ha! I'm the very opposite - more into the fabrics and colors, with very simple designs. I find myself often bothered by scale, so i haven't gotten into the modern quilts with big slabs of color. I even scaled down YBR.

one thing I truly don't get, though, is why manufacturers' patterns, designed to go with a given fabric line, often require you to hack their fabrics into small, unrecognizable pieces. I'd think it would be the opposite, something to show off their fabrics.

hugs, charlotte

Charlotte, I don't get that either - but even the traditionalists have large scale prints where they get hacked up into bits. (Check Windham and Kaufman free patterns).

I think the difference is when you cut a modern print into small pieces there is such uneven color variation that the block design is sometimes lost, where in the traditional you can still follow the scheme, just with more texture/variation.

I just got some wild very modern FQ for Christmas and I am puzzling over them now. When I finish hand appliqueing my first Baltimore block maybe I'll have a look at using them in a Swoon.

That's an interesting observation. I hadn't thought of that. But then, i'm a bit thrown by large florals, too, even though they're beautiful. Clearly, I need to find a great traditional pattern for them and venture out more. :).

hugs,
charlotte

I'm with you here too. I think if the design is actually dramatic in a big scale type way, it is a shame to cut it up into small pieces, totally losing that "bang". If all we need is color or shade/tone, you can use any fabric you want, as long as it is in that color scheme and get the same effect.

I was just looking at some fabric at Hancock's of Paducah, and I liked some of of it that had a huge scale to it. Really impressive fabric as fabric and if I bought it, I'd try to leave some of that pizzazz (coleus flowers).

However, I'm letting the day pass without using my 20% off code (expires tonight)...just because I don't need anything they offer at the this point that is cheap enough under my self-decided upon price limit.

I haven't bought many fabrics from the new collections - I tend to haunt clearance bins, like some of the other posters! Occasionally I'll use a large scale print (especially home dec style) for the back of placemats so that one side is a little bitty pieced design, and the other is a big bold fabric print, which gives full reversibility without fussing with making two separate pieced sides. That's a function choice, though, and not really what I think Holice was asking about.

Another approach I've taken with large scale stuff is to make blocks that have a border, or edging (could even be four squares in the corner, doesn't have to be contiguous) and fussy cut so that it looks like the large scale print is behind the other pieces - sort of like a fractured pattern. Time consuming, and wasteful, but can look pretty cool.

Alison

My biggest conflict is that I really do love the newer fabrics and colors but I'm not about to redecorate my home so they would fit better. Well except for a small bathroom that I have decided to paint grey and indulge my newfound love of yellow and grey! So I am planning on table toppers and smaller projects with my new stuff. And my new quilting room is full of brighter colors which I love. I'm pretty eclectic about fabric and color actually.

I've stayed away from the new designs. I'm not "in" to modern quilting, at least not yet. I'm still working on mastering the old basics! But it is very pretty fabric.

[QUOTE=IrishNY;6485525]Good question. I find myself attracted to "modern" fabrics. I like the openness of the designs and am always attracted to large scale prints (just check out my stash - I never have enough blenders).

IrishNY- too bad you and I live so far apart...I have way too many blenders and not enough focus fabrics. Lol!

GeriB, you hit the nail on the head! I never thought about it before but I can see wallpaper from the 60's and 70's in it too. The groovy era.

I guess I'm not picky....I like it all. Solids, blenders, wild prints, subtle prints, novelty prints, 30's prints, big prints, little prints... I get different inspirations from them all so I don't rule anything out. My stash is very eclectic!

I DO like modern quilts quite a bit although I haven't really made one yet. I also like traditional quilts, wall quilts, art quilts, simple quilts, fussy quilts....

Lately I've been on a 'big block' kick, which is great for large prints.

I suppose I'm a modern quilter, if the only rule is that there are no rules. I will gladly mix themes and fabric eras if it gives me the effect I'm going for. And then sometimes I turn out a quilt that looks just like something my Grandma would have made. :)