Fabric Love

So these are just a few swatches of a stack of oriental prints that I've been hoarding collecting for a while now and I finally have enough to start planning something out. 

I scanned them all into my computer and then uploaded them to Electric Quilt 7 (EQ7) and started to play.  I came up with a couple versions of what I am envisioning, but there are no guarantees that whatever I finally end up making will even remotely resemble either of these.  That is the beauty of the planning stage - anything is possible.  And I'm still not sure this is the best way to show off the fabrics... we'll see.

So... a scrappy version:

And a more ordered version:

What do you think?  I like the second better, but it will be more complicated to ensure that I have enough of each fabric since the bulk of them are fat quarters.  I think it should work though.  The center of each of these is 72" square the way I've been playing with it, but I could make it a more manageable wall size (like 48" square).  I just have a feeling that if I ever actually make a lone star quilt that I'll want to have it on my bed.  Of course, I already have two finished queen size quilts for my bed so I really don't need another one, but it sure is nice to have the option... I always gravitate toward bigger quilts - I think it must be a form of self-torture.

Of course, something with large blocks would showcase more of the fabrics and be easier, but I kinda like the juxtaposition of modern fabrics with traditional quilt patterns.

Anyway, just thought I'd try and share part of my planning process - it's the part of quilting that I think I enjoy the most.  Any suggestions are welcome.

EQ7 is in the house!

So if you don't hear from me for a couple days it's because I finally got EQ7 and could not be more pumped. For those of you who don't quilt, it's Electric Quilt 7 - a program that lets you design your own quilts, upload fabrics, and design fabrics that you can print onto printable fabric. Genius! It's a total time suck though. I will probably lose hours of my life to this program over the coming weeks. I just jumped right into the program and came up with this... I have planned a lone star for a while but was hoping to wait for EQ7 so I could really play around with layout. I just need to upload/scan the actual fabrics which are all asian prints in similar colors as the ones above.

And just so you know what is forthcoming from Craftopotamus, my project inbox consists of the following:
tackle EQ7
complete sewing/craft room redesign
finish inspirational art project for me
make another inspirational art project for sister
finalize an amigurumi project for Etsy craft party (June 18th)
finish two QOV quilts that are in progress
finish making purse that is cut out
quilt my mom's one-block-wonder quilt before she gets back (early July)
make more amigurumi
make necklace from thrift store find
finalize plans for Lone Star quilt
finish quilt that is up on my design wall