Ideas needed, please

[The Crafty Unicorn]

I have had this top for about 2 weeks and it just isn't telling me how it wants to be quilted. I know there is some great design that will be fabulous, I just can't find it.

It is king size, perfectly pieced, for a man, and I have a reasonable (medium custom, not over-the-top) budget. The piecer calls it Celtic Rose. I have tried finding celtic designs, with no luck. I have even tried drawing my own knotwork, but the thought of that much blue marker gives me the heebies. My fall-back plan is rings of feathers and lots of SID or CC, but don't know if that would get too "girly"

Any suggestions would be appreciated. I want this one done and off my conscience.

Thanks

[BethDurand]

How about flames or bent line maze in the background? Something more "manly."

Beth

[PattyJo]

Leslie, that quilt is beautiful. I agree with Beth on the flames idea. you could go around the smaller squares and then CC the colored squares. There is also a fill that I do that reminds me of pine boughs. I wish that I knew how to draw a picture on my computer but I don't, so it is kind of like a very loose curl with pine needles at the end of each curl, backtrac a bit then go off in another direction. That would be manly if he's an outdoors kinda guy.:cool:

[quiltmonkey]

I like the flame idea; or pine boughs, or something like that?

If you wanted to do freehand in the beige areas, perhaps you could consider doing different types of leaves meandering all about. I recently did a guy quilt using the "leaf pile" panto and it looked nice with all those various leaves.

I just ordered/recieved DeLoa Jones's two books "Quilt a Flower Garden" and "Sampler Solutions" and she has some great meandering leafy patterns in there.

If you wanted to repeat a block pattern in each of beige blocks, Pam Clarke has some great ideas in "Designs with Lines" book that would fit nicely in a man's quilt.

[ramona-quilter]

I don't know if you have the Circle Lord or not. Michael makes a 16" and an 18" Celtic Knot template.

I looked at the quilt and saw something more linear. I don't know what but I see it divided into separate spaces. See photo.

Shana, I just ordered those 2 books last night. I took Deloa's class at MQS and I use her sashing stuff all the time. I am excited to get her book. The LQS will be wrapping up the BOM samplers in a couple months and I want to be ready with some ideas. It's always good when another quilter validates your purchases.

[dtreusch]

Linda,

Great minds think alike. First thing I saw in this quilts was some diagonals like you drew. Maybe some funky, masculine feathers??

I'm going to have to check out Deloa's books. Everyone keeps talking about them. I use one of her sashings all the time. I think I learned it on this forum from Jessica.

Debbi

[quiltjunkie]

I'm with Linda, I saw the lines too..but even more to create a grid...tht's definately not a girly thing:D

[Boni]

I like the idea of leaves since fall is just around the corner, and the colors are natural. I used Anne Bright's Maple Winds in an overall.

This was a computer pattern, but you get the idea at least.