Scrap Busting Backgrounds

A scrappy background is a fun way to add interest to your quilt. Hello Sunshine I made for my mom from Bluebird Flour sacks she collected on her mission among the Navajo Indians. I wanted to use all of the sacks but didn’t have enough to make the whole background. So I pulled from my low volume scrap bin to supplement the flour sacks. I think the different fabrics add interest without stealing the show from the Dresden flowers.

Hello Sunshine

Sometimes I create a scrappy background because it’s a fast way to thin a bin. The green bin was overflowing so my Naughty Garden came to be.

My blue bin fills up regularly. I have several quilts that have scrappy blue backgrounds. It’s the only way I seem to be able to keep it under control.

Scrappy Dresden

There are times when I use a scrappy background for the artistic effect. I felt that the scrappy blue and green backgrounds in my Wonky Rose Garden quilt gave it a Monet effect. Like an impressionist painting.

Using scrappy greens in my Tie Dyed Sheep quilt to give it a pastoral effect.

Sometimes I create a scrappy background because I feel it will play well with the colors I’m placing on it.

There are times I use a scrappy background because I don’t have enough of one fabric and I want to start a project right away. I needed this quilt for a class. Apparently I gave the original away.

Devine

I am a little impatient. And when inspiration hits I just want to get to work. Like when I started making these blocks as a little play on my birthday. I didn’t have a lot of any one navy fabric but when I combined them. A whole lot of play was able to happen.