Thursday, June 6, 2013

Maybe too scrappy? Is there such a thing?

 Would you mind giving me an opinion about this?  It is all from the 2 inch square bin, and the 3.5 inch bin.  Seems like to me it is muddy, or something.  It is better from far away...you know the old saying, "If the quilt looks OK from the back of a running horse, it is OK!"  Or something like that...
Hmmmmm?  I like it better if I squint...




Julie

54 comments:

paulette said...

Positively NO SUCH THING!! Love it!
P

Barbara said...

I think only you can answer the question "Is it too scrappy?"

I know what I like, and it's not the same as what others like. For me, I prefer some kind of unifying piece or color in a scrappy quilt, and I use solids to help calm busy prints and stripes. Others would never put solids in a quilt.

When I work with scraps I don't feel like I have as much money invested as when I work with new fabric that coordinates, so I'm willing to take more risks with scrap quilts, YMMV.

Vesuviusmama said...

No such thing as too scrappy in my opinion. I like it, although I'd probably try to border it with a unifying color, even if just a narrow inner border before a scrappy outer one.

Teri said...

Once you add a border or 2, you will like it. There is no such thing as too scrappy.

Missy Shay said...

I really like it! Maybe if you brought all of the colors together with either a red or blue border you'll like it better.

canuckquilter said...

I think that once you add a solid border or two, it will come together just right. Love the scrappy look!

Karen said...

Maybe try a plain border (muslin) with another color. It will corral the scrappiness and give your eye a place to rest. It's a great quilt.

The Calico Cat said...

Nope you are wrong, it is not too scrappy! Not even close.

& I am saying that not as a scrap loving quilter, but as someone who can see the stars in that top.

(If you can see what you were trying to piece while not repeating any fabrics then you have succeeded.)

Teresa said...

I am a big fan of scrappy quilts and yours is nice. I do like to add a unifying color to mine, but I must say, yours is a very cheerful quilt.

Janet O. said...

Julie, you know I LOVE all your scrap quilts, so I studied this one to see why you were uneasy with it, and calling it muddy. The only thing I could come up with is that in a place or two the contrast between the "dark" and the "light" pieces is not very great. So the "design" in those areas fades out a little--but we have all seen the vintage quilts with a low contrast block here and there and we love them. So there isn't anything "wrong" with it. But if that is what is bothering you, and you don't like it--change it. Maybe that isn't your issue at all. : )

WoolenSails said...

I love scrappy and it looks wonderful.
The border will bring it all together.

Debbie

Marei said...

I don't think it's too scrappy. But I can see why you think it's a little muddy. The darkness of a couple spots does not, in my opinion, detract from the quilt. I'm thinking once a border, or 2, goes on you'll be loving it.

Lesley said...

This is a beautiful quilt...I always second guess myself...in your case I say "relax"...it is perfectly scrappy and perfectly wonderful, all rolled into one!

Unknown said...

Love it. Put a bright aqua border on it.

Sandie @ crazy'boutquilts said...

Yep, I think the border will tie it together for you. Love it!

pcflamingo said...

Nope. Not "too scrappy" - no such thing. Maybe a little less contrast between light and dark in a couple spots. But my GOSH woman, have you seen the Scrappy Trips Around the World quilts or the Scrap Vomit quilts? Now there's some over-the-top scrappy and I love 'em! So, no worries, I think you have just the right amount of scrappy happening.

Carol said...

Never too many different pieces in a scrap quilt. Charm quilts are just that, all different pieces and it all works together. How boring it would be to not have all those different fabrics to look at. As some well known scrap quilter once said (and I don't remember her name) "Why use a few fabrics when you can use 100?" I love that and have always loved using many many different fabrics. If the background is a neutral, I use many neutrals, never just one or even a few. So much more interesting and for the generations to come when they look at all the fabrics. I've always loved your use of many fabrics.

Angie said...

Well, I'm with Paulette and Vesuvius' Mama---absolutely love it---if you're not sure how you feel about it, what about tea-dying it? ;D I keep thinking I'm going to get the nerve up to do that one of these days with a top.

Helen in the UK said...

You can clearly see what your pattern is, so in my opinion you have a great scrappy quilt, not a too scrappy quilt! If you aren't happy play around with it - make some more blocks to add in some unexpected extra colours and see if you can give it the 'zing' you seem to think you're missing :)

Mary said...

I think it's very pretty. It has good contrast and the pattern shows clearly...I love it!

Susan said...

Looks great to me!

Karen said...

Never too scrappy!

Paula, the quilter said...

If you think it is TOO scrappy, consider changing the color of the fabric with the color of the quilting thread. It might help.

Mad about Craft said...

I think it is great!!

Terry said...

I think it's wonderful! :0)

Mary said...

Awwwww, you have mastered the Bonnie Hunter frame of mind! It's absolutely gorgeous and I love it!

Sue SA said...

Looks fine to me, the star pattern is never going to stand out as well in scrappy as it would if you made the star points a different colour. I think its one of those quilts where it needs a border though...or two perhaps (one skinny and one fat)? And I like Paula's suggestion.

Valerie the Pumpkin Patch Quilter said...

Same here, I think it's very Bonnie Hunter-esque! I like the scrappy and I think the yellow and bright blues add to the scrappy look.

Anonymous said...

Oh Julie, it's wonderful...you've just been working with it for so long...take a fresh look another day.

sophie said...

First and most importantly, it's not too scrappy. It's pretty great. LIke others have suggested, you might consider a border to frame all that scrap-happiness. I think maybe the reason you are asking the question is more related to value than just all those wonderful scrappy fabrics. If, for example, you used darker scraps for the star points and medium value scraps for the 4-patches and left the lights in the background. it would be just as scrappy, it wouldn't be immediately obvious that there was any method to your madness, but our brains would perceive the organization ... and you wouldn't be asking the question.

People often tell me they like "the colors" in my anything and everything scrap quilts. I believe it's the use of value that prompts the comment.

Ruth said...

It's a charming quilt! You could sort of tie some of the colors together with a couple of borders, but it's very pretty right now.

Caroline in NH said...

OK, *I* love it! JMHO, of course...

Kim said...

Love it, but if you just can't stand it.....I'll give you my address :0)

Happy Sewing

Leeanne said...

Sounds like you need my address? This great, all your quilts are great! Maybe a strong colour for sashing to pull it all in?

Quilter Kathy said...

NOPE! No such thing as "too" scrappy!
Love it!
And I like the on-point setting too :)

scraphappy said...

Sometimes when a quilt seems too random, a nice wide border can calm it down. Pick the color you want it to be and the border will make that color seem most prominent. If you don't like it -- I am sure someone else will -- perfect to have on hand for gifting or charity.

Sylvia said...

I think it is awesome, and a black solid border would make it all pop!

Merilyn said...

I really love scrappy, so no! it's not too scrappy, but perhaps if you feel it's a bit too messy looking why not use a narrow darkish sashing to separate things a bit, this could also be the same as say the border fabric, or a narrow border before another border, just an idea!!! I know what you mean, experiment with a narrow sashing to see if it doesn't improve things for you a bit!!!!

joe tulips said...

I love the scrappiness. Sophie may be on to something. But I have a horrible time with lights, mediums and darks and the whole value thing.
I see a red border, I am not sure why. I could be wrong too.

Jill said...

I think it looks great. It's scrappy and that is what scrappy is all about. I agree, borders will finish it off and pull it all together.

Lori said...

What a fun and scrappy quilt!!
Well, you asked? Don't you love all the opinions? I probably would not put a pieced border on it! :)

Yvette said...

I love it! The scrappier the better.

Heartsdesire said...

There's no such thing as a too scrappy quilt. It's gorgeous, and I was not squinting.lol

Loris said...

Sure looks good from here :-)

Nancy said...

Never!

I love the variety of color in this quilt.

Vic in NH said...

I agree with the plethora of comments that say that there is no such thing as too scrappy. Now, having said that, I believe that a very scrappy quilt needs a unifying factor so that the viewer can make visual sense of it. Take your favorite color from the quilt's scrappiness and audition a big wide border of it. Personally, I'd use a red. A big border will give the eye a place to rest and I think that that is what is missing.

Megan said...

I agree with the "No such thing as too scrappy" proclamation. Choices about border and quilting will make a huge difference. If it were my quilt, I'd probably add a narrow inner border with an accent colour and then a wide outer border with a tone-on-tone, with binding the same fabric as the outer border. That will have the effect of calming it down.

Megan
Sydney, Australia

LesQuilts said...

Hi!
I agree, your quilt is lovely! You have laid it out on a beige carpet and all the similar coloured pieces fall into the carpet colour, leaving the bright colours to pop. How about a dark border, say 2 inches wide and then a piano key border, then the same dark fabric for binding. It will calm the colours down nicely, by giving the eye a place to rest on the outer vs the inner part of your quilt!
Have fun, it will be great!
Take care, Leslie

Nicky said...

Love scrappy! A strong colour will bring it all together!

Randy D. said...

are you kidding? Too scrappy?? NEVER!! Love it!!

AnnieO said...

One thing is true, it's plainly happy scrappy! I don't see muddiness at all, just fun:)

Amy said...

I think it could work out just fine - perhaps try it with one or two borders which bring the colors together?

Amy said...

I think it could work out just fine - perhaps try it with one or two borders which bring the colors together?

Jo said...

I love scrappy!!

Puffins and purples!!

I was tempted by Puffins...a squirrelly breed!!  LOL!  This fabric was shared with me, and I have been loved these bright, candy corn colors...