Remember I mentioned I was working on the last corner of applique on a quilt (that I'd been working on for YEARS!) And after I was done with the corner, I'd show you the quilt top? Well, here it is. Please disregard the corners folding down on themselves--I think you can get an idea of what it looks like so far.
This started as a Thimbleberries quarterly or monthly project some years ago and I expanded it and added the applique. When I mentioned it to you the other day, I said I was thinking about adding some appliqued words of a little poem-type thing I'd written. Well, I've decided against it. The words mention spring and keeping warm in the winter, and this quilt seems more like SUMMER to me, so I don't like the sentiment for this particular quilt. And I also, most recently, thought I'd add another scalloped-type border, but I tested it out and didn't like it.
So now I'm trying to decide how to finish it. I'd like to add another border of some sort, because I'd like to make it a bit larger, but I haven't been able to come up with a good idea so far. I love star blocks, but they don't seem right with the central basket and floral applique, and I thought about basket blocks, but would I be happy leaving them empty and not spending another five years adding applique to them? (Deja vu!) But really maybe basket blocks would look best if I can just restrain myself.
What do you think? Does anything come to mind? And, by the way, if you can't tell in the photo, there's a cream colored border around the outside edge right now, and I have plenty more of the brown and navy fabrics to do just about anything, if I just had an idea!
Help?!
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18 comments:
I think I would trim off some of the cream border (for now) but leave the scallop, of course, and then maybe do a ribbon border. You know, the kind where there are two "ribbons" and they "fold" and "interweave" so you see the illusion of the front and back of the ribbons? I would use the cream as the background, and then put the wider cream border back on around the ribbon border. If you need some exact diagrams, measurements, I think I have some direction in a border book. Just a thought!
What about cutting the beige border to about 2 inches, adding a 2 inch strip of red or brown or whatever then another 2 inch of the beige and then a two inch of the blue. Anyway you get the idea. Think that would work?
Sorry I posted same comment twice. What I was getting at was several narrow strip borders would add some weight and anchor the quilt and give you a larger quilt. Hope this helps
Perhaps rewording your written message to say what you envisioned?
Or a few petals, blooms/leaves spilling from small baskets - centered in middle of border for balance?
Restraint is probably a good plan for all of us! I have a round robin "basket in the middle" UFO and will watch where you go :)
How about cutting the cream border to the same width as the thin red border. Then you could do some squares on point or a dogtooth border, to echo the cream squares on point or the navy dogtooths (dogteeth, LOL?) Or the crisscross ribbon border, as suggested by JoAnne. For any of these options, I like navy. That would "stop" the design well.
I think that a round of small pieced baskets that emulate the center basket(similar but simpler)in the quilt would look good.
If you want a fast finish, why not select one of the Thimbleberries fabrics that "go" with the fabrics used here...I'm thinking of a floral and just do a regular border of about 4-6 inches...I would see that as your quilt resting on a bed of flowers. It'd be a quick solution, if that's what you want.
I will watch for your eventual decision!
BTW, it's beautiful! I love the combination of gold, blue and red.
How about a floral border ala Pam Bono?
I like Jayne's idea, that would be beautiful! :-)
Regardless of what extra border you choose, please consider a prairie point border on the edge. It would echo all of the outward facing points you already have in the quilt. Love your blog---have a great day!
No ideas for you. I just think it's so pretty. :)
A ribbon or zig zag border was my first thought, but that might just be too much with all the other points going on in the center. Or it might be perfect! Good thing you like to experiment :)
blue border--red binding--done!
Your applique looks great! I think taking off some of the cream and adding the straight borders would look nice. The ribbon idea with the red and the blue with cream background sounds great. You could work in a pieced bow at the bottom.
Kim,
I saw this block on Sarah Fieke's blog from her new book-
http://thelastpiece.typepad.com/the_last_piece/
It is down a little ways called how does your garden grow and it is a pieced basket block but it struck me like it might be a block you might like or might be able to use to finish your quilt. It does not look too complex and there is not applique in it.
I like the idea of a floral border- perhaps a narrow strip of red or navy followed by a floral border with another narrow strip border..
Just a couple of ideas for you..
Warmest regards,
Anna
I can't think too far down the road, but I'd remove the cream border and make a white sawtooth border. That would echo the inner white blocks on point. Then maybe another blue plain and wider border.
It's looking awesome regardless! The applique is terrific!
I love the book called "The Border Workbook" by Janet Kime? It has lots of options for borders. Your quilt is beautiful.
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