Quilt pattern ideas for soldiers and my mother?
 

Okay, I've made one quilt, so please forgive my lack of knowledge of quilting language. XD
I'm making a queen sized quilt for my mother for her birthday in about a month and a half. Thing is, I have no idea what kind of pattern to use! It would be in blues to match her room, but other than that, I'm strapped! I want it to be individual, but also bold, while staying classy. I just began not too long ago, so I'd also not like it to be too complex.
Also: I want to make lap quilts for soldiers who just came home. I choose lap quilts because a lot of people come home in wheel chairs. Even if they have use of their legs, many people like to sit on the couch and watch TV or play a video game with a small blanket/quilt on their lap or around their shoulders. My dad is totally behind me in this, and even offered to dive me two hours to give the soldiers the quilts when I'm done! I plan to use rather patriotic fabric for this, however, again, pattern ideas baffle me!
I would really love some ideas about patterns, as well as some additional fabric suggestions for the lap quilts! Thanks so much!!

welcome from WI. A pretty and fairly easy quilt is log cabin and with all the varieties to put it together it's just a good quilt. Especially if you do the strip method it goes together pretty fast, when you are making a queen and have one and 1/2 months to do it. I also make soldier quilts, just near and dear to my heart. I like to make scrappy quilts because there are so many patterns out there and it also is a way to try to use some of them up. Good luck with your projects.

Hi Susan Ella, a big welcome to the board from Texas. Good luck with your quilting.

I agree with the above sugesstions. Welcome for Southern CA.

This is just my opinion please don't take it personally......why is it that when people make quilts for soldiers they are always red white and blue. I'm married to a soldier and I'm being honest the last thing my husband wants to think about in his down time is the Army. I just wondered why people don't make other quilts as well. I'm not talking complicated patterns but like blocks of novelty foods like pizza and wings I'll be the first to tell you soldiers love food when they come home they all have a list of what food places they are going to first. Alot of the wounded are depressed and being reminded they can never be that soldier they were is hard. All I'm saying is soldiers like the same things the men in your family like. Don't discount fabric you have to look for patriotic.
Please don't jump all over me for my opinion that's what it is.
Easy pattern that is fast ...yellow brick road and it's not boring. If you use directional fabric takes an extra thought process but I have done it a couple times and still was fast and easy. Great thing is every time it comes out different because the block arrangement is endless.

Welcome from Minnesota and happy quilting :) Here is a link to our Gallery of Quilts, which can be found under the Pictures Forum http://www.quiltingboard.com/blogs/q...enu-b2181.html
It will give you many wonderful ideas from the talented quilters on the QB.

You could do one of those 1600" quilts for the soldiers. Or a Summer in the Park jelly roll quilt. Missouri Star Quilt Co. Has the tutorial on YouTube. You could also look on Moda Bakeshop and see what they have to offer. They have patterns for precuts which can be easily converted to yardage if needed. Hope this helps.

I'm just sewing together a disappearing 9 patch which is quick but looks complicated. Would work for Mom or soldiers. Many tutorials if you Google it.

I agree with Quilting Crazie. About the soldiers quilts, and I'm tired of red, white and Blue myself after 30 of them.