Shadow Box is a great quilt with large pieces to show off print material. EZ quilt and great for a man.

Square in a square. Fussy cut the centers with the bird fabric?

Late sixties used to be old but now they are young!

ROFL!!! Can't you use your seam ripper and replace a few blocks?? LOLOL!

How about plain blocks large enough to show off your focus fabric, alternated with rail fence or a simple star?

That's funny!!!!

You've got some nice green in there too, and some black. Maybe go a little light on the orange...what color are his sofa, house and car? I can see a lot of fun with this one! :-D

Is there a place to put some sunflowers? Maybe on the back? Manly ones of course!

I am making one for my father-in-law right now. It is a lap quilt that has 8 large log cabin blocks. The strips for the log cabin are 2 5/8 inch strips. The blocks are set on point with large triangles for the setting corners. It is made out of masculine flannel. The blocks take about 15 minutes each to make. This quilt goes together very easily. My father-in-law can't see much any more so I am making it out of flannel so he can feel it. So soft.

How big is the print in your focus fabric? I agree with soccertaxi, Warm Wishes is attractive, easy and will still show off your focus fabric.

Square in a square. Focus fabric in square Diane C

I used the Squares within Squares 2 pattern at Quilters Cache to make a quilt for my hubby's birthday. I used tiger fabric in the center and then used coordinating fabric for the frame.

http://quilterscache.com/S/Squareswi...res2Block.html

Ooooh, this looks simple and would be a nice way to display the bird fabric. Maybe pair it up with off white muslin and either black or dark green and then border it with the bird fabric.

Geez, I just keep changing my mind. There are just TOO many great ideas!

BTW, every time I read my own subject line "Looking for simple pattern for a man", I wonder WHAT was I thinking?? ha ha...

I used a carpenter star pattern for my husband, it is very colorful and gender friendly. He is using it as a table topper at his work.

Personally, I really don't think the pattern itself is going to dictate how "manly" or "girlie" a quilt is. It's going to be in the fabric. I think the pattern is secondary in this case. It sounds to me like he's quite the gardener and loves flowers and plants, so I don't think you can go wrong with florals. I'm anxious to see what you come up with. I'm sure he's going to LOVE whatever you come up with. He sounds like a very kind and gererous man. I did like the idea of a Carpenter's Star. Just my opinion. Good luck & I will be watching to see what you do.

This is what I was thinking. Make the center squares a bit bigger to showcase (fussy cut) the focus fabric or use it in the borders.

Never met a man who did not like a Log Cabin.

Great idea!!! Actually he is a One Block Wonder! :lol: :lol:

thats what I was thinking! haha.

dbl post

me tooo! lol twice

oooh I agree. this block can have several looks!

Rail fence in browns and creams. Use 2 1/2 inch strips cut into 6 1/2 inch lengths. Sew 3 strips together (mix them up) and then cut into 6 1/2 inch pieces. Final size 6 1/2 X 6 1/2. That way you can add as many as you need depending on the height of the man. Add a 3 inch border around the edge and finish.

A Big Block quilt works well with a nice focus fabric - fast, easy and looks very nice.

This is kinda like the idea for the hopscotch pattern, but adding the 6" blocks in between of the 'focus fabric': http://quilting.about.com/od/quiltpa...lt-Pattern.htm
I really like the rail fence, but I think the pattern on the fabric is a bit too big for that pattern itself. I know it goes together really quick. so if it's offset with the full blocks, it may look cool, especially if I carry it into an outside border, too.

Warm wishes is a good pattern!!!!http://www.ashevillequiltguild.org/A...or%20Linus.pdf


CHECK OUT SOME OF THE WARM WISHES QUILTS MADE BY BOARD MEMBERS

http://www.quiltingboard.com/search....S+QUILT&u=&s=0

Whoops!! I MEANT to say the Well Wishes pattern. I thought the black, off white, and dark green would look nice in that pattern, the the birds in the squares and also the outside border. The pictures of the other Board members were truly inspiring!

How about using the bird as a center panel of the quilt and for the borders you can select any variation of a 4-patch, using civil war repos (woven plaids) in the earth tones of the period. Very Manly.

my thought exactly

Oh, how I wish the same thing. We could have made him to fit our needs. LOL

Warm wishes is a great pattern and you can never go wrong with a log cabin. Tough decision! Seems like he is such a nice gentleman that he will love whatever you decide to make.

I'm a bit worried, to be honest, that he's TOO nice of a man and will refuse the gift. :shock: Every time I ask if he would step inside if it was raining, he'd say no, no, it's OK I don't want to stay. Kinda like the tooth fairy, leaves the "goods" and goes!

For my husband, I took a bunch of charm squares and mixed in some patterns of things that interest him (baseball, fishing, etc.) and made a lap quilt that way. I backed it with fleece and he is as happy as a bug in a rug. He likes bright colors. Simple, pretty and not that complicated. Took about 6 hours all tolled. Hope this helps.

Irish Chain has large areas as does the snowball block which you could alternate with another block. Or, just do a nine patch with a plain block alternate.

Oh my! Perhaps you can wait for a rainy day and knock on his door. Then as he opens the door ask him to "hold this" (the quilt of course) then take off running for home. Seriously, I am sure you could find a way to get him to take it .... maybe a few tears if he backs away from it? I think you are a kind person to want to do this for him.

OK, I'll throw a wrench into this thread. I just called my kind neighbor, Mr. Burdell, and asked him his favorite color. I figure it would be a good idea to get that information so he'd really like the quilt. He literally continually changed the topic... I'd say "What's your favorite color?", he'd say "You better move that bush out away from the house or it will die"... I'd say "So what color is your living room?", he'd say "Did you get out to vote today?", I'd say "Stop changing the subject, I asked you what your favorite color was.", he'd say "pastels" with a chuckle, I'd say "Mr. Burdell, stop giving me a hard time, what colors do you like?", he'd say "I don't want ANYTHING, I don't have any room.". And on and on it went. Talk about thick-headed. I thought I was thick-headed. LOL This man is going to drive me crazy. I just want to do something nice for him. NOW what do I do??????

So how about a crazy quilt?

Cute!

A Warm Wishes makes up great and would showcase your bird fabric. I found the pattern on the web but don't remember the site. It also was on the linus site. I just typed in Warm Wishes quilt pattern and found it. Am at present making one showcasing eagles for my GGS.

I am sure what ever you make him...He will like very much.
a simple 9 patch with another fabric would be nice.

Since he lives alone maybe you could just make him a meal or cookies or whatever you like. Perhaps he is one of those people that likes to do for others but does not like to be "done for".