• Home
  • Blog Posts
  • Gallery
    • 2022 Quilts
    • 2021 Quilts
    • 2020 Quilts
    • 2019 Quilts
    • 2018 Quilts
    • 2017 Quilts
    • 2016 Quilts
    • 2015 Quilts
    • 2014 quilts
  • Free Resource Library
  • Sunday Meditation
  • Technical Editing
  • Pattern Testing
  • About Me
  • Home
  • Blog Posts
  • Gallery
  • Free Resource Library
  • Technical Editing
  • Pattern Testing
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sunday Meditation
  • Terms and Conditions
  • About Me

Patchwork Sampler

Make quilts. Use fabric. Have fun.

2013 Quilts, borders, piecing, UFO · May 3, 2013

Auditioning Borders

A border can really make or break a scrap quilt.  When I had the quilt shop customers frequently came in for help in choosing a border for a quilt and we were always happy to pull lots of fabric to try out.  I always think it’s a good thing to not have your heart (and mind) set on a particular color or print for a border until you’ve auditioned several fabrics.  You really can’t know ahead of time which one will really make your quilt sing!  Since I use so many fabrics in scrap quilts it can sometimes be a challenge to find the right border fabric. Sometimes a fabric that I think will be perfect for a quilt just falls flat. I’ll often pull 20 or 30 fabrics to find one that truly accentuates the pieced center.

This is an example of a border that just doesn’t work. 

Flying Geese-1

The colors are good, but the print has too much light fabric and doesn’t coordinate with the center.  Even the inner border is distracting.  That’s the biggest reason this is still in my UFO pile.  I’ve contemplated  taking the border off and either replacing it or leaving it off completely.  It’s partially quilted though so that would be a pain.  What I think I’ll do with it now, is just bind it, donate it and move on.  Really that’s the most sensible option.

A couple of weeks ago, I made this charm quilt.  Originally I had planned to use a little tone on tone dark green print from the same line as the charm squares.  I wasn’t crazy about how it looked and then I found this printed plaid in my stash and now I love the quilt.  The border just adds so much to it.  I just need to hand stitch the binding and it will be finished.

Falling Charms-1

This morning I finished piecing this chained rails top.  I’m still not liking the chain fabric too much.  It just didn’t have enough contrast, but I was too far into the project to change it.  Again, I’m just going to move forward, finish it and give it away.  I’m hoping the borders will help it out a little bit because it is a nice quilt otherwise.  Here are a few fabrics under consideration.

Rail Chain-1

There is a lot of green in the quilt and I thought maybe a green border would work but this one is kind of ho hum.  Next I tried a brown but up close I didn’t really like the print.

Rail Chain-2

I usually really like plaids for borders on scrap quilts.  I thought this might be a perfect fit because the quilt has a lot of blue and red.  It doesn’t work because of the light in the plaid.  The quilt doesn’t have any other fabrics that light.

Rail Chain-4

Brown was still my top choice so I tried a dark brown.  It looked pretty good but I still thought there might be something better.

Rail Chain-5

Red wasn’t a color I had even considered but I saw this fabric and I think it’s my top choice.  It’s a little black and red homespun plaid check.

Rail Chain-6

I’ll add a narrow black stop border, then the red check. 

Rail Chain-7

I’ll get the borders on and quilt it then show a picture of the finished quilt then you can decide if I made a good border choice or not!

Related Posts:

  • Introduction to The Celebrate Quilt
    Introduction to The Celebrate Quilt
  • Scrap Happy Quilt Along
    Scrap Happy Quilt Along
  • Wednesday Work In Progress: Mystery Quilt
    Wednesday Work In Progress: Mystery Quilt
  • Current WIP: Violet Quilt A Long
    Current WIP: Violet Quilt A Long
  • Wednesday WIP: Green Sampler Spree Blocks
    Wednesday WIP: Green Sampler Spree Blocks
  • Monday Motivation: Problem UFOs
    Monday Motivation: Problem UFOs

In: 2013 Quilts, borders, piecing, UFO

You’ll Also Love

UFO Parade
Trimming Mini Flying Geese
WIP Wednesday: Island Chain

Comments

  1. desertskyquilts says

    May 4, 2013 at 9:29 pm

    I definitely like the one you chose, though I think with that same breaker border, the green would have been good, too.

Next Post >

No News Must Be Good News

Recent Posts

  • A Patriotic Finish
  • June Challenge: Solids
  • May Challenge Completed
  • Friday Finish: Antelope Canyon Quilt
  • Practice Makes…Better
Block 1 of The Celebrate Quilt block of the month Block 1 of The Celebrate Quilt block of the month is here!

It's fun, it's free, and it's a great way to use scraps and stash. Sign up at the link in bio.

#thecelebratequilt #patchworksampler #blockofthemonth
What are you celebrating today? Why not celebrate What are you celebrating today? Why not celebrate using fabric, making a quilt, and having fun. The Celebrate Quilt block of the month starts today! 

Each month receive instructions to make a chunk of this quilt...a 12" block plus little filler units. It's a great way to use scraps and stash and it's FREE!

Sign up at the link in bio.

#thecelebratequilt #patchworksampler #quiltsofinstagram #quiltersofinstagram #scrapquilt
Week 3 of the Origins Quilt Along. These bright bl Week 3 of the Origins Quilt Along. These bright blocks make me long for spring!

#originsqal @liftinglimitsquilting #patchworksampler
First three blocks of the Origins Quilt Along comp First three blocks of the Origins Quilt Along completed. Are you sewing along? If not, there's still time to head over to @liftinglimitsquilting to pick up the pattern and get started. It's a fun quilt to make!

#originsqal #patchworksampler #quiltersofinstagram #quiltsofinstagram #quiltalong
Lisa, the WIP Challenge was the push I needed to g Lisa, the WIP Challenge was the push I needed to get this project out of the bin. All the cutting is complete (close to 800 half-square triangles!). Sewing is the easy part, right? Now to reward myself with another flat white coffee.

@wildplumlane.quilts #2023wipchallenge #quiltingwip #quiltingufo #patchworksampler #plainsailingquilt
Just released! The Reflection Quilt pattern. It is Just released! The Reflection Quilt pattern. It is easy to piece and looks great made with only two fabrics or with fat quarters. The pattern includes baby, throw, and bed sizes. Available in my Etsy shop-link in bio.

#thereflectionquilt #patchworksampler #patchworksamplerpatterns #quiltersofinstagram #quiltsofinstagram
Who else loves a Quilt Along? Origins is a fun, ea Who else loves a Quilt Along? Origins is a fun, easy quilt that just needs 12 fat quarters for the lap size. Pick up the pattern @liftinglimitsquilting and join the fun!

#originsqal #patchworksampler
Thanks @wildplumlane.quilts for the motivation to Thanks @wildplumlane.quilts for the motivation to get back to this WIP. It's great to make some progress. Still many blocks to go, but any little step forward is good. 

#2023wipchallenge  #plainsailingquilt #quiltingwip #quiltingufo
Can't wait! Release date for The Reflection Quilt Can't wait! Release date for The Reflection Quilt pattern is Friday, January 20.

#thereflectionquilt #quiltersofinstagram #patchworksampler #quiltsofinstagram
Load More... Follow on Instagram
  • Home
  • Blog Posts
  • Gallery
  • Free Resource Library
  • Technical Editing
  • Pattern Testing
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sunday Meditation
  • Terms and Conditions
  • About Me

Copyright © 2023 Patchwork Sampler · Theme by 17th Avenue