pattern for zebra fabric?

My husband and I have some friends whose daughter has adopted us, so to speak. She has been near and dear to us since she was about 14 years old. She is 19 years old. I often do special things for her and lately she has teasingly asked when I was going to make her a zebra quilt. She loves zebra print. I'd like to make her a throw, but can't seem to envision a pattern in which zebra print would look spectacular. Do any of you have suggestions or have you seen a quilt made with zebra print that really looked good? She also likes the color purple and I've thought about using some purple batiks to make a nice quilt, but she has mentioned "zebra" at least 4 times. I'm at a loss.

Hi,
I'm still on my first quilt....but I've been looking at lots of ideas on this forum and the internet in general. I saw a black and white quilt on the forums show and tell area that had pink accents. It was so pretty! I think the zebra print with another solid black square mixed with a pretty bright purple would be so nice! Maybe even use the purple for the binding....
No matter what you do I'm sure she will love it! I would if it was me :)
Good luck and happy quilting.

If I were you I would make her a rag edge quilt in flannel. Black and white zebra flannel is fairly simple to find and I would alternate the blocks with hot pink prints and dots and white with black dots, etc, etc. Any number of prints would go with the zebra and pink combination. Barb :)

As I read your post, I thought of a zebra print panel - maybe you could get a large piece of zebra print fabric for the centre of the quilt (not pieced) and then use the purples and pinks pieced around it to "frame" it, maybe half square triangles? Just a thought.

My grand daughter (12) also loves that zebra print...they black and white version as well as the pink and black version! Anything zebra!!! I don't like it much tho! But I will follow this discussion as I'd like to see what ideas you get as I would like to make her one also. My first thought is to use the zebra as the backing and the binding...then solid black as sashings and .....don't know what as the blocks! But...I bet others will have some great ideas!!!!

Bec,

Here are three links to my blog with the progress of my daughter's zebra quilt. I mixed two blocks on the front "Claws" and "54-40 or Fight" and used zebra print for the back broken up with a strip of "Churn Dash" type blocks on the back.
I thought it would be much more overpowering that it was. You might need to pay a bit of attention to the direction of the stripes when you assemble the blocks, but it isn't too hard/
The back is pretty busy, but it is an alternate look so you can get two quilts in one! Good luck!
http://toggpine.wordpress.com/2011/04/11/wild-things/

http://toggpine.wordpress.com/2011/05/04/

http://toggpine.wordpress.com/2011/1...ttle-bit-more/
Cathy

Cathy, I love the zebra quilt that you made!!! Bec...what about doing something like Cathy did??? Using purples, of course!!! I think it's beautiful!!! Great for any zebra lover!!!

Pam in Vegas

Thanks Pam!
I'd post pics here, to make it easier for you to see, but I haven't been able to post pics to the forum for over a year. I think it is time for a new computer! The first link is two different centers for the blocks, the middle link is the full quilt top, and the last one is the backing.
You could certainly use different colors suited to your preferences!

Cathy, this is just spectacular! I hope your granddaughter doesn't change her mind bout liking zebra for a very long time! Are the blocks paper pieced?

That's a really cool quilt, Toggpine! I'm impressed that you decided to put those two totally different prints together! I would never have been that adventurous! How is it that they go so well together? How did you know they would look so great combined? I always take the safe and sure route when matching up fabrics. I wish I was braver in my choices.

Cathy, that quilt is beautiful! You've definitely given me something to think about. I would have never thought about using those different fabrics. I bet your daughter looooves that quilt. You did a fantastic job!

I probably would not have chosen to work with zebra print if I hadn't joined the "Wild Things" swap here. That is way outside of my normal fabric choice range. I figured what the heck! Sometimes you just have to go for it and have some crazy fun.
I think the zebra faces and the jungle leaves are from the same line and that helped with some inspiration. I know zebras don't live in the jungle, but I thought about them poking their heads through the leaves in a game of peek-a-boo. I played with the fabric on the table before I started to dink around with drawing out the design. Graph paper and colored pencils really are your friend.
I liked the overall look and the black kept the zebra from being to over-powering. I always seem to make a test block first, to audition the way the fabrics and colors will play with each other. If I don't like the first one, then I can easily adjust the fabrics until they suit me. By cutting just one block, I haven't committed to the whole quilt until I find the right combination. Once I find the layout I like, then I cut everything for chain piecing assembly.
The blocks are not paper-pieced. I haven't tried that yet. I used the block pattern and templates from Marti Michell. She has a great system that allows even the math-challenged to create great quilts. Even if you don't get the acrylic templates, you should check out the books. There are a ton of block patterns in each one (75+I think) and she prints full-sized templates in the books so you can trace them off and give them a try. I love it, it's like quilting for dummies!

Bec, I could see using the purple batiks where I have the black or green print. It would depend on how much purple you wanted. I found the zebra print at J's and bought it with a coupon. Which is why I decided on the zebra for the back. I think that the back is pretty busy, but it does give a completely different look. Nothing like getting two quilts in one!
Good luck with your quilt! Cathy

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'm getting a little better idea of what will look good. Like Cathy, I would never have chosen to make a quilt with zebra print...just not my style, but I'm gonna give it a try!

Bec: I can certainly see Zebra prints co-ordinating with purple batik in just about any pattern scheme.

Cathy: Super quilt design. Well done.

I made a pink and black baby quilt (you could make it bigger) but it had a "zebra" feel to it. http://forum.missouriquiltco.com/alb...achmentid=6774

I've made quite a few pillowcases for similarly zebra obsessed adopted best friends kids hehe. Honestly any color will look great with it. It's practically neutral. One daughter loves lime green and the other loves pinks and purples. All 3 versions turned out fantastic, much to my surprise lol. The main body was all zebra, the accents between that and the tail flaps were solid black(just about an inch wide) then the tails were lime green with lady bugs, hot pink cheetah print, a deep purple batik respectively(my personal fave hehe). I know it will be diff on a quilt. Lots of potential for being busy, but don't worry about matching so much. It almost goes with everything solid or blender-ish. :)

I just had to pipe in on this thread. I just finished this baby quilt in zebra and hotpink, that is what her whole nursery consist of...
The nursery really is sweet,just touches of zebra .

Cinnya,
Very cute! I love the flowers scattered over the corner! What an excellent way to bring the accent color into the quilt!

Megan,
The solid center with the accent borders is good!

EeyoresGal,
I like the idea of making a pillow case to "wrap" the quilt in. Even if I only have little bits of the main fabric left over, I bet I could come up with a piping or small applique to go along the edge of a neutral pillow case. Thanks for the reminder of a quick and useful gift wrapping idea.

cinnya--lovely use of zebra and hot pink!

toggpine--have you ever made a quillow? It is a quilt with a pocket in the back...you fold the quilt and put it into it's own pocket to make a pillow...I love them!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOlJ7746bHE

You can google it--there are plenty of instructions how.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by cinnya

I just had to pipe in on this thread. I just finished this baby quilt in zebra and hotpink, that is what her whole nursery consist of...
The nursery really is sweet,just touches of zebra .

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I saw this on a thread that you started and I loooooove it! Thanks for sharing.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by alwaysinmyroom

cinnya--lovely use of zebra and hot pink!

toggpine--have you ever made a quillow? It is a quilt with a pocket in the back...you fold the quilt and put it into it's own pocket to make a pillow...I love them!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOlJ7746bHE

You can google it--there are plenty of instructions how.

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That is awesome! I'm going to have to try that sometime.