How about "whole cloth" and choose coordinating fabric for borders?

I love that fabric. I can totally see a OBW out of it. Beautiful colors! Enjoy!

There are quilts patterns that can really showcase beautiful prints like that. One of them is called "BQ" by Maple Island Quilts. www.mapleislandquilts.com

I would cut a section out from repeat to repeat to use as the center of the quilt. Then I would put a 2-inch black border on it and then mix the original fabric and several coordinating fabrics into nine patch pieces and use them as a second border, then another 3-inch black border. Waaaa Laaaaa - quilt.

think the pattern name is "Attic Window"... it's a neat pattern and a good idea for Don

what about cutting strips at every repeat and then use a triagne large enough going up and down to look like a prymiad. Some great colors for the triagles would be a deep purple, black and gold. Add borders maybe in the same lpattern of the traingles. That would be the best of both worlds. It is awesome fabric.
Robert

You could cut some of the objects and applique or broderie perse. :D

That fabric is incredible, Don! Was it made in Egypt? I'm with you, I'd hate to cut into it! Let us know what you do!

as much as I also would initially hate to cut it up - I do think you can enhance the pattern even more by focusing on each section. By breaking it up, you will bring attention to the beauty in each individual section... I think by looking at that second and third picture I can see 8 - 10 totally different scenes - all stunning. The fabric as a whole is pretty busy. If you "frame" the individual sections, like with attic window or a log cabin alternative pattern where the inside "square" is actually one photo section and use some subtle prints to frame each one. I think batiks would look great to frame them in - I would look for more subdued tones of the blue-aqua, pink, and green, possibly a gold tone. Your sections will not be the same size, but I think that will only add to the beauty of the whole quilt and the fabric itself. Find a border fabric with a scroll in it --check out Jinny Beyer's fabrics - add a floater, a narrow border, then another floater and finish with a border of that fabric - if you plan it out carefully, two yards should really be enough. Dont even start until you plan it out!! get out the graph paper or an EQ program. Good luck!! and most of all have fun doing it.

I took a class a few months ago from Sandy Turner at my guild -- she has an attic window quilt you can find at

http://www.sandyturner.com/gal0011.html

the idea is great - I've seen it where not all windows are the same size and it looks good. This particular quilt of Sandy's has one scene in the background though -- this is not the same.

I like the 2d suggestion better - the log cabin variation - I just saw it done as a jacket today when I took a class from Linda Schmidt. I went to her website ...check it out

http://home.comcast.net/~shortattn/

unfortunately - this jacket is not here. I will ask her if I can take a picture of it tomorrow as I am taking her around town for a few hours and then she is speaking at our guild. If I do get a chance to take a pic of it, I will post it with her permission.


I just checked out KSenn's suggestion... this pattern would have the same effect as the log cabin variation I suggested and remember the big block sections dont have to be the same...
http://www.mapleislandquilts.com/quilt_gallery.html

I think that it would look lovely left in one piece. You could add several borders useing colors from the quilt. I think I would sew it by hand and highlight the main things that stand out. the most, It is simply georgous materisl.