Help!

I want to make a lap quilt for my husband's grandmother. His family is Ukranian, so I had the idea of using a pattern that is in keeping with the traditional designs on pysanky (Ukrainian painted Easter eggs) - see first picture.

I decided on the "All Hallows" block variation from The Quilter's Cache - if you look at page 3 of the pattern, there is a mock up of what the quilt would look like.

These are the two fabrics I have so far - see second picture - the burgundy print would be one of the two fabrics for the central star & border, and the yellow print would be the larger, lighter coloured areas.

I need a second fabric for the central star & border. Since the two fabrics I have so far are both quite 'busy,' I'm thinking I need a subtle tone-on-tone blender - but what colour?

Burgundy? A dark chocolate brown? The pysanky traditionally use black, but I don't want to use black for the lap quilt. Would red be too bright? Should I go with a solid rather than a tone-on-tone?

Thanks very much for your input!
Jan

I think any color that would compliment what you already have would work, but I, myself, wouldn't go with black. Maybe take your picture and your fabric to the fabric store and shop around. With the fabric WITH you, you can judge what color would look good. Also, if you are going to your LQS, I'm sure someone there would help you decide.

A dark chocolatey brown might work, but I agree, black probably wouldn't be so good. I really like the burgandy fabric!

Those eggs are beautiful! What a great idea to use them as inspiration for a quilt. I agree with black but I think maybe a solid, really dark burgundy. Let us see what you make PLEASE!!!

PS just been for a look at the pattern - it's perfect! It'll really have the feel of those eggs!

Just to let you know, I agree black might be too much but I was in a quilting class at my LQS and she has a material called, I think, blackest brown. It is brown but it is really fairly dark. That might be one way to go maybe just for accents.
Kendra

How about a green?.

ooooooooooooo boy. tough one. i like the idea of the burgandy , and i like the ch. brown. ok not much help here. i'm sorry. but the fabs you got are fantastic

What about a green? You could start with the shade of green that's in your fabric and go from there.

I don't think black would work well with the fabrics - a dark burgundy? or a brown. I can't wait to see the finished product!

i like the idea of gold. when i looked at the eggs thats what struck me - all the gold colors.

I was looking at the eggs, and that green was on almost every egg.
It was a bright green, and then I looked at the two fabrics and saw a similar green in there.

So, then I read klue's input and the gold just went over my head ... but, that could really make that quilt rich looking .... I think I like that better than the green because the gold enhances everything it comes next to.
In my not so humble opinion <g>.
Sorry about the feminine perogative about changing my mind, but I did! :roll:

My thought is either go with a green to match the green in both fabrics. Or match the creamy/beigish/yellowy color of the vining in the dark fabric. It's hard to tell the exact color from the photo. But I'm hoping it's more on the yellow side.

Green....or maybe chocolate brown. I think the gold might be too overwhelming...
You have a lot of bright colors going on and you need
something to tone it down (it will make them pop more)..
just my opinin and I'm far from an expert-lol

BTW, I just love the egg fabric....who is the maker or
where did you get it...so unusual!

That's exactly what I was thinking, that I need a really subtle blender in to complement the two I already have and to tone it down - "ground" the design.

Sorry, the egg picture isn't a fabric, it's just a photo to give folks an idea of what the designs on Ukrainian eggs look like.

Jan

or a light gold/ivory

Klue has a great sense of design - so her suggestion of gold might be just the thing. It would keep your quilt on the 'light' side. If you're leaning toward dark without going all the way to black or brown, either green or burgundy, both of which are in your 2 fabrics, would work. Take your fabrics to the fabric store with your pattern and let the women there (customers AND salespeople!) have fun helping you decide!

I wouldn't go with a solid - but that's me. I don't like to put a solid color in a star with a pattern. It looks 'klunky' to me. It might be ok - try cutting out a 'test' block. Don't bother sewing - just paste it together to see how the colors work together. Better yet, if you have EQ, try that - you can plug your fabrics into EQ.

the quilt store ladies can be helpful - but it's still important to trust yourself - if you like what they come up with - wonderful - if it's kind of MMMM, not quite sure about that - trust yourself.

audtioning fabric is a great way to go. to more or less quote Dorene Speckman- one only knows how it's going to look together, after the pieces are cut out and put together (not necessarily sewn together)