I really, really like this pattern. http://applewd.com/BOM/page1.html

I really, really don't do blue. What color would change the background to so the applique still shows up?

pinks, peach & oranges. tans creams change color of some of the applique pieces. I love the blue.

I was going to say peach. I guess I was thinking the colrs of a sunrise or early sunset.

Blue is my favorite color, so I absolutely love this pattern! Can't wait to see what you decide and a pic of the finished project! What ever you decide it will be gorgeous!

I think tans, darker browns and light brown would show off the white nicely. I don't care for that blue either.

BOOO on the blue especially with those purple buds, I would go tans, creams ....

I agree!

How about a really pale green, make the stars a darker green and use dark green leaves in the wreath. I'd make the flowers pink.

In line with the season, you could use tans,browns, yellows, orange and different shade of reds and greens as well. It is a lovely pattern and has so much scope. You may need to change the colours of the appliqued pieces to suit your new scheme. Hope you find a nice combo to work with!

Kona Cotton Apricot (it's like peach but a little lighter) or a soft yellow (light sunshine)

What about eggplant? Like a really rich, almost black purple? Then go from there, but not so far as to get into the lilac shades?

ETA: Lilac and grey???

Me too!

Great minds think alike. I just ordered this for my MIL for Christmas!! She will have a project for the winter months.

I agree with the peaches, tans, even some greens might be pretty.

I was thinking yellows - from butter to lemon to gold - and a little warm apricot.

I think orange/golds or greens would look good. I love blue, but it just doesn't seem to fit that quilt.

I like all of the suggestions presented. Personally, I would choose the colors for my applque and then I would decide on the background color.

I can totally relate. I had never used blue, because I just really prefer not to. Then I had three people in a row who wanted blue. I was sooooo glad to have those three quilts finished.

Great suggestions everybody!! The blue just totally threw me off. I think either going with a "sunrise" color scheme or a "tree" color scheme would work.

What a beautiful pattern. I agree the blue is too much....real soft yellows would be pretty.

Thank you for posting this, I do do blue and I love this pattern, although I would probably make it as a medallion with a different centre panel.

I don't like blues that well either. I woudl probably do a brown or dark gold.

I find large concentrations of blue depressing. I would do either colors of a beautiful sunrise or sunset. For me it would be a sunset, I find it offers more color options. This is a beautiful pattern.

Well, I had to bookmark this and add the pattern to my 'favorites' as well. I like the idea of the peach and tans, too. Yellow would be interesting if you change the flowers to red and oranges, it would make it tropical.

Maybe tans and creams? Thank you for sharing the site as I think it would make a lovely hanging for winter.

Any color you want to use. It is your quilt and you will be looking at it.

Different shades of tans with some greens to make the red bird show up better. Red and green are opposites on the color wheel, correct?

I like the neutrals...creams, or the pale yellows.
Let the wreath and bird be the focal point.

Oooooo! I'd go for taupes, creams, browns (wood-like colors) to really set it off. I like blue, but not in that pattern. It's almost like it's competing with the applique.

What's your favorite color? Just go with shades of it -- and even change the bird to some other color if you like..there are all colors of those guys!

This gets my vote.

I agree with the tans,browns or the idea of greens.

Yellow just screamed out at me when I looked!

This is where my EQ7 comes in handy. I would download the picture into the program and I can change colors or use my own stash to see what it would look like.

I like the idea of using yellow. What is your favorite color? could it be used instead of the blue?

i would choose the colors for the aplique then go from there. maybe even a "rainbow" or "sunrise" effect on the background with lots a colors mixed in and you can get as deep or as soft as you want. just my two cents

Personally I think changing the blue to another color would ruin the concept of the design. I love the blue!

The colors of eggplant, mauve, purple lavendar etc, keeping in the purple range of colors for the blocks and then any colors you choose for the heliotrope and vine............

Since it is a winter scene - you could even go with Christmas colors, but it would be a bit more selective in what you'd be able to use, since you have the cardinal to think about placing in there also

I also like the dark forest green down to the sage for the blocks - and then add the applique in regular colors.

Another thought is use all frosts of the pastels - let it glimmer in the winter scene!

How about pinks? :)

I'd go with golds. Change the centers of the flowers to gold.

My thoughts too.

I'd use nature's colors to show off the great cardinal.