Background fabric ideas for Aunt Gracie prints.
 

I have a pattern that I would like to make using Aunt Gracie prints for the main blocks but I need a background fabric (5 1/4 yds) for it. I know everyone usually uses plain muslin, white or off white but I would really like to use a color with or without a slight pattern in it (non directional).

Any ideas, and good sources, it would of course have to go with the 1030's theme.

Thank you

Yellow or mint green.

pale yellow is my go-to background fabric

This may sound strange , but I've sashed 30's print blocks with a black that has a very tiny rosebud print. Another 30's one, I used a black with teeny tiny multi colored dots. It seemed to work fine and really set off the paler 30's prints. I'd post pics if I knew how.

One also sees 30s quilts with Nile green, a peachy orange, or bubble gum pink.

Not sure what shade of green "nile" is, but a lot of the old 30's quilts have that minty green color. Maybe we are talking about the same thing. I bought Dream Cotton in that color, for use with my 30's prints.

I don't know what fabric you are using from that line. I have found that some of the Moda Bella solids are good matches.

If you type "1930's" plus the color you want & either Kona or Moda, you will find a bunch of choices. The other option is to work with a LQS that specializes in repro fabrics, like Pieceful Gathering in Fox River Grove, IL (yes, they will provide help over the phone & ship throughout the US).

Green is always the most traditional option for the 30's, but there are many beautiful choices. I had a blue that I used as well in my 30's quilt that was kind of this periwinkle color. I'm trying to look up exactly what the color name/number was for it. I bought all of them through Pieceful Gathering. They were not my background color -- I did a scrappy Irish Chain & left the background Kona Snow because I wanted the colors to stand out, but doing a background in something other than green or cream sounds really intriguing! I can't wait to see pictures of it!!!

Fabric with tiny dots or gingham might be an option. Try a search with the term ditsy print.

Kona has great colors to use with 30's fabric. I find best deals at Hobby Lobby with the 40 percent off coupons. Great greens, bubblegum pink, pale yellows, etc. I always keep a bolt I'd Kona Snow, too.