Why Scrappy Quilts Work: An Intro to Scrap Quilting
This scrappy starburst quilt, from my book Quilting Adventures, feels like light breaking into a burst of color.
How magical are scrappy quilts?! Don’t get me wrong, I love the bold, graphic uniformity of fabric yardage – it can really pack a visual punch. But a scrappy quilt brings a different type of energy, an ever-so-slight imperfection that feels unexpected in the best way.
Plus, making a dent in your scrap bin or your fabric collection is just a special sense of accomplishment. That feeling of “making do” really connects us straight back to the heart of quilting tradition.
And yet, adapting a pattern for scraps can feel daunting, especially if you don’t love quilt math. But, with a little planning, it can be a hop, skip, and a jump to making your next quilt a scrappy masterpiece.
Over the next few weeks, I’m going to take a deep dive into the how-to’s for scrappy quilting. So, get your bins of leftover fat quarters, rainbows of charm packs, and drawers of awkward yardage odds-and-ends ready and let’s go!
The “Pros” of Scrappy Quilting
Combining solids, bold prints, and varied substrates adds texture and cozy depth to a scrappy quilt.
Just in case any of you need any convincing, let’s take a moment to talk about why scrappy quilting is awesome.
If you’re already on board the scrappy train, you can go ahead and jump to the next section.
My top three reasons for loving scrappy quilting are simple; it:
Sparks Creativity: If you’ve been hanging around the blog, you’ll know I’m a huge believer that working with “limitations” can lead to breakthroughs of creativity. And scrappy sewing is absolutely one of those fun “rules” that forces our brains to get creative!
Tells a Story: Each scrap, each odd bit of yardage is like a little trip down memory lane. A reminder of past projects, past techniques tried, past gifts given, past moments in time. It’s like a scrapbook of your creative journey!
Makes Use of What You’ve Already Got: Whether from a budget standpoint or cleaning things up or trying to reduce waste, scrappy quilting ticks off so many boxes. Personally, I’m on a constant quest to try to use up what I’ve already bought (and sometimes I need a gentle reminder that I’m not curating a fabric collection, I’m a quilter who uses fabric!).
Common Scrap Quilt Misconceptions
And by “common” I mean these are things I’ve thought and felt overwhelmed by when I’ve looked at my overflowing scrap bin and thought “I should really make a scrappy quilt.”
“You need a scrappy-specific pattern.” Not true! Sure, some patterns are easier to adapt, but for most it just takes a little back-of-the-envelope math to shift from yardage to scraps. If you’re really at a loss for where to start, try a quilt pattern that has a two color layout option, then use a mix of fabrics from the same color families, one for each color (like the starburst quilt pictured throughout this post).
“Scrappy means chaos.” I don’t mean a chaos end result, I mean the process. Trying to get that scrappy look “just right” might feel daunting, like it’s going to be trial and error. And sure, there might be some experimenting, but with a little planning, you can make the process more of a fun challenge than a chaotic puzzle of “will this work?”
“I need a ton of scraps to get the right look.” More scraps can widen the possibilities, but scrappy doesn’t always mean “fully scrappy.” Even adding a single unexpected pop of color can bring in that scrappy energy.
Fabric Roles vs. Fabric Counts
Anchoring your quilt with a consistent ‘light’ and ‘dark’ fabric helps unify the design, no matter how many different colors you include.
When you buy a pattern, the first thing you might look at is the Fabric Requirements page with all the different fabrics and their associated required yardage. This is the first “hurdle” when it comes to the scrappy mindset shift: think in terms of fabric roles, not letters, counts, or names.
Most patterns say something like:
Fabric A: 2 yards
Fabric B: 1 yard
Fabric C: ½ yard
Which is obviously helpful, but it can also prompt your brain to think “you need three fabrics, go find three fabrics” which can be limiting. Now, if you think instead in terms of roles, you can unlock a world of possibility.
How do you start to think about the role of each fabric? If the pattern has a coloring sheet (digital or analog) or just a cover illustration, take a moment to study it and ask yourself:
Is Fabric A a Background?
Is Fabric B the Main design?
Is Fabric C an Accent/contrast?
Then challenge yourself to think that Fabric A doesn’t have to be one fabric — it could be a collection of light neutrals. Or Fabric B doesn’t have to be a single bold print — maybe it could be five different fabrics that turn every repeating block in a pattern into its own tiny canvas. Or perhaps Fabric B and C could be combined into a secondary design, maybe even a gradient…you get the idea!
We’ll dive deeper into this concept in a future post, so stay tuned!
So, Why Go Scrappy?
Because it’s fun. Because it’s freeing. Because it makes you see your fabrics in a whole new world of possibility.
Scrappy quilting is like a giant creative challenge (in a good way). If you lean into the play aspect of it, treating it as an experimental color lab, you’ll find the process to be just as much fun as the end result.
In the next post, we’ll dive into the nitty gritty of how to read patterns for their fabric roles so you can start spotting all the scrappy opportunities around you.
Want to take your scrappy experiments even further?
My book, Quilting Adventures, is a great place to start! In fact, the quilt featured in this post was made using the Bullseye Layout and Blocks 14, 20, 21, and 22 from the book.
The book walks you through the fundamentals of pattern design — from laying out blocks and playing with color to pulling cutting instructions (with all the math already done for you). Since every block is broken down step-by-step, you’re in the driver’s seat to explore and adapt, making it an ideal way to start thinking through the mechanics of building your own scrappy quilt patterns.
You can learn more about the book here.
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