This one was supposed to be a Civil War era BOM. However I wanted more than 12 blocks so I bought more fabric and added my own. One block, on the left--under the crazy block, was adapted from a cross stitch pattern called Cherokee Star.
Some I just made up.
I was new and sometimes my blocks were too small--my solution? To add a narrow border and go ahead and use them.

This is just the ugliest quilt I've ever seen. I'll have to force myself to quilt this one. It was a BOM from Hancocks and I took the class because it was the only one being offered in my area at the time. It's my first.

I like them! I like the blocks and the colors you chose. I like the border on the second quilt, it is pretty.

I love the Civil War era quilt! The blocks with borders look fine, what a good solution! The other quilt is ok, but I think it's more a fabric choice and top & bottom borders that don't make it work for you, right? Also the final border (polka dots)? But remember there's no quilt police sew everything is fine. Good job on the block on your first quilt!

LOL that "final polka dot border" is actually a vintage chenille bedspread underneath the ugly quilt. No, it's the whole thing that doesn't work for me---the colors, the blocks, that big ugly basket thingy.---it's just too cutesy country for my taste. To me it looks they were trying to come up with a country pattern and failed miserably.

Every quilt is a learning experience...pattern, colors, fabric selection, quilting, etc. I've had some boo boos too.

I think it looks fine. Don't be so hard on yourself.

There were some boo boos in Ugly quilt. Some of the seams were way off but I think it's just colors and style that don't suit me. I much prefer some of the later quilt tops that I've done. It's not that they are better(although I hope I've improved), just more suited to me. But you are right, it was a learning experience. I had to hone skills that I hadn't used in a long long time such at the embroidered parts of it. I'd never appliqued before. Maybe that's why I took it, because it had so many different things to do in it. It is only big enough to be a throw so I'll live with it.

Both are great.

I think it may just be that the bolder colors emphasize the 'busy-ness' of a sampler and to me the borders are just one more bit of busy that's too much, although I would like the same fabric in a differnt usage.

I think they both look great. Don't be so hard on yourself. You did a great job on adding a border around the blocks that were too small!