Sunday, March 16, 2014

But Do I Call It a Border?

My 2014 tea towel challenge quilt project has become larger.  I decided that the piece that I shared a little over a week ago wasn't done yet and that it needed something more.  I had a few ideas for the design of the border:
  • Continuing the gray chains of the Star Chain blocks into a pieced border,
  • Adding a few of the small Ohio Star blocks
  • Using black & white prints to create a dark border to contain the quilt.
I made a couple stars and liked them.  I pieced a couple border sections from black and white prints with gray chains and liked them, but thought the border could use a random sprinkling of squares from the fabrics used for the stars (in colors from the balloon tea towel).  Fully committed to the idea, I cut many strips from black and white fabrics, sewed some strip sets and cut them up into 3-square units ... then I decided that, even with the addition of some colored squares, it was just too dark and constraining for this light, airy quilt.  

How I hate that feeling when you see how something is not working ... and how great is it when, once you edit your ideas and take it in a different direction, one that feels like you, the work seems so much easier/faster/better.

I'm not sure what I've added would correctly be called a border, but it was constructed as rectangle blocks, then long strips, like a border would be.

In addition to the stars, continuation of the chain, random colored squares, a few black and white squares were sprinkled in the borders.

This piece now measures 68 by 80-inches–much larger than I imagined my Tea Towel challenge quilt would be.

It occurred to me that by adding more traditional white, yellow and red borders, it could become bed-sized, but I'm waffling.  I also think it could be "done."



I'll leave it on the design wall for a day and see how I feel about it tomorrow.


11 comments:

Hi! I'm Lisa said...

Sophie, I love it. It may seem not "done" because it's white on the edge. I'm always surprised at how much the binding helps in creating a border. Maybe a red one?

Elaine M said...

Love it and brilliant to carry the chain into the "border".

Jo said...

The chain border looks great. Did you only use one tea towel

Bridget said...

I like the border with little color surprises here and there.

joe tulips said...

This border is awesome. I can go either way, adding or not adding.
A skinny pop of color strip? Then gray?
What do the original border pieces look like against it?
Have fun playing and thinking!

Wendy said...

love it! that was the perfect solution for the border

Anonymous said...

Oh, yes, yes, yes!

Kathryn said...

The balloons and the chains are a perfect match. Going up and going down.

Farm Quilter said...

Love this quilt! The border is perfect!!!

Paulette said...

Oh, gosh, I love it! The last photos looks plenty done to me, and wonderful. Add a binding and I think you're all set. Unless you want it larger?

Helen Wahl said...

LOVE the last picture!!!

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