Keeping it on the "Q.T." Quilting Tip # 1

Recently I was selected as a member of Quiltmaker's Scrap Squad.  Monday, we received our first quilt assignment.   I decided to Google the word SCRAPPY -

 Scrappy -  consisting of disorganized, untidy, or incomplete parts:

No one wants a quilt that is disorganized, untidy or incomplete.  So how do you use scraps in a quilt and keep it organized, tidy, and complete.  Well here is Q. T. # 1.

"Choose an inspiration fabric and let it be  your guide."

I began by looking through my stash of fabric.  The fabric below had been in my stash for a few years waiting for the perfect quilt.  I decided to use it as my inspiration fabric.

It is a hand dyed fabric.  Not sure how I will use it in the quilt but it will serve as my guide for selecting scraps of fabric.  After looking at the inspiration fabric, I remembered that I had recently purchased a small amount of various colors of hand dyed ombre fabrics.  I placed then on the inspiration. 

I eliminated the gray and red fabrics. The gray was completely wrong and the red was a little too red.  (not pinkish enough)

I decide to go with these six colors.  Again I'm not sure how I will use them but I added them to my stack.

 

Now comes the fun part, gathering together my scraps.  Since this is the Scrap Squad the scraps will be the focal part of the quilt.

I began by going through my scraps and selecting fabrics that were similar in color to the six colors above.

 

 

I auditioned each fabric and some were eliminated as was the yellow fabric shown below.  It has similar colors but was too yellow.

 

I have a maybe "pile" of scraps. You can see them at the top of the photo below.  I can always go back and add then to the mix if I choose.

 

If you are having trouble deciding whether or not to use a certain fabric, sometimes it helps to take a photo and look at the photo.  It can give you another point of view.  Here I used my IPad and took a photo. I eliminated a few fabrics after viewing the photo.

 

Below is my final selection of scraps.  You will notice that I eliminated the orange ombre and one of the blues.  I also eliminated the orange scraps and combined all the blues into one stack.  Now I have my inspiration fabric, 4 ombre hand dyes, and my scraps in four piles.

 

All of these selections were based on my one inspiration fabric.   I have found this to be a simple and effective means of selecting a variety of scraps for my quilts. 

 

 

My final stack of scraps

And I didn't add in any of my "maybe" fabric this time but often I do go back and revisit those fabrics.  This time I had enough variety without them. 

 

Hope you enjoyed my Keeping it on the "Q.T." Quilting Tip # 1.

 

"Let an inspiration fabric be your guide."

Oh yes! Leave your fabric out on your table for a few hours or days.  Walk by and see if you are concerned about any of the fabrics or if something is missing.  After doing this, I decided I needed a POP of COLOR.  Referring back to my inspiration fabric, I decided to add yellow as my POP.

 

 

Remember, I still don't know how I will use these fabrics but my quilt design is beginning to come into focus.  I'm pleased with the fabrics I selected and know that they "fit together".  Now the quilt  design will begin to take shape.   I won't be able to share the quilt pattern until my quilt is revealed in March but I will share more later as I make design decisions.