Up for the Challenge!

One of my favorite quilt shops, Red Rooster Quilts, is hosting a Customer Challenge Contest using the 2019 Pantone Color of the Year…Living Coral.

The challenge is to use one fat quarter of Living Coral and one other fabric to make a Mini Quilt that is 20 inches square or less.  Needless to say, challenge accepted!

I decided to pick my fabrics first and then work on a design.  I’ve been interviewing fabrics from my stash and definitely need some advice.

A.  Is this plaid too dark?

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B.  Are these polka dots too big for a mini quilt?

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C.  This might make a modern mini, but what about this pattern…too busy?

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D.  Who can resist a paw print?  Go or No Go?

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E.  This makes things bright!

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F.  Nautical meets living coral…hmmm

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G.  These mini dots are cute, but what about the color?

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H.  Color is nice, but is this print too large?

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I.  This is a pretty floral print, is it too busy for a 2 fabric mini?

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J.  This batik is interesting, I’ve always liked it.

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K.  This print might be too big for a mini…what do you think?

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What combinations do you like?

What other colors work well with Living Coral?

 

24 thoughts on “Up for the Challenge!

  1. Meg our-house-quilts says:

    All of your combinations are good (except maybe the mini dots IMHO), but it is the design of the quilt which should dictate the scale of the other fabric. I love the last option, but not if you are making small blocks.

    • Gray Barn Designs says:

      Thanks, Meg…good point about the quilt design…maybe I should have started with the design first! Which comes first, the chicken or the egg?

  2. piecefulwendy says:

    I like C, H and J, just because each one is so different. Maybe play a bit with green, purple or aqua/teal? Kona Splash is a color of the year too, wonder how that would play with this one?

    • Gray Barn Designs says:

      Yes, I like the contrast as well…color choices always provide me with a challenge. I’m always second guessing myself. Thanks for helping to narrow things down!

    • Gray Barn Designs says:

      Thanks, Chela! C is becoming the front runner. I agree with you on the Living Coral, it’s growing on me. It reminds me of Florida and the beach, but not a color I gravitate to.

  3. rl2b2017 says:

    Wow – some stash you have, with great choices. I always think of the color wheel first for direction. Directly across is blue-green. What one speaks to you? I love D the paw prints (last post is why), E is happy looking and springy, and K is striking. But I’d go with whatever you envision – and what modern means to you. I have to throw in A because it’s so subtle. Happy Thursday to you. ~smile~ Roseanne

    • Gray Barn Designs says:

      Thanks, Roseanne! It’s always a challenge for me to narrow down fabric/color choices…I’m thinking I should have started with 3 fabrics…it might have made picking a final fabric easier!

    • Gray Barn Designs says:

      Thank you for weighing in, Danice! I do like the living coral with navy, I think it’s a nice contrast.

  4. laura bruno lilly says:

    I’ve narrowed it down to three viable options (based upon finished size of the piece as well as personal aesthetics):

    E if you’re in a ‘bright’ mood, the scale, color palette and design work for me
    F fits the bill for a ‘contrast’ effect with a subtle ‘theme’ fabric (seemed like you were attracted to the contrast effect with the number of darker selections presented)
    J if you’re in a ‘managable modern’ mood with a contrast effect, the scale, color palette and design work for me

    Good luck!

    • Gray Barn Designs says:

      Well, it looks like E is now the front runner…I am going to make a decision today…honest! Thanks for your comments, I appreciate the help!

  5. mary says:

    I personally like the darker colors with the coral. I do like the black with the dots but you are right they might be too large on a mini. From there I would see either the dog prints or the anchors.

    • Gray Barn Designs says:

      Yes, I have ruled out the black and white dots. I must admit, I am partial to the dog print but like the anchors, too! This shouldn’t be so hard…maybe I should have started with a pattern?

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