Not Boring Borders
08-23-2020, 08:43 AM
#21
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Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Mendocino Coast, CA
Posts: 4,827
Originally Posted by Rff1010
So since we're all here talking about borders anyway....
I'm making for my nephew and am in tje process of putting together the top .... And its only 66" long at this point. I generally like my twins 70x90.
Increasing the width is easy but adding an additional.24 " of length might require some creativity. I was thinking about piano keys or a braid just on the top and bottom. (I think I like the straight piano keys better but am open to outside thoughts)
Has anyone actually done this? Am I crazy? Should I just give up and keep it a throw size? Tyke is 10 now and I'd like it to be something he can take to college in the future ... If he wants.
I'm making for my nephew and am in tje process of putting together the top .... And its only 66" long at this point. I generally like my twins 70x90.
Increasing the width is easy but adding an additional.24 " of length might require some creativity. I was thinking about piano keys or a braid just on the top and bottom. (I think I like the straight piano keys better but am open to outside thoughts)
Has anyone actually done this? Am I crazy? Should I just give up and keep it a throw size? Tyke is 10 now and I'd like it to be something he can take to college in the future ... If he wants.
~ C
08-23-2020, 09:13 AM
#22
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Flagstaff, Arizona
Posts: 9,475
I really like the piano keys you have laid out but I am partial to piano key borders. Looks like it is going to be a very nice quilt. I don't like square quilts and made one for my son's girlfriend and just added a border at the top and bottom. It turned out nice and I was happy with it.
08-24-2020, 05:28 AM
#23
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Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Mendocino Coast, CA
Posts: 4,827
This guy does art quilts and his borders are interesting...lots of spill overs.
https://bruceseeds.com
~ C
https://bruceseeds.com
~ C
08-24-2020, 05:49 AM
#24
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Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Carroll, Iowa
Posts: 3,380
Sometimes the quilting can take the borders to the next level. Sometimes I'll use cutoffs and make 4-patch or a HST block and add it in various places along the borders, even add them to the backing if so desired. Here's what I did for a little boy's quilt using the leftover/cutoffs from his blocks. I even made him a stuffed elephant with the leftover scraps as elephants was the theme for his quilt.
08-24-2020, 06:18 AM
#25
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Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Greater Peoria, IL -- just moved!
Posts: 6,053
To lengthen a project or when I have to change fabrics either because I've run out or because I want to make a statement, I've used variations on what I call the Zipper. You take two fabrics, typically used in the top already or close enough. Sew a strip and cut into rectangles and then into a long pieced 4-patch. You then sew a strip on either side of the four-patch unit.
You can be using pieces to go in and out of the Zipper, that is scraps for one side and a consistent fabric for the others. You can take cornerstones from sashing and lead them out to the borders. When you are out of one fabric, you use the consistent one next to what you already have and then add the close/different fabric on the outside so it doesn't touch so much... All sorts of ways to play with them.
With 2.5" cut strips, it adds 8" each side, or you can do all sorts of modifications from no side borders to smaller ones.
You can be using pieces to go in and out of the Zipper, that is scraps for one side and a consistent fabric for the others. You can take cornerstones from sashing and lead them out to the borders. When you are out of one fabric, you use the consistent one next to what you already have and then add the close/different fabric on the outside so it doesn't touch so much... All sorts of ways to play with them.
With 2.5" cut strips, it adds 8" each side, or you can do all sorts of modifications from no side borders to smaller ones.
08-25-2020, 01:22 PM
#27
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 1,231
When I was a fairly new quilter, I misread the cutting instructions for half square triangles, and ended up with a ton of them..so I made a diamond border for the quilt out of them. It really looked nice..lesson learned! Read the directions !!
