Ask Penny Halgren

If you have ever made a scrap quilt, you might have noticed that, in some  ways, it is more difficult to make than a quilt using all new fabric.

Several years ago, I took a workshop and made the little heart wall  hanging shown below.

The project was to take quarter-square triangle patches made from scraps and  surround the heart appliqué patches, creating a secondary design - like maybe  star points around the hearts.

I spent hours moving the patches around, and eventually I just sewed them  together. In some places, you might be able to see the stars.

The problem was that because it was a scrap quilt, I didn't have the correct assortment of light, medium and dark fabric. I limited myself to the fabric I had on hand and it was difficult to create the effect I wanted. (The star points needed either light or dark fabric in order to stand out from the medium fabric.)

Mostly, though, I just saw frustration and I was never inclined to try  another scrap quilt.

This year, I’ve decided to make some new attempts at scrap quilts. After  all, my scrap pile has outgrown its cardboard boxes and I feel compelled to do  something creative with all that fabric.

There are a few “rules” to help make scrap quilts successful. Following these few "rules" might make your quilt  a little more successful than mine:

 
• include something dark
 
• include something light
 
• include something dull
 
• include something bright
 
• combine large, medium and       small-scale prints
 
• use bright accent colors       sparingly and consistently throughout the quilt to keep your eye moving
 
• use neutrals to give your eye       a rest (black and/or white could be considered neutrals)
 
• pay attention to the amount       of dark and light contrast within the individual prints of the fabrics you       choose
 

One more rule... remember that rules are made to be broken, especially in quilting. So, don't limit your quilt or your imagination because of these "rules."

Scrap  Quilt with Appliqué Hearts	This quilt was made from leftover       strips of fabric.
The hearts in this baby quilt were made with       scraps of fabric appliquéd onto a white background.	This heart quilt is also made using scraps of fabric - strips, triangles and squares.