I use mostly my stash in quilting. I've gotta get it used to a more managable size. I have recently organized it, and there are alot of stripes. Can anyone give me ideas for patterns that use stripes well?

I like to use stripes for borders and backings.

Borders and backing sound good to me. I don't have many stripes so I'm no help.

You can get some very dramatic effects using stripes - I've used this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Stripes-Quilts...ref=pd_sim_b_1

Last summer I took a course by John Willard who uses stripes magnificently ... some examples

He uses geometrics in wonderful ways :)

I'm with Grammyp and Littlehud, borders and backings take stripes well. I also like narrow striped on bindings (stripe at 90 deg to border)

Love those John Willard designs.

I love Hexagon quilts with stripes and striped borders.

Here is a sample of the stripes I"m trying to work in.

Pinwheel blocks are fun too with stripes, it gives the quilt a lot of movement. You just have to be careful you cut the stripes going in the right directions for each blade :wink:
Some blocks have a smaller blade and a larger one, you could use 2 different stripes and a solid for the background. :D:D:D

Another idea is to cut them into blocks on the diagonal...use 4 different stripes and sew 4 of them together... It would mimic the string quilt blocks then, they are usually scrappy so it wouldn't matter if they all matched or not.

Kaffe Fassett has a book with a really cool striped shirting quilt in it. There are pictures of people's versions of the quilt on Flickr. http://www.flickr.com/photos/drobertatclemson/17848270/

you can't really see the quilt well here, but i did large star blocks with stripes, checks and plaids. a king size quilt. they looked great.

I would use them to make a REALLY crazy quilt. That way you wouldn't have to worry about them matching or going any particular direction. If you put a solid or almost solid between them would add interest too. I also love stripes for bindings but that would take a long time to use them up if you've got a lot.

I don't have many stripes, so I would use them for backings.

Stripes can be used for sashing, also.

Oooo amma, that is so pretty! I was looking for stripes at my LQS today because I don't have any, but they didn't have much.

I dont have many stripes in my stash,but I use them in paper piecing....crazy quilt blocks.

Stripes make wonderful bindings.

I love stripes cut on the diagonal used in bindings (I know it won't help much with the stash):-)

I love the quilt pattern called One for the Money but it requires yardage rather than scraps or FQs. A friend of mine once participated in a stripe swipe. The idea was so simple. For each block they took two squares of striped fabric (A and B) and placed them on top of each other then cut them into quarter square triangles. Then they took opposite triangles and paired them up to resew them. To clarify, the first block's "north and south" triangles were fabric A and the "east and west" triangles were the B fabric. The second block was the opposite. Then they swapped blocks. The quilts were spectacular.

Caution - these quilts probably would not appeal to those who
prefer coordinated colors, they were busy!

How about a basket weave pattern?

You can make your stripes 4 inches wide by 6 inches long and sew them to make a block .... It make a very pretty quilt.

I found that a little bit of striped fabric really perks up a quilt. I like it in borders and bindings and sometimes, I use them in piecing but I am always carefull of the direction. They are pretty fabrics.

Take 2 blocks equal size of one stripe, matching the stripes as close as possible. Sew diagonally like you would for hst and cut apart. Really sharp looking block and can be made any size and from any stripe, fat or narrow.

Have a look at the borders and sashing on this beautiful quilt!
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-38424-1.htm

I love stripes for bindings.
Spools would look awesome done in stripes.

I like amma's idea of cutting blocks on the diagonal. Borders and sashings are good too.

You guys are giving me good ideas. Thanx.

The RIBBON quilt would be a good idea to consider....

I'm so glad you asked this question - I am learning a lot from the answers. I saw a applique flower basket done once where the used stripes in a basket weave for the basket holding the flowers. It was reallly nice.

I use stripes whenever I can for bindings. they look great !

I took a class at IQF Quilt festival that wanted us to look at stripes and directional prints differently. It was called Stars that snap-crackle-Pop, or something like that! Maybe I just had the cereal on the brain. I hope I can get the pic of my unfinished blocks in.

The second picture was the teachers sample. Look closely, you will find stripes in the stars. It gives a dimension, kind of like movement.