Applique Background -- Opinions, please

I'd probably go for a blue-grey as a background to brights. If you do stick with black, just make sure all your blacks are equally fade-resistant. Lots of them are overdyed on something else and may fade to weird icky browns. Roberta in D

"joan8904 in Bellevue Nebraska" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news: snipped-for-privacy@11g2000cwr.googlegroups.com...

Howdy!

What a beautiful pattern:

Background looks pinky in that pic.

I'd stick w/ one black for all the backgrounds. Using different shades would look like the quilt had faded in spots. The flowers are busy enough I wouldn't want the background to get that attention. Yellow? Could wash out some of the bright marbled colors. Makes the black sound even better. Black will make it more dramatic. Look at the drama SandyF gets from using black background w/ bright colors:

Out of Darkness: of the page: (cute boy) [Hi, Sandy!]

70"x90"--good size quilt. Enjoy that appliqué, Joan!

Ragm> I've been sorely lacking in inspiration lately. Sewing, but nothing

Ohhhh, I have that pattern in my stash - I can't wait to see what you do with it - maybe it will be my next project (after the many I have on the go at the moment). Let us know what you decide on. It's a gorgeous pattern for sure.

Sharon (N.B.)

Ohhhh, I have that pattern in my stash - I can't wait to see what you do with it - maybe it will be my next project (after the many I have on the go at the moment). Let us know what you decide on. It's a gorgeous pattern for sure.

Sharon (N.B.)

Ohhhh, I have that pattern in my stash - I can't wait to see what you do with it - maybe it will be my next project (after the many I have on the go at the moment). Let us know what you decide on. It's a gorgeous pattern for sure.

Sharon (N.B.)

I would choose black over yellow, certainly; but I would also audition a really dark blue, dark green or very dark red. It would depend on the brights, but sometimes , particularly a really dark green, looks wonderful. . In message , joan8904 in Bellevue Nebraska writes

I'm with you on the blah beige. There are several yellows in the flowers themselves so I suggest using something other than yellow for the background. I do like your idea of the black because the brights would pop, but working on black is such an eye strain.

My number 1 suggestion--A calm cool shade of pale green. To be more specific, I'd use background fabrics close to the color of DMC embroidery floss # 955. Brights should work nicely with it. Of course you might want something livelier like green apple or pale lime.

My other choices for background would be cornflower blue, pale sky blue, or a bright happy purple. Debra in VA See my quilts at

The solid block would probably look pretty great; my only concern about the black would be the eyestrain that I would have if I tried doing such a big project on black.

Julia > I've been sorely lacking in inspiration lately. Sewing, but nothing

I'm working on a project for DS1 and DDIL. It is pieced and appliquéd, and I decided to use brights with a marbled navy for the background. The high contrast makes the appliqué just sing! I'll get some pictures when the top is put together. I have the centre medallion completed, and am sewing the appliqué to the four corner units. It is my winter hand-work project.

In MHO the pattern as shown is very blah!!!! I think it would just pop and glow on a black, or dark navy background. Gen

I've seen the effect of a variety of blacks and the depth is simply wonderful!! It's not something that is very noticeable at first, but when you step closer, you see the variations in the background pattern. In fact, I have been saving 5+ yards of Kona Black for my Affairs of the Heart quilt, but I am now on the hunt for a more varigated black, because the solid seems so flat to me now. Maybe a mottled black batik, or I saw a Freespirit splotchy print that held promise. If the solid black is not your cup o' cotton, then consider other possibilities!! Again, the various black-on-black prints was simply stunning!

is there a fossil fern in black? just a thot. good luck finding those blacks. cheers, jeanne

i would love to see the centre as it is now. :) brights on dark do sing so beautifully. jeanne

Yes! . In message , nzlstar* writes

On Wed, 17 Jan 2007 08:01:03 -0600, joan8904 in Bellevue Nebraska wrote (in article ):

Brights on blacks are always fabulous in MHO. I think you can't go wrong with either the Kona black or a variety of solid or reads as solid blacks.

Maureen

Just googled Stars in the Garden and found that Pennington Quilts (NJ) is doing this quilt as a block of the month. Their backgrounds look pinky.

I'm thinking more and more of blacks and more blacks for the background. A quest!

Your thoughtful and interesting comments are greatly appreciated.

joan

I'm not a card-carrying fanatic about pre-washing but if you do choose black, please do pre-wash. Through the years, we've had some heart-breakers here in rctq with black fabric bleeding and all sorts of atrocities such as absolutely pulling apart. The jury in my head is still on the question of using a variety of blacks. It sounds gorgeous but it could simply look faded in places. I just don't know. Polly