Ugh, I think I got myself in a bit over my head. :oops: When I drew this out, I liked the design of the Flying Dutchman blocks but didn't think about matching up all the points when putting them together block to block. Although it was challenging, I'm very pleased with how the center has turned out. Now to the borders . . . none are attached yet. I just finished sewing geese together to finish one end of the pieced border only to discover the points of those geese aren't lining up with the points of the center across the green border (does that make sense?). I'm 1/2 an inch too long on either end. I now have to separate each of those geese, measure the distance point to point of the Puzzle blocks, then trim the geese to match each measurement. What I thought I'd finish in one night will now take probably two weeks. :cry:

On the upside, this gives me more time to figure out how to quilt this. I could really use some help with ideas here. It's for my 3 year old son and I will be hand-quilting it. The center is made of 20 Flying Dutchman blocks but I don't want that to be obvious. I don't want to bring attention to the blocks as individuals, but rather keep the focus on the mosaic look as a whole. It will be bound and backed with the bright green (inner border). Any suggestions are greatly welcome.

Thanks much,
Jen

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention . . . thread color suggestions are needed and welcome too. :)

That's stunning!

Personally, I wouldn't pull the borders apart, I think it looks good. Lining up those points (yep, I see what you mean) will make it *too* symmetrical, if that makes sense. I like the borders as they are, just add plain squares to the end to reach the edge.

As for quilting, no idea sorry. I'm still a beginner, I'd be inclined to just stipple it simply. :-)

Wow I love it the way it is. And for quilting and thread. If it were mine I would use a veragated(?) thread and Large swills toquilt it But that just me.

I love your quilt!!! :D :D :D I also would leave the borders as they are, adding cornerstones. As to the quilting, I am not sure, I struggle with that decision myself.

Lovely quilt. I'm a little confused about your border delimma. Are you saying once you put the pieced border on you think you will cut off one of the triangles? Sometimes that can be fixed by just taking in a seam here and there.

Regarding quilting... You say it is for your 3 year old son but is this going to be a utility quilt or a wall hanging? If utility, you may want to reconsider and machine quilt just for the added strength, tots are tough on stuff and if this becomes a favorite binkie it will be hauled around with him everywhere and probably converted into a super-hero's cape on occasion :lol: .
If that is an option I liked Blue's idea of an all over meander (aka stipple). The quilt's peicing is what you want to shine and the meander won't take away from that. If you are bound and determined to hand quilt I would do a single 1/4" echo inside every triangle in the quilt and again in the border, IOW quilt a 1/4" from every seam in the piecing.

I echo this thought. It's beautiful as it is.

Love everything about your quilt!
I would echo quilt 1/4 inch from all the seams, I think that would give it another dimension. I also like the border the way you have it.

Great minds think alike!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

:lol: :lol: :lol: I get the green quilter's tape, which is 1/4 in, and use it. It makes your work go so much faster , and you don't have to worry about your quilting lines being straight. I don't do a lot of this, but with flying geese, I think it adds something.


:roll: :roll: My mind is anything but great! :lol: :lol: :lol: Some days, I'm just happy I still have it! :shock:

I use 1/4" painters tape. DH works a second job at a NAPA and brings me home rolls of it and other sizes.

Love it just the way it is, I won't change a thing.

Another vote for an all-over meander or SID quilting - any fancy patterns of quilting will get lost in the Dutchman blocks anyway.

It's beautiful. As for the borders, I would measure the geese borders and then cut the green inner border to match up with that measurement. Does that make sense? I don't know if I explained that right.

As for the quilting, I would maybe do stippling with a variegated thread.

I was having a rough time figuring out how to best describe my dilemma, but I think you got the gyst of it. The plan for the border is to have solid blue cornerstones. Those cornerstones should come out to be 3" square when finished. With the pieced borders as is, the cornerstones will come out as 2-2 1/2 " square. I think this will look out of place because all the other measurements of the quilt (geese depth, green border) are based on 3". Okay, I may have just confused the issue more. :-) Basically, your suggestion of taking in seams is exactly what I need to do. Unfortunately, it has to be done on nearly every border goose to make it line up right. I'm fine with that and glad I've only pieced one line so far. The other three sides of the pieced border haven't been sewn together yet so it will be easy to trim those, then stitch together, then cross my fingers that it's right! Whew!

The finished quilt will be 60"x72" and will be a coverlet for my son's bed. He's very excited and really loves it so far. :D My 5 year old already has one on his bed (my avatar is a picture of his). Both boys are very respectful of it and we'll expect that to continue with this new one. My machine is a basic Kenmore and is difficult to do more than a baby size on for machine quilting. Since this current one is one I'm hoping he'll have forever, I really want to devote the time to hand-stitching it. I'll be making them their own kid-sized lap quilts for Christmas and will machine-stitch those so they last better under rough and tumble.

Thanks for all the help!

Thank you everyone for the great suggestions. I like the idea of variegated thread for stippling. Is it hard to stipple when hand-quilting? It sounds a bit intimidating to me, but I'm game to try new things.

I also like the idea of stitching in 1/4" from the seams. It would highlight the geese better. What should I do for thread color? Would it be best to try to match each fabric color so all the thread blends right in ? Hmmm . . .

For your borders - Do you know the trick of putting the too long piece (the border) on the bottom when sewing it to the quilt? If it is only 1/2" off, I'd bet you can ease that in if you sew it that way. The machine takes the bottom fabric through at a quicker rate than the top. You would do well to find the center of each and pin there, then pin at equal distances along the length, so that you are easing evenly. That is a trick that has saved me often. I will do that even with small sections within the quilt, any piece that is slightly longer always goes on the bottom. Sorry to be so long winded, especially if you already know all this! As far as the quilting goes, I am a hand quilter, I love it, but for a childs quilt that will be well used and loved, and washed a lot, I would machine quilt it. If you do end up hand quilting it, I agree that outline quilting would look great. You could outline each piece, or just the large triangles of each "goose". Great quilt!

Thanks for the tip. I didn't officially know this, but kind of figured it out when piecing the rows together. I pinned the life out of this thing! :lol: I may see how the borders work out with that.

OK here's my thought.......your son loves it so far. He will continue to love it even if the cornerstones are off a bit. Take a deep breath and finish the quilt with whatever suggestion has been given that stresses you the least.

I'm pretty sure your son and his friends won't be in his room measuring cornerstones. He will put it on his bed and love it because it came from you. Wonky cornerstones won't show under the Legos, Tonka trucks, books, etc. that are on every little boy's bed.

I'd be delighted to have a quilt as far along and looking as nice as you do. Be proud.

Thanks Lisa. You make me smile. :lol: I'm of the attitude today that I CAN take on this challenge and WIN!! :twisted: I appreciate the boost of confidence!

You did a super job!! I hate to make flying geese. Yours look perfect!

Oh...I love all the FG!!!! I'd do the hand quilting 1/4" in from the outer edge of the geese. And I would match the green border for the thread color...maybe...what is the back? I would also finish the borders as they are...I kinda' like them that way, but do whatever makes you comfortable. Your son will love it no matter what...you will be the one who thinks there is something "not right" and you would be the only one.

I think it is spectacular!