What a neat project for the 4th weekend. I would perhaps isolate different signs in your fabric, cut them out and "frame" them with a thin border (1" after sewing?) of a common fabric (perhaps a dusty turkey red for just a bit of "zing"?). Then use those as blocks, but keep it casual. I would recommend putting it together sort of the way it looks now: not in tight little rows/columns, but more casual, like a grouping of picture frames on Grandma's wall ....

Or maybe cut a large square/rectangle of your focus fabric for the center of the quilt, surround with stars or large squares of fabric, use other signs from the focus fabric for cornerstones?

Just a thought....have fun with your project!

Odessa

Kate, I know at least one company puts out "just can't cut it" patterns designed to work with large prints. You might try Googling that to see what you can find.

Donna

Those are lovely signs but I'm not good at big prints like that myself. I guess what I'd do is take individual signs and appliqué them into the center of something like a 9-patch so each could really be seen and appreciated. Then you could use it again in a wide outer border.

At a local guild quilt show, a friendly & knowledgeable lady told me about a fantastic quilt for random, large prints ~I was trying to decide how much to buy of a large print. It is called the Nine Patch Pizzazz. It is specifically for large scale - fussy cutting - different sizes would work great. She said it is easy & fast - she teaches in her guild to novice- and it looks very complicated. I haven't bought the book yet, I think I can figure out the layout. It is a 9 patch - and the largest squares you want to be the focus are like 18" or could be more. She said the trick is to think diagonally - and "moosh"- a quilting term (she said) that means to have some of the focus square fabric part of the blocks next to it - mooshing.
Sounds complicated, but it isn't, if you look at some of the pictures of quilts that are made.
I am definitely going to make one. Look at Judy Sisneros' examples on her website.

Here is a link that might be useful: Nine Patch Pizzazz

Wow, that's a good site, Mago! Love the nine patch Pizzazz.

there's nothing wrong with whole cloth ideas, also. Keeping the arrangement shown is very attractive. Quilting cables up between each sign gives it a quilt patch look without actually cutting them apart.

A lot of good ideas, one that comes to mind is using the individual signs as patches (with narrow borders) and then mix in co-ordinating blocks making a random pattern over all. I like different sizes and shapes, eg. squares, rectangles. The other block couldn't over whelming just interesting enough to bring it together. I like the idea of using a bit of deep red with your dusty blue.

Or here's a possibility:

Cut them out and then lay them all out in an arrangement you like and do squares & rectangles of manly fabrics of various sizes to join them. It would celebrate the asymmetry of them.

Wow - great ideas! Thank you all for your suggestions. Now I'm going to have to sit down with all the fabrics and some graph paper to see what looks best. This is one of my favorite parts of the quilt making process. Give me colored pencils and graph paper and I'm a happy, happy woman!

I may not use the 9 patch pizzazz for this quilt but I love it and know I'll use it for something. I'm mentally working on a lap quilt made with a combination of old tropical print shirts and oxford button-down type shirts for a boss who's retiring. This could be the perfect pattern for that one.

Just want to say I love the fabric! I like the arrangement as is....how about bordering/framing it as if it actually were a picture, and use as a medallion? Remember mats with cut outs of various sized circles, squares and rectangles for pictures? Whatever you do, Kate, it'll be awesome!

SharonG/FL