts are quite overwhelming, chaotic, and honestly feel daunting. While some scrap quilts are lovely, I always thought it  just wasn't for me. However, I’ve recently made a few scrappy quilts in an attempt to push myself out of my comfort zone and use up some of my scrap stash. I've made some projects that felt like a learning experience for me and some stuff that felt really successful. I still don't consider myself to be a scrappy quilter, but I feel much more comfortable using scraps in my projects, and I hope you will too!

While there are many quilt patterns designed specifically for scraps, those may not appeal to you, or you may want to use those scraps up in a pattern you already own. Since scrappy quilts can feel daunting to many (myself included), I wanted to pass along a few tips and ideas I’ve picked up for ways you might make a dent in that scrap stash!

Scrap management

There are as many different ideas around scrap management as there are quilters. I’m of the mindset that you should do what makes you happy, whether that's sorting by size, color or some combination.  Personally, I choose to sort my scraps by color family and I generally keep anything that’s at least ¾” in one dimension. I don’t cut anything to size until i’m ready to use it in a project - I like to keep my options open! 

Tips

With the background out of the way, here are some of the things I’ve learned to help my scrappy quilts not feel so scrappy!

1. Start small! Practice your scrappy skills on a small project. You could choose a pattern that has many fabrics so that you only need a small piece of each fabric. It also gives you an opportunity to play around with your scraps to see what you like together. A small project also requires less of each fabric type so you can ease into scrappy sewing. Use up those scraps on a wall hanging, set of coasters, or a bag if you’re not ready to go all out on a quilt! 

This tiny quilt used scraps to make a baby-doll quilt for my niece. I used the colors in the print fabric to choose the other colors from my scrap stash. Pattern: Model Farm Pattern by Lo and Behold Stitchery

2. Use the scraps in an EPP or FPP project. Those  projects often call for smaller pieces and there is often flexibility in how much of each fabric is used across the design. I originally started learning these techniques to use up my scraps! 

 Left: Luna Moth Pattern by Porcupine Sews Threads, Right: letters from the Blackletter Pattern by Patch and Dot, layout by me

3. Use scraps selectively. You could simply pick one spot in the design to use scraps. Perhaps there is a particular motif in the design where you can isolate the scraps, so it looks intentional and not “scrappy”. 

For example, in the Santorini mockup, I used jewel tones throughout, but used a variety of yellows and golds to create the ring motif. For the Lily mockup, I chose to use yardage for Colors A, C, and Background but use a variety of similar shades of pale green in place of yardage for Color B. 

Pattern: Lily and Santorini, both by Alderwood Studio

4. Pick a limited color palette. This way,  you can be selective with your color placement or random. For example, using many shades of a single color or selecting only warm colors may feel less chaotic to you than randomly selecting from your entire stash. You could even intentionally choose your colors to make a gradient shift!

For example, in the photo below, I chose a dark green batik for my diamonds and flying geese, but did scrappy chain blocks in a mix of blue, green, and pink scraps. 

Pattern: Keystone by Homemade Emily Jane

5. Pay attention to color and value. You'll lose the design of the pattern if a lot of your scraps blend into the background. For example, if you're using a light background, you may choose to avoid light colored or low volume scraps so that the quilt pattern is still prominent. 

Pattern: Paradigm by homemade Emily Jane 

6. Use a crumb piecing technique to highlight the scraps . For example, you can piece multiple pieces of fabric together and treat that as one piece of fabric for your pattern. I chose to do that in a recent make where I used adding machine tape to make scrappy strips, and I'm so pleased with the result. You can read all about my super scrappy quilt here!

Pattern: Campfire by SuzyQuilts

Final thoughts

These are just a few tips to get started on using up those scraps you’ve been hoarding and make some beautiful designs out of your leftovers! One thing that I've learned over this process is that it’s unrealistic to expect a single scrap project to wipe out your scrap bin. But using some of these techniques and ideas can help keep your scraps manageable and make you feel more comfortable with a new style. And remember that using your scraps doesn’t have to result in a quilt that is overwhelming and chaotic. It can still feel thoughtful and intentional - whatever that means to you! 

About the author

I’m Rebecca, an ecologist by day, quilter by night, and gardener by lunch break. It is my goal to reinterpret traditional designs into modern quilts and find inspiration all around me. Follow my journey at www.rrquilts.com or on Instagram @rrquilts.