They have alot of fabric out with softball, volleyball horses dogs or music you could use for for focus fabric depending on what interest your teen has. Or their favorite sports team. Made my two GS quilts from Michigan fabric.

IMHO, I would think that a teenager would be more concerned with color than design. When I asked my DGD what she would like, she told me about color (She said I like green and I like daisies.) I asked her about the design and she said that it didn't matter, whatever I chose.

Why not let them pick out their own focus fabric so you are sure they will get something they love, and then you can pick the coordinating fabrics and the design which is what will be the surprise when finished.

I did that with my nephews and they absolutely love their quilts. They picked their focus fabric, and if it was really busy, then I used it as the center of a framed block and did 9 patch corner stones and sashing for one that had blocks of vehicles (race cars, racing boats, racing motorcycles). The second was a busy baseball fabric with an American flag design, and I did the same, but the cornerstone was done in stars and the sashing was solids. The third wanted a Boston Bruins quilt, so I purchased 12 embroidered logos from Ebay, I framed them and alternated the blocks with stars, using square cornerstones and solid sashing in gold and black, and all three were quilted with themes from www.quiltrecipes.com.

We looked for focus fabric at www.equilter.com, they picked it out, then I shopped further for the best prices at online stores. They had fun doing that too.

They will know they are getting a quilt, but the finished product is the mystery and a very anticipated one!

Diane

looks like the puppy likes it too !! how cute for sure !!

I just did a king for my seventeen year old son. His directions to me were "I don't want any girl fabric or girl pattern. It took him a year to decide on fabrci and the pattern he liked was 20" blocks cut in half and resewn with different halves. I used five coordinating fabrics (blues and golds) . One paisley, others small geometrics. I must admit it was georgeous. chose a very ornate but masculine quilt pattern. He loved it.

Bottom line: let them choose.

My daughter starting quilting as a teen. She loves the geometrics and does deep, bright (not neon) colors with black. Not my choice, but her quilts are gorgeous!

I just gave one of our teen granddaughters a quilt for Christmas....it was more modern with lime green yellow, white and black, it turned out beautiful and she loved it, it was Moda fabric. The other granddaughters received the same kind but different bright colors.

my 17 yr old daughter LOVES bats. Have you seen fabric with bats? I found some of the orangish-halloween type. not what I was looking for
cherri

If it is not going to be a surprise you should ask them what they like and then you know they will be happy.

I just made a quilt top for my niece that turned 18. It is a Turning 20 made with teal blue, lime greens and dark brown. She loves it.