Scrap Snap Quilt Along: Planning

Is your scrap bin overflowing like mine? I wish that laundry basket was all I have, but that's only what I haven't sorted already. Eeeks! Let's make a scrappy throw together! Everything about this quilt along is super flexible, so it will work with any quilter's style—from modern to solids to primitive to batiks to everything in between. It will turn your scraps into a top in a snap!

At the end of the year, we'll have busted at least 5 yards of scraps and have a fun top to show for it. The cutting works well to use up odd bits of jelly roll strips and both mini and regular charm squares, if you have some of those lingering. Each month, we'll pick a section of our scrap bin, trim odd bits to size, and sew 10 blocks (each month is the same 10 easy-sew blocks). The cutting of the scraps will take the most time as the sewing is meant to be fast and easy.

Who's in??? I hope you!

Now, onto the fun stuff!

Amount of fabric per month

Approximately 5–8 ounces or about half a yard

Planning

There are so many ways to go with this quilt. A lot of it will depend on the type of fabrics you like and what you have in your scrap bin. There are a ton of options below but these are by no means the only way to go. I'm giving you directions for these three options, but there are so many more options that I'm sure some of you brilliant quilters will come up with.

Option 1: A different color of scraps every month

I am showing all of these options in crayon brights to show off the color steps. But you could definitely tone down the colors (wouldn't retro feedsack prints be darling!) or give it a more gradual ombre effect by having subtle changes from say royal blue to turquoise to aqua to lime green. These also show some framing rows of lights or grays because I liked that but you don't have to do that.

One color each month for 10 months, two months of low volume, pieced in rows

One color each month for 10 months, two months of low volume, pieced in alternating color pair rows

One color each month for 10 months, two months of low volume, mixed placement for the colors

One color each month for 10 months, two months of low volume, zig zag arrangement

One color each month for 9 months, three months of grays, asymmetrical wave arrangement
(this is what I'm making!)

Option 2: Odd months dark/even months light

These options are perfect for those of you who don't have quite as many scraps, or those who have so many that you have a ton of one color. You know, the dark months could be blacks and dark grays, and light months the colorful scraps too. See what I mean by flexibility?

Odd months each a different color, even months low volume lights

Odd months each a different color, even months low volume lights

Odd months each the same color, even months low volume lights

Odd months each a mix of darks, even months low volume lights

Odd months each a different color, even months low volume lights

Odd months each a different color, even months low volume lights

Odd months each the same color, even months low volume lights

Odd months each a mix of darks, even months low volume lights

Odd months each the same color, even months low volume lights

Option 3: Colorful scraps with no layout

These options don't use any contrasting rows for layout and they just sparkle! The key it to keep it to the same types of tones and don't put in fabrics that are too light or too dark compared to the rest. See how different it looks in the different color stories!? Each one is gorgeous. Are you one of those quilters who just loves a certain designer's fabrics and has a ton of their scraps? Than this might be the option for you. I've labeled these with the designer's palette of colors I've used in the mock up.

Analogous with mostly one hue

Bonnie and Camille

Ruby Star Society

Alison Glass

Anna Maria Horner

Kansas Troubles

Coloring worksheet

Download this coloring worksheet to test out your ideas. Each row is a month worth of blocks so you can plan accordingly.

Share

Join in the fun here! Primary Facebook group: here

Are you on Instagram? If so, I'd love to see what you are planning and it might inspire another quilter to join in! Follow me at @quiltsforthemaking and tag your posts with #scrapsnapquiltalong #scrapsnapquilt #quiltsforthemaking @quiltsforthemaking so we can all follow along together!