Ready to get a head start on holiday sewing? This Ready to get a head start on holiday sewing? This #holidaytrimmingsquilt is a fast and easy project. The pattern releases TODAY! Head over to Shereece's site @sewhookedontreasures to grab your copy.
It's time to get excited! The #holidaytrimmingsqui It's time to get excited! The #holidaytrimmingsquilt pattern release is coming June 9th. I was happy to test this lovely quilt and even more happy with the way it turned out. Thanks, @sewhookedontreasures. I can't wait to show the full reveal!!
Blocks complete. Now it's time to sew the top toge Blocks complete. Now it's time to sew the top together. Look for this fun new quilt pattern coming soon from @sewhookedontreasures!

#holidaytrimmingsquilt #quiltpatterntester #patchworksampler
Fun fabric pull to test the lovely #holidaytrimmin Fun fabric pull to test the lovely #holidaytrimmingsquilt by Shereece @sewhookedontreasures. 

Does the new Hustle and Bustle fabric by @official_basicgrey on a Grunge Hits the Spot background put you in the holiday spirit?
This is my most recent finish. I stitched the last This is my most recent finish. I stitched the last bit of binding just about a half hour ago! I love the fabrics in this quilt and they were just random fabrics from my stash. The pattern is #theellaquilt by @kitchentablequilting. I may have to hang this in my family room until it finds a new home.

#igquiltfest2022 #igquiltfest2022day14 #patchworksampler
Today's prompt is pressing matters. I love flat bl Today's prompt is pressing matters. I love flat blocks and these three items are my essentials for achieving that: white fluffy bath towel, cheap Black & Decker iron that steams like crazy, and a Jackson's Woodworks square clapper.

I have a wool pressing mat, but I like the bath towel better. It has enough nap to "grab" the fabrics for a super flat press and it can be tossed in the washer and dryer. 

#igquiltfest2022 #igquiltfest2022day12 #patchworksampler
One of my cherished quilts is one I didn't make. T One of my cherished quilts is one I didn't make. This album quilt was made by members of a club I ran for many years when I had a brick and mortar shop. Several members continued to meet in my home monthly until COVID hit. 

It is special to me because it is a reminder of what is important; the friendships, camaraderie, and encouragement that developed within the group. 

#igquiltfest2022 #igquiltfest2022day9 #patchworksampler
This super scrappy quilt is one of my favorites fo This super scrappy quilt is one of my favorites for a couple of reasons. First it is proof that any fabric works when you cut it small enough and second I pieced it on a little mini retreat with a couple of friends. The pattern is Rectangle Wrangle by Bonnie Hunter.

I love, love, love scrap quilts, the more fabrics the better, and that's how I justify buying all the fabric I do.

This particular quilt was chosen for today's prompt because tomorrow it will be on its way to Poland along with nine others from my "quilt room" (see day 3 prompt).

#igquiltfest2022 #igquiltfest2022day8 #patchworksampler #scrapquilt
Lesson learned. I could write a book on all the th Lesson learned. I could write a book on all the things I've learned through quilting, but one I can't seem to get through my head is that I don't like foundation piecing, paper piecing, or hand piecing.  Slow stitching is a concept I can't wrap my head around.

This String Spiderweb was started at a retreat so I jumped on the bandwagon without thinking it through. I have a bunch of these units made but no interest in continuing. As I was snapping the photo though, I had an idea. Stay tuned.

Are there quilting techniques or methods you don't enjoy?

#igquiltfest2022 #igquiltfest2022day7 #patchworksampler
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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!

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In: 2013 Quilts, borders, piecing, UFO

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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.

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