I'm hosting a swap for the 'food' type fabrics. I love the fabrics, but now what?!?!?! What quilt patterns, besides I-spy and Canning jars could I make from all the fruits and veggies?!?!?!?!??! Help, I need your suggestions, Ideas and all your wonderful creative advice o' wise ones of the QB.. Save me .. ..

placemats, potholders, bread basket covers
quilted casserole carrier, table runners

jar quilts

Im looking more for a quilt pattern of some sort.. I need ideas and some direction..

I've looked at the vegetable prints and thought they would make a great garden quilt. I was thinking of vertical rows of vegies separated by brown fabric. I would put a pretty flower print border on it because I plant flowers around my garden.

Really any pattern that has large enough blocks to show off the food, like a snowball pattern with sashing, would work well.

Just had another thought. The fruit prints would make a great 'orchard' border. The print blocks could be separated by a pretty grass green. I can see it in my head, but can't explain it very well.

I want to make a pic-nik quilt. Use all the different as the center of the blocks or something. Maybe something as simple as a couple of different colors of borders around each food fabric. They have really fun red checkered fabric at Joanns with little ants on it. Totally reminded me of the classic picnik blanket fabric. I think that would be a lot of fun for the back. LOL that's what I want to do one day :)

Baskets filled with them? :D:D:D

I worked on a wall hanging called "Pie in the Sky" that had blocks of pie shapes with fruit prints as the "filling". I found fabric with blueberries, apples and strawberries. I also made chocolate (solid brown), lemon (solid yellow), etc. Make up your own. It is paper pieced, but I don't remember which magazine it was in. It's been several years ago. You might google it, tho'. Good luck!

Kitchen wall quilts, hot pads, table runners, casserole carriers, microwave potato/corn bags, picnic table cloths, napkins.

If you don't wan the jar quilt. how about a pinic quilt.

Yes, that was my first thought...or maybe wheelbarrows?

I did just different squares of each fabric, like maybe 5 " sq. I made it about 5' X 5' and backed it with a denim. I then bought a set of plastic picnic dishes and gave it as a gift.

There is a wonderful food quilt at my LQS. The colors move out from the center. I think you can forget that they are fruit & just think color for this one.

How about a shadowbox quilt? http://www.wondrouswovenfabrics.com/...Creations.html

I made one myself in purples, however a friend of mine made 2 of these using the food fabrics. For the shadow area she picked a wood like fabric. Sort of looks like a fruit or veggie stand. She didn't do it as a full size quilt but two lap size...one in fruits and one in veggies. Then she picked a food fabric for the outer border (for the veggies, she picked a cabbage fabric, it looked amazing!).

Hope that helps!

***editing to add something my 10 y.o. DD is working on and thought I "should mention". She's been collecting her favourite snack type food fabrics...fat quarters...she has chocolate chip cookies, ripple chips, pizza, cake, ice cream, pickles (yes she LOVES pickles). I cut all the FQ into 6 inch squares, they all tend to have a black background so I used some plain black fabric as well (cut into 6 inch squares) and picked a couple of the bright colours in the food as well. She's still collecting, but plans on making a simple quiltop using the 6 inch food squares with the plain ones in there...sort of like an around the world.

Would make for a fun purse ... or for totes and market bags.

I really like the picnic quilt idea. I've also been wanting to do something with those fabrics, they're very cute and make me hungry. Lol :)

I am also trying to figure out a quilt...I like matching quilts with personallities. My SIL loves the garden, flowers, fresh fruits and herbs. She also loves to quilt. My husband suggested a herb quilt. I am currently looking for fabrics. still not sure what I am looking for. I am thinking a green color palate. This board is great for ideas, modivation.

How about a basket pattern, each filled with a different fruit or vegetable? Or an attic window to look like an old fashioned grocery store with produce in boxes for display? Use different size "boxes" to suit your fabrics!

Out of the fruit I've seen pie slices for pin cushions. Really cute.

I made my DGD and my sister's neice a simple snack time quilt out of food squares. It was very simple (new quilter here),just 6 inch squares with dark brown sashing and bright pink cornerstones. The girls loved them. I don't have a picture of them. I gave them away before taking a picture.

Stack and Whack or Kaleidoscope...I bet they'd work great

I've made quilt as you go placemats. Just cut strips of fabric and batting, layer and sew seams thru all thicknesses and flip fabric(top and bottom) over batting and add next 2 strips of fabric and batting and sew that seam and con't. until it's large enough. Bind and you're done. It's a fast way to make a bunch of placemats or a table runner. I used food fabric on one side and Fall fabric on the other. Or fruits on one side and vegies on the other.

I have a tablecloth made out of those,,,,, just 4" squares all over.

I think the Summer Porch pattern by Quilt in a Day would be very pretty with maybe a green leafy pattern for the sashing.

http://www.quiltinaday.com/shoponlin...ns&i=2899&pg=4

Or, if you want a quick pattern, try Disappearing Nine Patch. Large print for the four corners of the nine patch and smaller print for the other squares.
http://www.popularpatchwork.com/news/article.asp?a=5294

hmm lots of good ideas... Will definitely make potholders from some of the squares and I like the idea of a table runner/hot pad.. basically one big long hot pad made with heat resistant batting.. for the life of me cant think of that batting with the metal lining in it! Dang.. I'm having a DUH moment.. :shock: