:roll: :?: :!: I am stumped, I think I have quilters block or whatever you want to call it. I started this over 7 months ago and have never had one stump me this long. I bought the fabric at Hancocks when they had they big blowout sale for $2 yard. Immediately thought of my sister, her favorite flower is the iris.Okay , here is what I do know:
1.I want this to be lap-size.
2. I want iris' somewhere on it.
3. I don't want heirloom quality, just so she can curl up and watch tv.
4 I want to use the colors below

Now here is the whishy-washy part, Do i want:
1. Large center applique w/ classic blocks around it.
2.individual flower blocks w/ several borders.
3. to use the other three flower in the fabric for blocks also.
4. Scrap the applique and just make classic blocks and use the focus fabric as my border.

I have searched google photos,the QB, my magazines & books,ordered books from Amazon. Nothing ! The Fabric part came easy this time, I collected it in three seperate shopping trips, but the pattern or layout part has me bumfuzzled.
Here are the inspirational pics. and the part of the problem too.
http://www.quilterscache.com/I/IrisWreathBlock.html
http://www.quilterscache.com/D/DaffodilWreathBlock.html Make a tulip and whatever the other flower is to go with these. And then there is the Amish quilt site here: http://www.amishcountrylanes.com/PHP/Tour2007.php #'s 476 & 634 enter one less and it jumps to the next. Any suggestions or picture would be great! Thanks

I would do a simple bargello with the top fabrics and use the iris fabric for the border.

I would copy the larger picture substituting iris everywhere you see the tulips. That would give you two large blocks with large iris, and several small iris mixed in with the smaller multi-colored blocks of color. That one is unusual and very pretty. With your fabric It shouldn't be hard to do in a lap size. Good luck.

Look up 9 patch pizazz - you can then focus your iris without having to do applique. I also like the picture with the applique.

The fabric is pretty. I agree substitute the tulips with the iris.

I would use the iris print for a border.....pretty fabric btw

I love the colors you chose, I would make 9 patch blocks around several large iris flower prints with a small green inner border, wider green/purple border and a purple binding, using the rest with maybe 2-3 inch 9 inch stripes for the back. Make sense??

check out this one, almost the same colors.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/PINK-PURPLE-...item4841783ca4

Thanks. That was my initial thought. I will probably do that. Now to figure out the rest. Keep the ideas coming

:thumbup:

Ohh, pretty! thanks

I have't done a bargello yet , are there any free patterns on the web. Are they simple to piece? Thanks :-D

here's a free paper pieced iris. Maybe do the first quilt example you have, use the PP iris for the 2 large applique block, then use the rest of your fabrics for the squares.

http://piecebynumber.com/iris.htm

Oh, that's gorgeous. I have not seen this one. Thank you.Definitely saved to favs.

Check out Mountain Peek Creations website for lots of patterns that use a focus fabric as a large blocks with other blocks around it.

http://www.justitdist.com/mountainpeek.php

You will need to scroll about half way down the page to start seeing patterns that would work for this - - i.e. Spot Light, Sidelight, Center Stage, Grand Stand, Arcadia, Times 3 are some that might work for you.

These would be simple quilts to do and would showcase your central fabric.

I would not use the iris fabric as a border fabric because the "blocks" on it are staggered so, to me anyway, the border would look "catty-wampus". I would use the iris fabric as my central/focus fabric in a large block or blocks.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Iris-Blossom...item1c044cfc56

Here is a source for an embroidered iris if you would want to do that for your block.

Very nice quilts,like your suggestions. I didn't think about the catty-wampus effect on the border. Thanks. See, this is why I love this place. :thumbup:

Beautiful. Thanks :D

I just saw a gorgeous quilt the other day. It was a log cabin with some broderie perse applique to accent it

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-153855-1.htm

Beautiful fabrics. If you want her to curl up on the couch with it you may want to limit the amount of applique you put on it. Your sister may not, but some people treat applique quilts as delicate and fragile and store them away. I would hate to see that happen to such a pretty quilt.

I like the picture of the little quilt underneath your fabric. I think I would fussy cut as many irises as possible for the small blocks and replace the tulips with the iris wreath pattern you gave the link to. Everyone has great suggestions, and with that goregous fabric, anything you choose will be fabulous.

wishing I now had an embroidery machine :cry:

You I like your theme, looking to make an Iris quilt one day myself :)

You want a throw around quilt, not heirloom. So then why not just use the Iris fabric as the whole center as the focus? Add borders and then quilt it around all the different size boxes and around the flowers.

I'm not one that believes that every piece of fabric is made to be sliced up. Some say, just use me. :D

I really like the Nine Patch Pizazz idea.

In the Spring 2010 Fons & Porter's Easy Quilts there was a pattern for "Sunny Day" that would make up quick & would look very pretty with your focus fabric for the long strips joining the pieced strips rows. I used it as a pattern for a quilt top for my grandson using Hungry Caterpillar fabrics & it turned out really cute. Very easy to do & you could even work in some large squares of the focus fabric. You could probably find a picture of it at FonsandPorter.com. Good luck, pretty fabrics!

WOW! Lovely fabric, the floral is stunning.

several suggestions.

Is there a "natural" block in the fabric that you can cut without losing too much detail? a 12" or 16" or 25" or whatever? Cut there & then alternate with 4 blocks that total that square, made up of your coordinating fabric.

Fussy cut the floral & border them with your coordinating fabric. 1 border or 2, bringing them to all the same dimension.

Use all the flowers. They are stunning, and even tho sis loves irises, they go so well together, will add much interest in the quilt. :-)

Use the floral as your center panel, just quilting around each element. Make the border sampler blocks, a variety of dif blocks that you enjoy making, or want to try.

If that is too much work, narrow inner border, chinese coins, then wider outer border, all out of your coordinates, still with the floral as your panel.

...(keep me in mind for your leftovers, love love love that floral, me green with envy!)

I have seen quilts with fabric like this, but they were different flowers. Look up the manufacturer's website and check out their patterns for the collection and see if there's anything there you like.

If I had that choice, I would think about fussy cutting the iris, also find a paperpiece pattern, and put it in the diagram you also showed (right after the fabric picture) Good luck and send pictures.

I would make it a panel with blocks on the outer edge, then a border using the darker purple.
Just did a deer panel that looks simular to your flowers and I put a frame around mine, then 3 color tumbler blocks with a deer block in each corner. You might do something simular.

Have you considered making churn dash blocks with the flower blocks in the print as the center focus of the churn block, or perhaps doing an attic window with the flower blocks as the center. You could use all of the other colors alernating for different borders of the attic window and churn dash does this make sense? I think I would do one of these if this were my fabric and also use the pretty green with the liliac flowers in it as a border for the quilt. I love your fabric. You did well on your choices. BE sure and let us know what you decide.

You are getting a lot of ideas here. Look up the 9 patch pizazz. I bought one from Amazon & plan to use it for my next quilt.

This may sound crazy but I really like the fabric in the background and would make it the backing so you don't have to cut the pictures. I liked the second style quilt in your picture for the other fabrics. Good luck. Been there with the quilters block then when it breaks I've gone totally manic and can't work fast enough-it'll come when you least expect it

sewcrafty said: You want a throw around quilt, not heirloom. So then why not just use the Iris fabric as the whole center as the focus? Add borders and then quilt it around all the different size boxes and around the flowers.
I'm not one that believes that every piece of fabric is made to be sliced up. Some say, just use me.

I agree. That floral print is really beautiful just as it is. I am an iris fan, and love all flowers, so I would have a hard time cutting up that fabric if it can be used as is.

I have no suggestions for you except, when it is finished, send it to me....hehehe

The flower fabric is wonderful....make a smallish square in the center and then do something around the center and then a couple of borders! Use a few of the iris in the outside edge and/border! Simple! Keep it simple!

I love the two throws beneath your fabrics. Can you tell me what pattern they are? Thanks. Love your choice of fabrics. No matter what you do, it will be beautiful.

I would go with this one. This is one of my favorites in a very very long list from this Board.

I don't have a suggestion, but I love your fabric!

One of my Turning Twenty pattern books had directions for the same type quilt pattern using fewer or more FQ's which would give you various size quilts - lap, throw, twin, full, queen, and kings. That being said - I cut all the FQ's as per layout for the size quilt I was making, and then substituted semi-fussy cut squares for the size squares called for in the directions. Unfortunately, I can't find my Turning Twenty pattern book so I could give you the exact name. Might have been Book II or Book III - but I can't remember which one it was. Anyhow, it's a fast and easy quilt to cut out and piece - and those larger squares are perfect for a fussy cut square or as a background for applique. Just a thought - love the colors you've chosen.

I don't know the names, found them on google image search; I typed - quilt pic of appliqued center and traditional blocks together. Tons of pictures .

The tulip one is from this site : http://www.quiltuniversity.com
it was for a class. The instrutor may have the pattern or be able to help you find it.
The Baltimore Album was from this site http://www.blossomhillquilts.com

It is gorgeous! I have it bookmarked. Thanks :thumbup: