TAMARATJO

I tend to make quilts out of tone on tone, small print type fabrics in a rainbow of colors. I am trying to expand my horizons and use more prints. I fell in love with Robin Pickens fabric lines such as Abby Rose, Blushing Peonies, Sweet Pea and Lily. ( I would be most likely to use her Thatched line of fabric for making quilts)! I use EQ 8 extensively, and have downloaded the fabric to use in designing quilts, but have had no success in creating something I love. The fabric lines have an excellent range of fabric, in multiple color stories. But the bigger florals (which I love) seem hard to work into a block. There is a pattern with the Abby Rose line that I like, but I want to learn how design quilts/blocks that work well with prints and florals and larger scales.
What type of blocks work best for these types of prints? What quilt or block designing rules or tips can you share? https://my.modafabrics.com/designers/robin-pickens

Iceblossom

My natural inclination goes towards what I call the "tiny vine-y" basic calicos and I've been trying to broaden my design sense and have been forcing myself to work with/learn to appreciate larger prints. Sometimes that works better than others!

Snowball blocks work well as a way to showcase a large print and can be used in many ways. It is the alternate block in what is called "Tennessee Waltz" where it is alternated with 54-40 or fight. It can be the foundation of an "Around the Twist", you might try searching on those names.

Here's a link to my album on the boards, you will see a lot of large prints being used. Again, as I say, sometimes more successfully than others but it is a process.
https://www.quiltingboard.com/member...56-albums.html

In my collections of fabrics, I'm working on an idea named "The 80's called -- They want their fabric back". I think I need to use a big Laura Ashley type floral/rose print and so I've been turning around a few ideas in my head. Maybe an Ocean Wave focusing around that floral...

juliasb

I may make a bolder statement using those larger prints as the background. I love the purples in t he Sweet Pea and Lily line. You may get more brilliant use of your colors reversing some of your first choices. Since you have EQ 8 to play with I would look to see how other fabrics lay out with the larger prints and the background. Just a though.

EasyPeezy

Have you checked her patterns on Google Image. That's where I usually start for
inspiration. Just type Robyn Pickens and the name of the collection or just
"Robyn Pickens quilts" and you will get lots of ideas.

Tartan

A classic Irish Chain with the large floral in the big squares looks nice. Warm Wishes works well with large scale prints.

sewingpup

I would use some of the modern quilt designs that use larger blocks...which would show off the larger prints....you could also use patterns like a simple eight pointed large star with the big floral in the center and the star points being more of the tone on tone prints and maybe even one of the smaller florals as the background? or make just a row of the larger florals going across the quilt in waves...or as tumbler blocks between tone on tone tumbler blocks....maybe a "window pane" type quilt with a different large print in each window? oh...and don't forget, sometimes a large floral print can make a wonderful border.....

EasyPeezy

Also, don't forget to check her blog. Love her Kyoto Steps quilt.
I think sometimes large florals work best in simple quilts.

https://www.robinpickens.com/blog/ca...quilt-patterns

wesing

These are small pieces but we used florals for most of this quilt. I think the pieces finish at 2 by 3.5”. The scale of the prints was not huge, but it gives you a place to start.

Another pattern to consider is Blooming Nine Patch. It is very well suited to large print multi colored fabrics.

Barb in Louisiana

I love your Blooming Nine Patch!

Peckish

Ok here goes...
I love the large-scale floral fabrics for a pattern called Florentine Fantasy. It's essentially the same as a Four Patch Posy, only you cut the squares into triangles and reassemble them. I like to add multiple borders around each block to frame them. This is the only pattern I have made multiple quilts of, I think I have 8 or 9 in various stages of completion.

Here is where I started - this is the original uncut yardage, so you can see the scale. The next pic is the blocks cut and sewn together. Third pic is after putting sashing around each block. Notice how each block has an inner sashing that compliments the fabric, and an outer black sashing. It's much easier to sash this way, than to try lining up long strips of fabric. Last pic is the finished quilt.