Simplest requests can turn nightmarish!
 

My MIL painted her bedroom a green color and got a new bedspread/sham/curtains, etc to go with it. This is a woman who has had white walls in every room in every house for 75 years so a painted bedroom is a HUGE deal! She asked that I make a wall hanging to go above the bed--approx 2'x 4' horizontal. Her only request?--lots of 'cream'. Obviously she's not comfortable yet with the dark wall color. :) I've attached a picture of the 3 colors from the comforter set. I've spent hours and hours trying to come up with a pattern and have literally lost sleep. I think I'm 'over-thinking' it. She wants to keep it simplistic so you'd think this would be a slam-dunk right?--WRONG! Too many options out there and I want to do a good job with it. Finding colors to go with it is proving difficult. After throwing around hundreds of design ideas and sketching I think I'd like to go with 3 cream background snowblocks (horizontally) with some sort of border(s). Would like to applique a 'bird on a branch' in the left and right blocks and perhaps a stemmed flower applique in the middle block since she loves birds and flowers. This would then show a lot of the cream color background.

I'm rambling but just trying to get a handle on it. Anyone else agonize over designs that you have to create? I've also searched for patterns but nothing trips my trigger. Found the Spring Woodland Stonehenge) fabric collection (or Autumn Woodland Stonehenge) and feel some of the simpler patterns in this may work to bring out some colors. Anyways, feel free to offer options/opinions if you'd like regarding colors and border design, etc, to help this gal get some sleep! Thanks and Happy New Year!

I feel you 'pain'.

I am a color person and am working on a beige and tan quilt for DD. It took me some time to find the 'right' tans.

Good luck on your project. But try not to loose to much sleep, one day a 'light-bulb' will turn on. ;)

Have you considered paper piecing?
You could create a good size block, then border it with appropriate colors to the size you need/want.

Then, add the bird on a branch in one of the corners.

Don't sweat it now. Just put your colors on th side of your work table and wait for inspiration.

With the contrasting color a simple log cabin would work.

I can't say much about the style of the wall hanging, but when it comes to color, I always love various shades of orange/peach/coral with green. It will add a pop of complementary color

I would do a Carpenter's Star. It's easy when pieced using HSTs and has a lot of impact hanging on the wall. To make it the rectangle size make two stars 24" square.
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I agree with the carpenter star! Simple but still striking!

I also think the carpenters star would be really striking!!!

I would probably use a variety of creams and light tans to create a background out of squares, then applique a tree branch and cardinal on top of that.

the creams and tans sound great with a touch of soft green added, perhaps as a skinny inner border or a flange.

Don't think a Carpenters Star is the size she is looking for. 2' x 4' Thats about the size of some Tablerunners, have you checked out patterns for those or Bedrunners would work also.

I would suggest crazy quilt blocks in the light colors . you can make them into a rectangle quilt easily for her.

How about 4 stars in a row (or hearts if you'd prefer) that are all done in medium beige colors with backgrounds all mixed light ecrus and near-whites. Our former guild president made one like this and it won Best of Show. The textures of the differences in beige values makes a subtle and beautiful quilt. You could use her green as a narrow or flange border.

Jan in VA

[QUOTE=Prism99;5766625]I would probably use a variety of creams and light tans to create a background out of squares, then applique a tree branch and cardinal on top of that.[/QUOTE

I love that idea! I think pieced backgrounds out of fabrics that are all of similar colors (eg. Creams and light tans) but are slightly different would make a gorgeous background for an appliqued design.

A celtic design appliqued onto a background of pieced beiges would look quite sophisticated!

i do believe Prism99 is the winner! Will post pics when I am done. Have the applique template and other measurements done and am excited to get the fabric and get started. Thank you all for your fun suggestions. Love this board!

I like the idea of a simple background you could use several different prints and tone on tones in the cream family then do your applique of a branch going 2/3 of the way across and the bird maybe make it have cherry blossoms. You have good ideas. Trust your instincts and go for it. Hope to see the pictures when you finish.

Take a look at some table runner patterns. They are usually pretty simple, and I think the cream would be great with some soft pink and maybe a yellow.

[QUOTE=canuckninepatch;5768373]I like that idea, too !! :-)

Marysewfun

Or you could make the "Swoon" block which is quite similar to the carpenter's star, it just doesn't have as many HST.

I think your idea of the branch/bird applique is great. Most people with all white walls will tell you they just like the clean look but I think it's because they don't know how to use color and frankly, most people don't. So, soft touches of color like the cherry blossoms and complementary colors on the bird would be instinctively pleasant and won't jolt her too much.

I love the idea of the Carpenter's Star = love the pattern & will surely enhance the room. With cream as the background colour, you just need to add a dark & medium green to make the star pop. I think the carpenter's star might be the perfect solution - now all you have to do is choose your colours !!! Just MHO.

What is a Prism99. Tried looking it up on line, nothing? Is there a picture of it?

I find that almost all greens play well together and I think the Carpenters wheel or the Log Cabin are good solid easy fast choices.

Good Luck!

I like prism's idea as well, good luck deciding and can't wait to see the finished piece

A great pattern and a great idea. I'd do this one or the labyrinth star which is also nice and eye catching. Would make a great over-the-bed wall hanging, I think.

Why not do a paper pieced tulip block? If you google paper pieced tulips there are lots of patterns. The creams could be the background and perhaps also in a checker board border. Sorry i couldn't send a picture but not sure the procedure from an ipad.

http://quiltbug.com/patterns/MH-Designs.htm

What are the other colors in the room? Lamp shades? flooring? drapery? Dominant color in pictures? favorite accessories? You might pick up another color for your wall hanging from one of these that is already in the room and use it. I like your idea of the bird on a branch and flower but I think I would consider making it a triptych with a common border around all three instead of three usual quilt blocks. For me, that style makes a better wall hanging as it doesn't look like you've hung a table runner on the wall. Another idea you might like is to have a flower vase in the middle with one flower and 2 branches. Each branch going in opposite sides to the edge of the wall hanging with your bird sitting on it. You still have the three seperate sections but the design has been incorporated into a whole. If the birds don't look correct proportionally, you can replace them with leaves or different flowers such as bird of paradise. Your background of cream will show everything off so elegantly.

It's the writer's "user name," like yours is MartiMorga.

I love your idea with the birds, that would be so pretty.

I like the Carpenters Star as well. There is also the Star Spin Strata. I purchased the pattern and soon will look for my combo of colors to make as a wallhanging over our bed to coordinate with bedding. There are several pictures/articles on our board - names a bit different, but the same item.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNE3As-yctA.