Originally Posted by GrannieAnnie

My guess is that a crazy quilt pattern would fit the bill. IN THE OLDEN DAYS, quilts utilized scraps------------whatever shape or size or fabric content was handy. And being more of a rough and tumble sort of place, the fine work of a more patterned quilt might be kept for the bedroom.

One advantage of a crazy quilt, you could use old slacks, suit jackets, vests, dress & work shirts. Lean toward the darker colors--------dark brown, blood red, forest green, dark slate blue, grays, some lights, but more darker stuff. Maybe quilt it with a variegated thread using all those colors.

AND IMO! for a quilt for your purpose, it would not need to be "quilting cotton" only.