Fabric Scraps Obsession, ScrapHappy, What's on the Design Wall

ScrapHappy June 2023: “Oh Scrap – It’s Not Just Black and White!”

It’s the 15th of the month and time for my monthly “ScrapHappy” post as part of the ScrapHappy group I belong. At the end of this post I have a link to the other blogs participating in this monthly event in case you’d like to check out their ScrapHappy posts.


Look what is now on my design wall: a sewn together freeform log cabin quilt using my black and white (and some gray) fabric scraps that I introduced in this post – What’s on the Design Wall: Scrappy Log Cabin. As far as the name of the quilt: Oh Scrap – It’s Not Just Black and White! I’ll explain that later in this post.

So I went from this (a crazy box of black, white and gray scraps):

To this (35 scrappy pieced blocks):

To now this (all sewn together):

Here is a close up of some of the freeform log cabin style pieced blocks (if you’d like to see a summary of my method I discuss it in this post – More on the Blocks I Made at the Retreat and a Brief Tutorial).

It was so much fun to piece this quilt and to select interesting (all over the place) scraps for the blocks. As you can see in the images above, it is just a mishmash of scraps! I had a bunch of black and white fabrics scraps with writing as part of the fabric design so I thought it would be fun to work them in.

As far as the name of the quilt (I love naming quilts): Originally the quilt was going to be created only using black and white scraps. Then I decided to work in some gray. Then on a whim I decided to use some scraps that had a khaki brown color in addition to black. I liked the effect of a little bit of light brown in the piece. A pure B&W log cabin style quilt was not aesthetically pleasing to me. The name “Oh Scrap – It’s Not Just Black and White” is a play on the saying (which there are many versions):

Life isn’t always black and white (there is some gray…)

Now I am working on piecing the back of the quilt and I went shopping in my stash like I did in the post What’s On the Design Wall: Scrappy Autumnal Splendor.

And found these three fabrics to use as the pieced backing:

I will reveal the pieced backing when the quilt is quilted. I’ve decided to have a longarm quilter machine quilt this quilt also.

So after making two freeform log cabin quilts in a row I think I will try a different pattern when I am ready to make my next scrap quilt.

By the way here is an update on Scrappy Autumnal Splendor, the other freeform scrappy log cabin quilt: The longarm quilter is done with it and I get to pick up the quilt later this week! The longarm quilt sent me some photos and I am so excited!


As promised, here are the bloggers that participate in the ScrapHappy monthly posting event, check out their blogs linked below for their ScrapHappy posts:

Kate @Tall Tales from Chiconia , Gun @Rutigt – G Adrian, Eva @bambisyr-evaj, Sue @From the Magpie’s Nest, Lynda @Life on the Farmlet, Birthe @Birthes rom, Turid @Den syende himmel, Susan @DesertSky Quilting, Cathy @nanacathydotcom, Tracy @It’s a T-Sweets Day!, Jan @The Snail of Happiness, Moira @The Quilted Snail, Sandra @Wild Daffodil, Chris @chrisknitsews, Alys @Gardening Nirvana, Claire @Claire93’s Blog, Jean @onesmallstitch, Jon @writinghouse, Dawn @DawnGillDesigns, Gwen @Deep in the Heart of Textiles/Textile Ranger, Sunny @The Adventures of Team Wil-Sun, Kjerstin @Quimper Hittys, Sue @Going Batty in Wales, Vera @lifebyacompassnotaclock, Edith @Edi’s Crafting Life, Ann @Ann F Stonehouse Quiltmaker, Dawn @myquiltprojects, Carol @Quilt Schmilt, Preeti @Sew Preeti Quilts, Debbierose @Sew Rosey, Nóilin @Paper, Pen and Mug, Viv @Where the Journey Takes Me 2, Karrin @Karrin’s Crazy World, Amo @View From Our Hill, Alissa @ Snakes & Cranes, Lynn @Tialys, Tierney @tierneycreates, Hannah @quietwatercraft

44 thoughts on “ScrapHappy June 2023: “Oh Scrap – It’s Not Just Black and White!””

  1. I think I get as much satisfaction from looking at other people’s scrappy creations as I do from putting scraps together myself! 🙂 Your quilt is beautiful and I love your backing fabrics!

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  2. love the black and white and the subtle extras. If that is a picture of your stash I’m impressed, not just by the amount but how neat and tidy it is.

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      1. I did think that, that I admired that you did not go the way people generally do and fix on to that pop of color. I think your more subtle approach is more impactful and keeps the quilt as an overall visual experience rather than focusing on one element.

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  3. Love it! And you have so much better self control than I do. I’d have been unable to resist sneaking in some brights to ping out of the disciplined black and white background. Yours is so much more sophisticated. And I really love that ‘honesty’ fabric for the backing…

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  4. Tierney, you have such a knack for names and for thinking outside the color box when it comes to exactly what shades will take a quilt from “mnh” to “wow.” Brilliant to add grey and khaki. Have you ever taken on the challenge of coming up with a name then designing the quilt to match?

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  5. scraps we all have a love/hate relationship and at times I know my own (mostly) paper scraps “get to me” – many of mine are not even big enough to “stitch together” but at times they cover tiny “hole”
    love your scraps

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  6. Tierney, This is a very classy and chic quilt. It looks fantastic, very modern and elegant. Like a precious work of art. I think it would look great on a large white sofa in a posh living room.
    Greetings from the beautiful Rhine-Highlands / Germany…🙂
    Rosie

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