Borders on an AQ(Art Quilt)
 

My first thread here begins with questions about borders. It will be my first attempt at it. I made borders years ago, but my mother ended up putting all my lap top appliqué squares together. That's right, by the time I finished the squares, I was sick of it! That is why large quilts are not for me.

I am sure I can YouTube and get my answers or I can ask my aunts and mother to help me with it. Just wanted your opinions on the width and color. I am thinking of green, but I used fabric markers on the green in the AQ so it is not going to be the same color. I can paint it too, I suppose. I also like the pink, what do you all think?

Here is the process of my first AQ. Probably will post in the reverse order! LOL I will try and remember next time.

Well, there is no white in it Tartan. It is on a pale yellow background. I can see how you thought that in the last pic.

Oh, the first pic is just my layout...my template of my design Tartan. I know! I draw it out and then number my colors. Like the old paint-by-number way. Well, no one might remember those, but they are what started me in my art! :D

This is a beautiful piece of work. I would audition different colours and textures for a border and binding. I like your idea of green, but what shade -- I'd have to audition them on a design wall.

Are you making a wall hanging or a larger quilt. I was not sure.

I hope you post another picture when you have it done.

Aileen

Don't just stick a border on because you think it's supposed to have one. The border needs to add to the piece in some way. On my last three wall hangings, one didn't have any border at all, one has a narrow inner border and then borders the same fabric as the background and the last one only has borders on two sides.

Just another thing I need, a design wall! I did see that on YouTube with Nancy Z. I love the idea af textures on the border. Thank you! i am making this a wall hanging. It will go here. I thought about making that my design wall.

It needs one. At least a small one. It needs to somehow frame my art, I think. I would love to see your wallhanging without the border. Please feel free to post it here!

i like tartan's idea, even if the background is pale yellow. the white would look like a mat and the hot pink, or even the green can look like a frame

It might really stick out in white. It will give me a reason to purchase some white material if nothing else! Out of all the material I have, no white.

Here are the links to a couple of my wall hangings.

The giant ornament doesn't have any border. I just used a dark red binding.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...h-t208513.html

Little red bird has two borders all the way around but the outside border is the same as the background fabric so the inner border is the one that really frames it.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...d-t217999.html

Another consideration is a tiny flange between the main part and the border. I did that on a wall hanging where the outer border fabric didn't really go with the center but I needed to use the border fabric. I don't have a pic of that one on here and it looks like I didn't post it either.

I haven't posted Cherry Blossoms either. It only has borders on two sides. It's here with me so I can take a pic of it later today.

Both are very nice! In your piece, Red Bird, is what I am thinking of doing with Stacy Zinnias. It won't look well alone unless I didn't make it bigger and I would like it bigger.

Thank you very much for sharing SQ. I am thinking there aren't many art quilt quilters here. But, I might have missed some threads. I was excited to see the Art Quilt Challanges.

I think in someway the border needs to add to the design, not just size, in an art quilt. It's not exactly like a border on a painting or photo.
Putting cream/light yellow borders on the top and left (with a 1/8-1/4" narrow band of green) would move the orange to the lower right thirds. Then extend the two purple flowers into the border so that the border isn't just 2 slabs of fabric

HUH??

Actually, this is getting interesting! :-)

Wouldn't more colors outside the frame take from the subject? I thought of dressing up the border(s), but I didn't want the eye drawn away from the zinnias.

I appreciate all of everyone's suggestions. They are most welcome!

I'd have to agree with Tracy. Her solution sounds like it needs a bit of a preview to be sure that is the right one that you will be happy with. But on the right track. That kind of border will enhance the center and balance the quilt. It will not take away from the zinnias. You want to have eye movement across the entire surface of the quilt to add interest. I just made the mistake of having a rather bold, vibrant center to a lap quilt and quieted the borders, too much. The center pops too much. That is the danger of a very plain border. Beautiful work you have done already. Please post the finished piece!

Thank you. I think once I get the small frame in, I will be able to envision what needs to come next. Hopefully!

My design wall consists of a plastic table cloth from the dollar store -- one that has the fleese on the back of it. I put 3M command strips up, big button holes in the table cloth and hang it where I want it. I have those command strips on a wall, on the top of a wall unit in my living room, and on a door. I can move them where it is convenient. It isn't very expensive and works for me.

how about a 2inch white border then a 1/2 purple or pink border then finish with the white again. about 2 to 3inches.

I like the idea of a small white border - maybe 1 inch and then a bind it in the green. I also think that petthefabric has a great idea of extending one or two of the zinnias just a bit in the bottom border.

That is a good idea. And simple. Thank you for sharing!

Delta and Kareno I like both of those suggestions. I am beginning to think I need white! LOL

Look at this pic. The flowers and the bee extend into the border, making the border part of the pic not just a frame.

From the very little I've read over the years a mat should be a color that kind of averages out the colors in the work. It shouldn't compete with the work. Of course it depends on what you want the boarder to do. I've also heard that green in the new neutral so maybe a tint of the green you have made would answer best for your zinnias.

Green the new neutral, uh? I have been playing with the colors. I think I know what I am going to do now. Thanks to everyone that posted your suggestions. I truly appreciate it.

Cherisews, thank you for explaining that. I will keep that in mind for my next art quilt or the many after! Did you make the one in the picture? Very pretty.

Tracy, the pic I posted is one of my many 'inspiration' pictures I have collected. I did make one like this, but I haven't taken a picture of it yet. It did get rave reviews from family & friends! I had never thought to expand into the border before. It really does make a big difference.

Keep us posted on your progress on your quilt. I love what you've done so far!

Thank you Cheri! Yeah, I am going to try that. I also want to try a 3D one. As soon as I get one done, I will post it in Pictures. I would love to see a pic of your your Busy Bee! Thanks again!

Naturally, you would extend and attach your piece last over the border. Since my flowers are already extended, how do I attach the border? Only thing I can think of at this point is adding the whole piece on to a larger background. It is very little extended and it is at the top. I don't know, maybe it isn't worth extending that small amount. Just one leaf and part of one flower.

Oh, and it is with fusible web. I would have to cut around it. Anyway, any suggestions is appreciated.

i haven't shown the whole piece so I will attach this pic.

Ummmm....here is a closer look.

A friend of mine had said it was a shame to cut off the leaf and part of the flower, but after looking at it, the framing border would have to be half an inch or less and not the green I had planned on.

As one teacher said, "Make visual decisions, visually." So put it up on the design wall and lay out the way you think might look best. Take picture. Then change. Take picture. Which do you like better. It's your choice.

Take a look back at your original photo you were trying to capture the essence of. Every side of the photo is cut off. I can understand more and more your dilemma. The more I see your piece, if I had made this as you did, I'd be real skeptical about what to do next. But, looking over the steps you have taken so far, take a break. Your own inspiration will come. You've gotten some great input. Next it's a leap of faith in yourself. I like petthefabric's suggestion of photos. It is what you originally started out with and it lets you see a similar perspective.

You hit it right on the head Reb! And thinking about it at 1:00 a.m. in the morning is all the more to be undecided. You and PTF are right, it is now my decision as to where to go from here.

Special thanks to everyone that gave me suggestions! It is time to hit the rack.

Some art quilts spill into the borders or even off the quilt.

Cool! Are those yours Debbie?

Yes, I have seen off the border and off the quilt ones. It was (and still is) a lot to learn for me. But, to see our members art quilts would be great! Feel free to share your experiences and pics of your work right here in this thread! I could us all the help and suggestions I can get!

My husband, the Boss, just said the bear scared him! LOL

It's a guy quilt made for a challenge from specific fabrics. I painted some of them used on the bear. I think you can see it on the tongue. This was made from a wood carving pattern and turned out to be a few inches too long for the required size. That's why his chin hangs over the binding!

I really like the bear Debbie!

I have up my design wall. YAY! And I have two borders to choose from. I still have to find my white material for the larger border. So, tell me which border you like. The purple or the green?

green.....

I like the purple because it is darker and acts like a frame to stop the center and frame it! Just more dramatic in my opinion. I'm not even sure you need the white with this.

Thanks for responding PTF!

No outer border? Or use just the 1/2 inch binding and stop? Or go out another 3 inches with the color and stop?
Never thought to end with the color I choose, but that will eliminate more decisions! LOL