If you think white is too stark, how about cream?

I agree with your approach and made the 2009 BOM the same way. They seem to turn out more lively somehow.

I like this one as a focus fabric, so delicate looking.

Geneva - Love your version of Sue Garman's 2009 BOM!

Barb

I love this quilt, Geneva! June would be proud to have the namesake!

Sue, REALLY like your focal fabric.

Sue - Lovely focus fabric! The floral gives you many options for colors. Enjoy!

Wendy

I found a new focal fabric while pulling other fabrics for this quilt. I love this one so much and the white on white I have will work perfectly. I have enough of the focal fabric, the background and a deep red so I'm all set. The rest will be scrappy. Now I only need patience to get me through until January so I can get started. Good thing I'm working on a weekly mystery quilt until then.
thanks for everyone's suggestions
Sue
Upstate NY

Wow your quilt was amazing. I made the 2009 BOM but my was a hot mess. I was using a 1/4 inch foot that was more like a 3/8 inch seam so nothing fit together as it should. Thanks for posting it.
Sue

Wow your quilt was amazing. I made the 2009 BOM but my was a hot mess. I was using a 1/4" foot that was more like a 3/8" seam so nothing fit together as it should. Thanks for posting it.
Sue

Wendy, your mom's artwork turned into a beautiful fabric and will be stunning as the focus fabric. In looking at it, I can just imagine it going well with various values of violet and red-violet colors, including a small amount of magenta, along with greens and yellow-greens. I know there are other possibilities, but this is just what popped in my head when I saw your beautiful fabric, had to share it! What a fantastic, creative idea and you're right, it will make for a very special quilt.

I'm off topic but wanted to share my focus fabric. My mom is an artist and I've always wondered if Spoonflower could turn her art into fabric. They can.

While searching my stash for a focus fabric with colors similar to Sue Garman's version, I noticed the little watercolor on my sewing room wall had the right colors. I scanned it and submitted it to Spoonflower. The fabric arrived today. It's lovely but will require some fussy cutting to get the big flower in the right spot. This will certainly make a special quilt.

I'm hoping to use a soft white for the background - there's some Kona Snow in my stash (Thanks to Renata for the suggestion).

Wendy

Sharon, sorry I didn't see your posting until now, but I'm glad that Barbara piped up confirming that Sue Garman's photo was in the May blog and that you found it. When I did a bit of a comparison between what I saw in the blog picture and the TQS rendering of the BOM, it almost looks like Carolyn Hock used the same colors but in a brighter, lighter version whereas in the Sue Garman photo, you see the same range of colors but more muted. If that is correct, then you could probably still use the TQS guide for fabric selection but pick more muted tones in the same colors as shown on the TQS sketch. At least, that's going to be my plan of attack, absent a photo of the full quilt as Sue Garman envisioned it. I did scour the internet for it and did not find it.

I'd be interested in seeing what you all are choosing for your focus fabric. I'll be concentrating on my choice after the Thanksgiving holiday.

Geneva, your 2009 BOM quilt is beautiful! You really gave a traditional design a more modern spin with the focus fabric you chose. Congratulations!

Thanks girls, I found it. It is pretty with green/pink/rose colors. Wish there was a pic of the entire quilt.

I also enjoyed the 2009 BOM very much and look forward to this one. I saw Geneva's beautiful quilt with a pretty ribbon on it at Mancuso in Denver.

Sharon