What to do with this Fabric?
 

So my friend went out and bought some fabric for me today to make (another) baby quilt for my little girl, due at the end of May.

I have NO idea what to do with it. I was thinking maybe a 9-patch block or cut the owls into roughly 4 inch squares and use the red for sashing?

I'm at a loss on this one. If I did the 9-patch, I think I'd want a third fabric as sashing......or would playing with the layout work?

Suggestions?

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That's one of those fabrics that is too cute to cut up. Why don't you use the owl fabric as the center and border it with the red? Or make 9 patches to surround it using the red and one of the other colors from the owl fabric (blue and/or cream). Or sash the owls in cream first then add blocks in red & blue.

I think it's too cute to cut up too. I'd just make it as a whole cloth quilt and use that pretty red for the back and/or border and stitch in the ditch where the rows are on the fabric. I think once it's quilted it would be very sweet.

Your friend has an eye for color and fabric - love them both! And that owl fabric is just too cute!

I agree with not cutting it up--it looks like a forest with owls sitting in trees and you would loose that perspective I think if it was cut in small pieces.

I agree with the others, center panel with borders.

I would do either whole cloth or pretty big snowball with alternating nine patch. It's nice fabric.

I am an owlaholic so you know I love that fabric! I think I would want to make a quilt using long not-to-narrow strips to keep that tall tree perspective going. Maybe do strips of the owl fabric to make the length of the quilt and then make pieced blocks or just the red cut in narrower strips or whatever to go in between each of those strips. That way you keep the look of the owls in trees. Gosh, I guess I am going to have to look for that fabric .... it is so darn cute. Oh and congrats on the upcoming new baby girl!

I agree with the majority! Con't cut this up. Just put borders on it and quilt it. froggyintexas

One might use it as the backing with the red and a tan made in 9 patch on the front. Love the fabrics.

I like this idea a lot!

Exactly what I was thinking! My next thought was to make a
'checkerboard' quilt. Easy and fun.

I like the idea of adding black and make a shadow box quilt with the owls as focus and red the background.

Thank you all for the suggestions. Unfortunately, I have no stash to pull from, and no extra money to get additional fabric.

I THINK she bought 1 yard of each fabric. She told me when she dropped it off that she wanted me to make a BIG baby quilt with the fabric.

I agree with the others, don't cut the owl fabric. You need to talk to your friend and tell her that if she wants a "big" baby quilt, then she needs to come up with the additional fabric/s.

I was thinking window panes like you're looking out a window into a forest full of owls. Cute fabric but hard to come up with ideas for it. If you cut it too small you lose what makes it fun.
Rodney

I forgot to add: It was a nice thought on your friend's part. 3 yards of fabric looks like a lot until you actually try to do something with it. Then it gets small in a hurry.
Do you have anything in your stash that might help? Maybe you can fussy cut the owls and do something with them.
Rodney

http://www.fabriccafe.com
This site has patters for three yard quilts. I would also look at the ideas on Quilts for Kids.

Yes do not cut TOO CUTE!

Love that little owl fabric.

Love the owl fabric! How cute!! I wouldn't cut that as it already looks "pieced". The red is gorgeous but it may overpower the owl fabric so just a splash, such as a narrow border. But then you'd have to buy fabric for the wider final borders. The fewer seams, the bigger the finished product. And this is just a thought--has anyone used cotton as the front and then flannel for the receiving blanket that is shown in one of Jenny Doan's tutorials? Could make the smaller square from the owls, add the narrow border and then go from there with flannel?

Don't cut it up! That fabric is precious!

go to Nancy Zeiman's , sewing with Nancy web site. You can watch a program on big block quilts--esp, the pattern BBQ by Debbie Bowles, which uses 18" squares of fabric that she considers to pretty to cut up.

I would do this too. I could not cut in to that fabric.

you could cut it in strips or rectangles so as not to cut the Owls. Very cute fabric! make the most of it.

I agree. I wouldn't cut the owl fabric.

You might try Warm Wishes, and add another color, then you could center the owl fabric and it would show up more.

I agree with the others also - use the fabric as a panel. It is adorable!

I would make a little boy quilt with it and put it away. Because by the time the next kid comes along, you won't have time like this to make him one. And heaven forbid that you don't get a boy until the third one, you will never have time to make him a quilt. Do it now. ---------- speaking from experience...

This IS my third, and my second girl.

One of the BQ patterns by Maple Island Quilts would be neat there are now 4. I am not affiliated with them but enjoy there patterns.

Cute fabric. I'd use as a whole cloth and add borders or different corner blocks.