DOTTYMO

Such a bright orange takes the eye away from your beautiful bridge. I would use a plain brown/ chocolate. Put the orange as a flange I the border.

Karamarie

I agree with the majority - orange but just as a narrow border. I think; otherwise, the orange would be the first thing you see in the quilt and would take away from the embroidery.

SewingSew

ragamuffin, I totally agree with you. I live in an area with many covered bridges and most of them are red. I personally think that the brown framing the covered bridges sort of mutes the focus, which are the bridges. They look like sketches, and if I were putting a sketch in a picture frame, I would use matting around the picture in different layers of color, like perhaps barn red, and then maybe colonial blue and/or black. If you want the bridges to pop, I think you need to frame them with a color other than brown. It is too similar to the color of the thread in the sketch of the bridges. You need something darker and contrasting to draw the eye to it., and then the brown fabric would work out nicely for the rest of your quilt. Your bridges are wonderful.

buddy'smom

Thanks ladies, the orange is out but have to use my browns/creams as I have all ready cut them and can't waste the fabric.

klswift

I think it is great without the orange. But, if you feel it needs the splash, then go for it. I would just do it sparingly. Either as cornerstones or a VERY narrow (almost like a pintuck) around the blocks. Maybe it is the brightness of that particular orange. Maybe you can audition a 'lesser' orange, a batik with a bit of brown???

Bree123

I would DEFINITELY keep the orange, however, I would turn it into piping or 1/4" sashing around the embroidery/inked pieces to draw more attention to them and provide a nice bright frame & break between the dullness of the bridges & the dullness of the rest of the quilt. Color is very powerful. It can enhance or detract depending on how it is used. I always think the most attractive quilts are the ones that use just a bit of color in the right places to help draw the viewer's eye to what's most important.
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Jane Quilter

Oh Bree123, I love what you chose. Nice enhancement to the quilt.

todiesmom

I would take out the print 4th from bottom and put orange there...I would replace the top orange with another fabric possibly the rocks at the bottom...hope this helps...

illinois

Glad to see that others nix the orange but I'm not sure I'd use the rest of the strips either. I really like the dark brown that frames the embroidered blocks but maybe the other strips are too light and detract from the bridges. I think they could easily be incorporated into another quilt such as a Rail Fence or something similar as they go together well but aren't quite right for this particular one. I understand not wanting to waste them at this point--just use them in another project as they play well together. There is a lot of "light" in the embroidered pieces so the darker browns would highlight them. Maybe put a bit of "light" in a skinny border to pop it all but the focus is the embroidery, not the pieced pieces. Lovely work and very nostalgic.

SewingSew

Bree123, You nailed it! Just that small amount of color draws the eye right to the bridges without competing with them. BTW, I really love the fabic strip at the very bottom of the strips. It looks like wet pebbles.