All the quilts I have made for the men in my family have been from Kansas Troubles with muslin back ground or Civil War Repro prints/colors. Besides the oohs and aahs the only comment that stands out came from a SIL , she said "I love it! It won't look like a pile of laundry on the couch or floor, it goes with our colors." The quilt was a Sticks and Stones pattern in Kansas Troubles and muslin.