My quilt top is finished except for the border. Jeez oh man I thought the border would be the easiest part.

First, I made a TON of pinwheels to go around my king size quilt.

Decided nope don't like how it looks.

Bought border fabric, cut it and placed around it and nope, don't like it.

I have now made a million piano key blocks to go around it. Thankfully I think this one's the keeper.

I'd be DONE with this thing if I hadn't himmed and hawed around with it. :roll:

Yep... don't you know you need a stack of orphan blocks to go along with your WIPs, UFOs and stash? :D:D:D

I have used the piano keys on several quilts, and it always looks good. My most recent has 3D flying geese, and that's a keeper, too!

It's surprising how what we see in our minds eye just doesn't turn out when it's actually in front of us!

Happened to me several times. Isn't it great to be flexible :!:

I do a lot of sketching on graph paper before I cut fabric. I have lots of drawings that just did not make the grade. There are lots of orphan blocks in my stash, too, as I now make a sample before I cut my 'real' fabric. Those orphans eventually find their way into another project.

Those darn quilts just keep talking to us all the way thru, don't they? Glad you found something that worked & now you can use the pinwheels in another quilt.

this is exactly why I just LOVE my EQ....

next time take a digipix and the print it off a few times and color different borders around it

IF you don't have EQ!

I do! I question every step it seems like. Just gotta try this and that and what if.....

I've done the same thing and find it's better to redo it a couple times and be really happy with the results.

I have done this! LOL I tend to second guess my decisions when I don't follow a pattern and I'm making it up as I go along --- which is often. Right now I have 2 incomplete tops that are waiting for me to make up my mind. I just remain patient --- it is part of my creative process. I have a design program and it does help when I'm stuck, I just need to start using it at the beginning of a project instead of at the end! LOL

Glad I'm not the only one. I freak out when people say they made a top in a day or a few days. I've been working on this for 3 months. LOL. And I'm not using a pattern, which was my first mistake. And making a king size quilt for my first quilt was my second mistake. I'll be glad when this is done!

:thumbup: me too LOL
no program here to get over the bumps, just lots of head tilting and remeasuring :)

My avatar is not speaking to me on a border it is frustrating to not find just the right one! I am happy to hear yours is working!

I'm good at changing my mind about things. Sometimes I don't even buy border fabric until I'm done with the rest. You could use the pinwheel blocks on the back.

Bottle Blonde -- sorry this is off topic but your picture reminds me of pictures I have seen my daughter take of her and her friends feet. Too Cute!!!

I was having a little trouble deciding on a border for a quilt top I did. Think I have gotten it figured out now.
I just use graph paper and some times a paint shop program. (its been awhile since I used it and I am a little rusty) but it works for me.

I usually experiment with a bunch of border treatments but, like Jaci, I use EQ.

If you didn't Hum and He Haw around about it I would think you weren't really from TN.............speaking from experience I'm a fellow Tennessean! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Sometimes I show my husband my options and get his take on
them. He has an artistic eye.
When I'm at my mom's I'll ask her. She tends to be more conservative, though.
I used to have a quilting friend I asked but she has moved out of state.
Just recently joined a small quilting group so I'll be able to get their feedback.

Well, you should have enough pinwheels to get going on your next quilt and a border for another if it doesn't go with the pinwheels.
I don't change my mind, I can never make up my mind.

I always struggle with the border. It can send me into quilters paraylsis .