About Linen

So I've won fabric twice in the last several weeks and oddly enough, both packs were linen! First there was the Sunshine and Cute Bots here:

and this last week, from LRstitched and the Zakka Sew Along linky, a complete fq stack of Robert Kaufman La Femme!

Totally random - I finally took the time to sit down and read through my Generation Q magazine, and wouldn't you know, right off on page 18 was an article by publisher Jake Finch, called "the glories of linen." Double surprise, the two print fabric collections they featured were the two above! The article told about "one of the oldest fabrics used on Earth", some of its unique qualities (it can be slippery when sewing), about pre-washing it (do - Rashida does!), as well as mentioning how beautifully it plays with other fabrics. An interesting and helpful read, not to mention, timely!

So, anyway, you know I've been Zakka-ing-along, but there's been only one quilt in the sew along.

So now I'm wondering . . . I have all this beautiful linen and am not quite sure what to do with it! Have you made all-linen quilts? Or would you suggest mixing them with cotton solids? Are there patterns that you feel really would show off the texture of these fabrics? Please share - I'd love to hear what you think!