Oh my gosh, y'all -- I would so much rather be making blocks for a new quilt rather than putting seven borders on this WIP (Work In Progress) project that I've been puttering around with for the past six(!) years! When I came up with this bright idea of Mork's rainbow suspenders for a quilt border, I was only thinking about how cool it would look and not thinking at all about actually having to go to all of this bother at the tail end of the project when I just want to be DONE with it already! I procrastinated cutting the border strips after I cut the black inner border a couple months ago -- swiftly remembering how much I hate cutting long lengthwise strips for a big bed quilt. Well, I finally cut them all and have been piecing them together and attaching them to my Retro '80s Building Blocks sampler. This is where I left off last night, with only the final purple border strips waiting to be attached:
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| Only One More Border to Go! |
First, I'd joined the Kona Lipstick and Kona Black borders together, pressing the seam allowance towards the black on the top and bottom strips and towards the red on the left and right side strips. That way, the seams nested and locked together nicely when I mitered the red+black border corners.
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| Trying to Keep Organized... |
Then the next four colors were strip pieced together to apply as a single border: Kona Tangerine, Kona Grellow, Kona Peridot, and Kona Ocean. With seven border strips on this quilt, each one finishing at 1 1/2" wide, there was great potential for waving, ruffled edges if each border had grown just a bit from the one before. To make sure that didn't happen, I pinned the strips liberally and used the Dual Feed feature on my Bernina 790 sewing machine.
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| Pinned and Ready to Sew |
All of this measuring and pinning definitely slows you down, but the payoff is borders that lay nice and flat with no wavy flaring edges.
So far so good, right? In the picture below, my penciled arrows indicate my pressing plan to ensure that everything matches up nicely with minimal bulk at the corners. The final purple (Kona Crocus) border is going on TODAY, just as soon as I finish this blog post, and then this quilt top will finally be ready for quilting! It's not headed straight to the frame, though, as I have several clients' quilts that need to be quilted first. Besides which, I've not yet decided on backing fabric or a quilting design.
It's Bigger On the Inside...
In other news, I live in a TARDIS now!
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| BBC Police Call Box Prop from the Doctor Who Television Show |
I recently convinced my husband to repaint my formerly red front door to this lovely vibrant blue color that reminds me of the time-traveling police telephone box from Doctor Who. He also repainted the shutters in a very dark, cool brown color. I love it!
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| Valspar Precious Sapphire, AKA "Tardis Blue" |
I didn't think to take a photo immediately before painting, but I found this one that was taken in the Spring that shows the old colors. The difference in the shutter color is subtle but key -- the old brown was faded and dull, and had reddish undertones. The new shutter paint is Valspar Fired Earth.
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| Adios, Barn Red Door! |
Amazing what a couple of quarts of paint can do! I even like the brick better now. Well, this has been enough rambling for today, when there are borders needing to be attached to a quilt! I'll be linking up today's post with my favorite linky parties, listed on the left sidebar of my blog, and then I'm headed straight up to my studio. Happy Labor Day to those in the United States, and happy quilting, everyone!
24 comments:
Hi Rebecca, those are a lot of borders! I'm sorry that the border elves didn't show up to help :-) I'm sure that you'll be thrilled when this quilt is done. Good luck!
Oh, if only there were those elves! I dislike sewing borders, too, but yours look fabulous - so perfect for the center you've put together. I love your pretty blue door, too!
I love the older Dr Who series, the newer ones not at all. The blue door really looks great but then it's blue, you can never go wrong with blue. I hear you about just wanting to be finished with a quilt flimsy! Way to persevere and finishing with the rainbow borders and not just slapping something else on there and calling it done. Happy stitching!
Love the borders. They make the center magical! I like the blue door! Nice up date on the shutters too!
that is a lot of work on those borders for sure! love your door looks like you have a lovely large home
your borders are definitely worth the work as the look is awesome! your blue door is pretty...I'm currently trying to convince my hubby we need to replace our old faded wooden door!
Your border choice is PERFECT for this quilt. Your hard work and attention to detail are certainly paying off. Your door and shutters are beautiful. Are those impatiens growing like bushes along your walkway?
The blue door is amazing! Great choice! And that border is so unique with the way you've designed the corners. I love that rainbow effect but can sympathize with the amount of work involved. But it will be worth it.
I know what you mean about finishing those outer borders of the UFOs so too well. It seems that almost every UFO that I have chosen to work on this year was sooooo much work. I am glad they are ready to be quilted but it was a lot of detail just like yours and you did such a great job on those borders.
And the tardis blue door! Just fabulous. Do you think passersby will know where the inspiration came for the color?
First of all, I *love* the newly-blue door! Tardis or not, it's just beautiful. I'm so happy for you that your quilt top is almost finished (finished by now?) with all of its wonderful borders. I can't wait to see how you decide to quilt it. :)
Those borders are a lot of work! Good luck finishing the last (its probably already on). I look forward to seeing your quilting on it. Love the new door color and the shutters that are painted. I love brick homes (Pennsylvania in me) and am always excited to see one in New England....they are less prevalent.
I can't wait to see that quilt done! That border is an impressive undertaking. And the door - yesssss, huuuuge improvement!
I love how you're doing the corners!!! Your quilt is going to be amazing, Rebecca! And very nice new color on front door!!!
I think we've all had those "what was I thinking" moments in quilting, but those borders are going to be fantastic with the quilt! Your front entrance is just lovely, and the new door color is nice!
OH I love the corners!!! Yes to get those strips together is a chore. Very interesting how you did it. Is this a quilt pattern that you followed or did you design the border. 6 years in the making. I had a few of those. Hugs. Great work
I love the quilt corner! Putting those strips together the way you did is great! I love your home and now a new blue door! Adds to the house. 6 years of a lot of work finally coming to a close! Good for you! Hugs
Every one of your quilts represents so much of who you are. Beautiful! What paint brand/color is that brown of your shutters?
That was some title for your post, Rebecca! The borders are terrific and the corner design is superb. Lovely paint choices!
that border wow, it's amazing!!! If you ever find the border fairies, please send them over here!
I passed the picture of you door to my neighbor. They just had some brick added to their house and she's putting up a little Tardis free library box. I let her know she should paint the front door to match! Your door looks great!
Oh my dear Rebecca, there is no amount of magic nor any number of elves who can make those layered borders so perfectly. Only you and your relentless pursuit of perfection can. I am in awe!!! Hope you get to rest some this weekend. I know this is the beginning of a very busy time for you. Lots of love and hugs.
I almost always have "flares", so I will try your liberal pin and dual feed method next time! I love your painted door SO much! That is a favored color of mine, and it does look so good with the brown shutters. I love the names of the paints too! And I love your house - if my husband saw it he'd want it, because he has always wanted a house with columns.
That's a lot of borders but with your great techniques you have it well handled. Thanks for sharing on Wednesday Wait Loss.
J'aime beaucoup les bordures, it's a lovely finish ;) I love your new door too, a very pretty color!
Terrific borders! This is going to look amazing once it's all finished! Such a lot of work.
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