New Quilt - working name "Roman Couple"

This is were I'm at right now. I had plan to put several different mosaic tile one in each corner. But was talked out of it buy some of my friends. Who's opinions I value I decided to just go ahead a square it off. Right now I'm auditioning backgrounds. I like the black. It is the same as the black around the picture. I just think it needs something else just before the black. Maybe another 2" ring. I don't have any more of the off white (beige) fabric left. Here are 2 more ideas...Opinions would be appreciated....

It seems I can't concentrate on anything else but this quilt. So I went back to my photos of Italian church floors to look at designs. What I notice was that they used several different colors in their mosaics. And I thought, well if they could do that, why can't I. So I started another ring to replace the one I had on it already. I think it would make an easier transition to the next ring or for me to square it off.

I have decided to let the new quilt sit for awhile and work on something else. I think it needs to percolate a bit before it tells me what it needs...So I went and painted some sample Lutradur. I like it so far. I plan to make a book with photos from this last trip to Italy...

New quilt next step

I'm now trying to decide what to do next. I picked 3 different fabrics for the next ring. Two Grey's and one in dark chocolate brown, which actually shows up a little redder in the photo.
Should it be a 4" border or a 1" border?

New Quilt

I started this quilt right after the New Year. Then it sat. Finally after returning from Italy a plugged ahead adding the clothing and the 2 rings.
I tested out several colors before finely settling for the gray marble batik seen
in the 3rd photo. I felt the white was too bright and pulled your eye away from the portrait.

Sisterhood of the Traveling Scarves - Rome 2010

Here we are in the Piazza in front of the Pantheon. And what a time we had. On this night we were celebrating the up coming marriage of Katina. Meeting up with my online Sisters was a real treat for me. Now we are all home and wishing we were back in that fabulous city called Rome.
I have been to Rome several times and each time find something new to see and new restaurants to eat at. On this trip I was able to see the Caravaggio Exhibit, which I have to say was fantastic. We weren't able to reserve tickets but it was still worth lining up and waiting 20 minutes to get in. On another day several of us took the ArcheoBus out on to the Appian Way to the CatacombsLook at that Road. Ancient Roman soldiers walked down that road. On June 5, 1944 General Mark Clark of the US 5th Army walked down this road and into Rome. Aside for all the history. And you can get overwhelmed with it all. It was so peaceful out there. Considering it was March the weather was beautiful. We spent a good part of the day there and had a pleasant lunch at a outdoor cafe.
Oh yes, Tom was there also.....LOL.....I could never go to Italy without my husband. He Loves Italy as much as I do. It wouldn't fair....
Dinner at La Cisterna
A day trip to Ostia Antica. We took a tour of the Castle that is across the way from the ancient site.

That's it for now. There is more to come.