Sunday, August 16, 2009

Border options

My original idea for the border was to add a 2" strip............
then a strip with the border fabric and assorted pinks pieced with triangles every so often, and then the same border fabric again only wider. This would make it look like the triangles are floating in the border. The pieces on there still have their seam allowances so they look too big right now.
A lot of you wanted the pink as a first border with choice #1.
Now I'll tell you that the frogs were my favorite and only one person chose them for the border, a few others said they were cute but didn't indicate that they would use that fabric. A lot said they would put it on the back. The reason I like the frogs so much is the stripey background that leads my eye into the quilt and it echoes the horizontal seams of the triangles. All of the other choices to me were just fabrics sitting there, safe and traditional. Of course there is nothing wrong with safe or traditional and I may still end up using one of them. I show it here with the pink as a first border. You may want to go back 2 posts and see it without the narrow border (and a bigger picture).
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I will stew in my indecision for another day. I wish I had another pink, a little softer color with a little green in it. I'll go through the stacks of batiks again today.
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Thank you everyone for your votes/opinions. A lot of times you point things out that I don't see because I am too close to it.
While struggling with my indecision I decided to start quilting this piece. I got all of the ditch quilting done around the plain borders and have started quilting in the striped area. I am using a very fine thread that just shows up as quilting but doesn't add a lot of color. In fact the color is taupe, very nuetral.
Have a good Sunday everyone.

22 comments:

Quiltdivajulie said...

I am late to post but the frogs are my TOP OF THE LIST favorite - sorry no one else voted for them ...

I love it when you do this - offer so many options for bordering your quilts!

SpinningStar said...

Morning!

I still like the small pink border and the pink & green batik over the frogs.

The quilt itself reminds me of a garden - there is movement and the blocks change as I look at it and I discover different parts, just like looking at a rosebush filled with flowers. The thin piece of pink stops this bush and the pink/green batik border, seems to be echoing the movement, but in the distance, like more rosebushes in the garden.

The frog fabric seems to stop that movement for me. It may be that the color I am seeing doesn't have the depth and variety of greens of the other border option. And the lines are drawing my eyes out to the border, not into the quilt, like you are seeing. When I look back into the quilt, I am seeing the blocks, not the impression of a garden.

I also like the "frogs all over fabric" as a backing.

Off topic - I think I like the frogs all over fabric because I rescued a frog from my swimming pool and then a glob of eggs within a couple days. They are in a bucket and I am enjoying watching the growth. When they are larger, I'll take them over to the local pond.

Liz

Unknown said...

Hi Wanda, Boy, you really posted yesterday. I am sorry I missed all the posts. So here is what I did, I went bak and read them and looked at the fabric choices. I love the border choice #1 with the thin bit of pink for an inner border. Just perfect. Although, I understand why you would choose the frogs, I have to say #1 still calls out to me. Some people have said to used it on the back and I have to concur or possibly just save it for another project where you can use it on the front.

I love the quilting you are doing on your last photo, just gorgeous colors.

Anonymous said...

I think that your original idea is the BEST. It has the little extra pink added, and it has a wider, calmer outer border to contain all the busy-ness of the blocks. Plus those floating triangles are just the bit of quirky which makes a quilt special.
Sherry V

Anna said...

I love the frogs! I think they are perfect for the quilt.

Vicky F said...

Hi Wanda,
Now I can see why the frog batik attracted you. Would you do the floating pink triangles if you went with the frogs?
If you do the frogs your quilt would be blooming lily pads!
I'll have to remember your tip for using taupe as quilting thread.
Vicky F

Anonymous said...

I enjoy that you welcome our views and thoughts giving us several choices to choose from. And it always makes us feel like we are 'in the loop'. But in the end it is your creation and you must be happy with the final selection.

That is what I am looking forward too 'A SURPRISE' because you always pull a piece out of your 'magic stash' adding that perfect finish.

J~MT

Featheronawire Sally Bramald said...

Looking good with the finer pink and the frogs, I agree a less harsh pink would be good (and you could still float triangles if you felt the urge) This looks like it could be a show quilt to me.

Quilter Kathy said...

Love the second photo!
The reason I don't like the frogs is because the fabric looks a little blue on my screen and that may not be a true indication of the colour.
You should go with what you love the most!

Kristin L said...

I like the mottled green with pink in it better than the frogs. It's not that I don't like the frogs (they are pretty subtle) I just like the inclusion of the pink. I love your idea of incorporating pink triangles into the border. You should definitely do that. If you've got the pink triangles though, do you need a pink inner border? Perhaps yo have a sot lavender with green that would bring some more of teh block colors out to the border?

Diana said...

I really like the mottled green and pink border (#1) with the narrow, bright pink inner border. I think the floating, pink triangles are a bit too much and would omit them. But this is your quilt, and you are the only one seeing it "in person". I love the frog and lily pond fabric, but on my monitor it is too blue. The other border fabrics just sit there.

Pam said...

I like using random pink triangles floating. I think your frog fabric would be perfect. To me any of the green with pink fabrics do not serve the border purpose of focusing the eye on the quilt. You are generous to ask our opinion, but you have such a good (exuberant) color sense.
Go for your original plan! It has good merit.

Pam

Elaine Adair said...

I'm late, but I liked the pink. But I also know when it's finished it will be stunning!

... and I liked the frogs also in the border - slightly unexpected and not normal. Is 'not normal' the same as 'abnormal'? LOL

Marilyn said...

That is a nifty idea using the floating triangles! And the body of the quilt does look like possibly blooming lily pads. Interesting--I really like the floating triangles.

Cathi said...

I love the narrow pink border with that green! It all works so nicely together -- such a wonderful summery quilt. Makes me think of roses in a wild English garden.

Kate said...

The narrow strip of pink added to the border is PERFECT!! I love it! I agree that I love that you put out some options for us to view. It inspires me on the quilting choices I'm making!! :)

Rebel said...

That's exactly it! The little line of perfect was all it needed....now the green border looks perfect with it.

Rebel said...

little line of 'pink' ;)

Rebel said...

And the thing about getting feedback is that it often sharpens your own opinion.

No one voted for the frogs you like... and you're having a reaction to that. Maybe that means in your gut you really really want the frogs, and if you do - GO FOR IT! =)

Sharon said...

now that you have the pink inner border, I like the frogs too!

CarlaHR said...

I love the pink inner border - what a difference it makes to the finish - I am still a beginner and learning from your posts. I vote for No. 1 but them I am very conservative (in taste not necessarily politics)

Anonymous said...

I really enjoyed looking at all the new blogs and getting that inspiration from all the quilts that were shown.
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