Need help with Quick Trip layout.

[quiltwithmom]

I was on an island for a week and there were tons of sea shells on the sea shore. The quilt store on the island carried all these beaufiful shell fabrics. When I saw the fabric my mind went right into a 'quick trip to the island' using shell fabric. I took pictures of the shells and will use a picture on my label.
My delima is that I am not sure how to lay them out for this. the small quick trip is 6 different fabrics, which I have. The purple on either side is for the first border. The second border will be the shell print that is laid out as number 5.
Any one have suggestions? I usually try several ways before I come to the final layout. Once I get the strips cut I can get a better feel for how they will look together.
Thanks,
Kathy

[PattiBee]

Beautiful fabric. Be sure to post a picture when your done. I love the sea shells. That's one of the reason's that I moved here to paridise.

Patti

[khowardquilts]

I haven't done this quilt, but it seems to me that you might not have enough contrast between most of the fabrics. The different scales will help some, but they are quite busy, too. The first border fabric does give you contrast, but does it really go with the rest? I would suggest pulling at least one darker color from the 2nd border; it could be a tone on tone and not solid so as to look like sand. It could go in the quilt and the 1st border (this could be another color). I hope I am not being too forward with my suggestions.

Kathy

[rosebud3]

Beautiful fabrics. Do you have a pattern in mind? You may want to seperate your blocks with one of the colors to coordinate and draw out some of the darker colors.
Mary

[CaroleJ]

Kathy, what yummy fabrics! Just my opinion, since you have asked...

I would eliminate the two darker fabrics, and probably #6 as well. They just don't have the same mood as the others, and the colors don't "go". They will be fabulous in a quilt, but maybe not this one.

I agree with khoward/Kathy, who said it seems to need more contrast. Check out some of the gorgeous colors in fabrics #2 and #5. To me, the grey blue in fabric 2 is especially appealing. There are also pretty peaches, purples, and tans in 5. Some tone-on-tone fabrics to alternate with the shell fabrics will really bring out those beautiful colors.

Take them to a fabric store, relax and play, and you will find what you are looking for!

[quiltwithmom]

? now I am confused. The two dark ones on each side are the same. I thought I was pulling the purple from #5 with it. It will only be about 1 1/2in. #5 goes next to it and will be about 4 inches. It will also be some where in the quilt.
I'm not sure what tone on tone is. I do have some sand color. I was going to use it for the backing. Maybe I can put that in where #6 is since 1 and 6 will touch each other.
I purchased these at a quilt shop and belive me had the bolts of fabric laid out all over the place. I am real dumb when it comes to colors and putting things together.
Kathy and carolj I do appreciate your help. I'll keep playing with these and look for something like a grey blue in #2. I do like that idea.
Kathy

[cindyg]

I love these pretty fabrics BUT I don't think I'd use the jewel tone fabrics for the borders or anything else in this quilt. The colors are too strong for the rest of the fabrics. I think I'd pull out either the purple or the blue in your fabrics for the first border and use one of your fabrics for the 2nd border. I might even use a sand/tan color for the first border depending on how much color you want in the quilt. You could make up the quilt and then take it to the quilt shop and audition different border fabrics. IMHO

[CaroleJ]

Kathy, if you look at the background of your #2 fabric, see how it is made up of different tones of sand, sort of shaded? That's an example of a tone on tone look...they are not a solid color, but from a distance they look solid. I love working with tone on tones because they give nice visual interest, they don't look "flat", but they are subtle so they don't overwhelm the look of your quilt.

I thought the one fabric on the outside was 2 different fabrics. Probably just wasn't awake when I looked at the pics this morning! I think adding such a vivid border fabric to a quilt featuring soft tans, peaches, and blues could draw attention away from the other fabrics and the lovely Quick Trip pattern.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it--lol!

[swakins]

I took Eleanor's Quick Trip class at NQA this year. We were advised not to put something really light in the middle, I saw a top one of the folks had done before the class and as she put it the light color in the middle makes it look like there is a hole in the middle. We all had the same fabric, actually two different kits were there, but I got to see a lot of variations at one time.
I think that I found it most appealling to put something sort of strong on about the third trip around and then two rows of something lighter or less strong and then something strong again. Sort of two co-encentric rings (sp?)rings.
I couldn't tell you exactly what order to put them in, it does seem like those dark fabrics might be too overpowering and I would definitely not put them in one of the rings. But the border number two is great. The really good thing is you don't have to commit to the center, just the order. You will determine which one is in the center after you have made your tube and decide where to cut.

[xteacher]

I just finished a Quick Quarter top from her Quick Trip book and wish someone had told me that about the light color in the middle. I have a "too light" streak in the middle of the quilt.