I just got a gift of 8 fat quarters of batik. How do I figure out how to use them effectively? I can do squares or log cabins but what else?
The patterns are bold. Any ideas. You are all the best!

I would say for each square, choose "at least" a light and a dark. Like, if you had a yellow and tan I wouldn't pair those together, but yellow with a medium blue and a tan with an orange would work....batiks are really mix-and-match, but you just don't want the (block) pattern to disappear.

Good, thanks!

There is a tute in tutorials for making 5"squares into a 4 patch. I did this with my batiks.

The only idea I have for them better than what Rebecca said about pairing them with light and dark is you could gift them to me <bwsg>. Now that would be a good use of them.

Seriously, pick a light color that goes good with a FQ and a dark color and make either Attic Window or Log Cabins out of them. Those are my two favorite patterns. Unless you wanna try a tumbling block.

ReRe
(bwsg = big wide silly grin)

Thanks! I'm looking up Attic Window.

There is a pattern called "Wickedly Easy" that takes 8 fqs to make a twin quilt. You can find it here:

http://www.byannie.com/free-patterns/

There are attic window patterns available without the Y seams too :D:D:D

ReRe tell her to join the fat qtr exchange and then send them to me. I love batiks.ROFL

I wouldn't consider this a hard and fast rule. Some of the most beautiful quilts I've seen have been low contrast.