I started my first quilting class on Tuesday which I bought fabric for a lap quilt which I am to design by next week.

I picked out 3 fabrics. The problem is the main fabric has a design which I can't figure how to put in a quilt block.

I am not sure how to add the pictures of the fabric. The last one is similar but I couldn't find an exact match. It is a very light tan with a small flower blend (the flowers are not seperated) with a little light mauve and a little green.
I hope the pictures work as I copied them into paint.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Just remember I am VERY NEW to quilting and have to finish everything within 4 weeks.

BEAUTIFUL FABRIC!! MAYBE DO A QUILT WITH THE LARGE PRINT AS A SOLID BLOCK AND THEN USE THE OTHER 2 FABRICS TO MAKE 4 PATCHES TO GO ON EITHER SIDES. ALTERNATING

That is beautiful fabric. Hope someone can give you some help so that it can be used in a quilt.

Oh...that is gorgeous fabric! I would definetly fussy cut it and use some of it in large blocks to show it off. The complimentary fabric can be used in very simple blocks to alternate with the larger blocks.

I am what I call a lazy quilter. I usually just have 3 materials. I use a rectangle in the center (like your green), then strips on the side & top of the rect. with the next color (maybe the red), then strips on the side & top again with my 3rd color. Then I repeat strips beginning with the center color. I will then use a different binding color to compliment or the center color. Hope this is helpful. I figure out my center and strip sizes by determing how big I want my quilt & then work backwards.

That red would make a great kaleidoscope block which is easy. I did that for my first quilt and then you could use the green for a thin border or accent blocks. The book "One Block Wonders" describes the pattern.

Cool, the red looks similar to the fabric on my dining room chairs and the green is the color on my dining room walls. Want me to pm you my address so that I have a new wall hanging for the dining room? :roll: :lol:

well depending on the size of the lovely print in the first one, you could cut that one for focus squares. meaning the design would be your focus. say it's 4 inches, you could cut strips across the print and then cut those out. use the rest in the quilt somehow. waste not! something simple since you said you are just beginning.
if this is a class, ask your instructor what to do with it. that seems best.

I agree with fabuchicki, the red would make a fabulous "one block wonders" or the one I did was called "4-Patch Stacked Posies". Using the green for sashing and the red also for border. The pattern website is (www.hddesigns.net).

Yes, I think it would be a great kaleidoscope too.

http://www.maryquilts.com/quick-strippie/

How about this?

That red fabric is awesome. I would not cut into that fabric to make pieces, if my life depending on it. I would use one yard of the fabric: 36 x 45, and center it for a whole quilt with a pieced design around it. It would be beautiful with squares of red, black and a third color alternating them around it in a pattern. Quilt it around the design of the red fabric and around the squares, then bind it with a red matching the center fabric.

:-D Maybe after I get a few quilts under my belt. I'm sure I'll make many errors.

Thanks you to all for the ideas.

I will post when I finish the quilt.

Oh Jan, that fabric is gorgeous. You have lots of ideas there! I can't wait to see what you do with it. Most of all, have fun!
Hugs, Ruth

I agree with this, beautiful fabric.

LOVE this idea!

Well, I would use the beautiful red as one piece, the backing, and I would find two more pieces in a kinda salmon/pinkish color, a red to match the dark, and maybe a dark tannish/olive green . You could use an "around the world" pattern. Cut six inch squares, put a row of six red in the center, straight in a row, or however, an d then surround that row with any of the other materials you have, and just keep alternating the design to please yourself. No borders. when you have the size you want laid out then you sew your squares together in rows and then you sew the rows together. You can label you different fabrics A,B,C,D,etc. Sandwich the finished top and either have a flat end where the quilt top meets the backing or allow enough to bring the backing over for a border, which I really like, because then you bring it all together. Or just arrange the squares however you want and have fun! Remember, everything can be fixed! You can always buy more material and it's only money. So be creative! don't worry about perfection or what somebody else thinks. You just follow your own instincts, learn, create, and have fun as you go. Quilting should be enjoyable and relaxing! So goo with the flow.

How about this -- click on the BQ2 pattern. I am trying to do the same thing with a showcase pattern.

http://mapleislandquilts.com/quiltpatterns.asp

I think twisterstitcher's idea is a perfect showcase for the red.

I would use the first fabric as the border and then pick out different fabrics in colors that are in the border fabric. A rail fence quilt block is easy and only needs 3 fabrics. Goggle it and you'll find the pattern and pic's to help you. Good luck!

My idea would be either a stack and whack fan or fussy cut triangular shapes at 60 degrees and put them together. If you wonder about either of these, look them up online to get a visual. Neither of them are too hard and are stunning when done. Have fun, whatever you do!

I would look into Jinny Bayer instructions. she uses fabrics like that and turns the most beautiful quilts just by knowing where to cut. I will search some more and post again if I find it.

You can check this out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILhIT...eature=related

In the video the designer used border fabrics, but I believe your fabric calls for that style.

you could also do a fussy cut block with that red fabric

Hey Girls, She's just a beginner and starting off with diamonds may be too much for her. lol

I agree that for a beginner with those fabrics, this would be a great beginning pattern to do. Very easy, but it would be very striking looking.

I didn't find that pattern number on that page. What is the title of the pattern?

Try this web site for some different blocks that you might be interested in These blocks are free to download. The Quilter's Cache I love her patterns and you might get an idea there of something you would like to use.

BQ2 is the 9th one down from the top at

http://mapleislandquilts.com/quiltpatterns.asp

I think this would be beautiful using the BQ1 or BQ2 pattern. Fussy cut the beautiful red piece and use your other two colors for the borders. It is an easy pattern to work with, I have made the 4 stack posie and do not suggest it for a beginner. Hope this helps!

Beautiful fabric. I agree that it would make a very pretty kaleidescope or would look great fussy cut into big blocks with simple blocks surrounding it. Good luck!

I was thinking this too. Beautiful fabric.

When I looked at the red fabric more closely, it almost looks like a border print where the pattern is repeated along a straight line. I think the quick strippie pattern suggested in the link above would really work with these fabrics which are really wonderful! Good choices!!!

how about a bowtie

This might seem intimidating, but Cutie did an excellent job of telling us and showing us how to do a hexagon quilt. Your fabric would be awesome for this quilt.

Read through this to see for yourself, this is very do-able even for a beginner!

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-36954-1.htm

love the sunbonnet sue

Check out the free patterns by Jinny Beyer
www.jinnybeyer.com
She has excellent free tutorials on using fabrics like these. She also offers a free block pattern each Friday, and has been doing that long enough that there are thousands of free block patterns on her site.
She also offers quilt patterns for the whole quilt free.
yes, you can buy fabric and patterns and dvds and all the fun stuff there, but I don't get the feeling that I have to buy or else from her site like I do from some others that offer free stuff.
As you stroll through the tutorials you can begin to get an idea of what you want to do with your fabric, then jump over to the free blocks and find something similar
casa2manana
(aka Vicky :P )