Absolutely Shocking: Lime, Orange and Pink as Backgrounds.

From Cristin at "Sew This Is My Life on Magpie Quilts

There was a saying about 10 years ago. Lime is the new neutral. Everyone sort of shook their heads and bought some lime fabric. And we discovered that very bright backgrounds make the other colors positively shine. Magpie quilts was saying that grey is the new neutral, but for this quilt I would argue that the neutral here is the green.

Does any of that matter? Don't be silly. All the colors are in it together. And it's hard sometimes to say which is the background and which is the pattern. I'm just saying when there's a lot of lime green around, the quilts are electric. 

From LollyQuiltz made by Carla

It's true for so many colors. If it's bright and fun with a white  background, imagine it with arrest me red. Bright colors just make other colors more excited and exciting.

For that matter any color you see as eye popping and outrageous probably makes for an astonishing background. Even if its a color you wouldn't usually use.

Orange Explains it All, DC Modern Quilt Guild

Orange is another electric color. Orange was so overdone in the 70's that it disappeared in the 80s. But you can't keep a good color down. It's back and it's beautiful.

From Connie at How to Hand Quilt and More

Hot pink is no shrinking violet either. Yet it makes this black and white cow completely eye 
catching.


As you pick out backgrounds, try at least one color you consider just too bright for contemplation. It may surprise you.