Paper pieced top done but?
 

Just finished my first Jacqueline DeJonge quilt top called "Curling Colors"... sorry for the not so great photo. It is only 60 inches square and seeing I am never going to hang it or make it into a lap quilt...I am in a bit of a quandary. I am beginning to think about expanding it into a king size quilt. My thought was to frame the top with a triple frame of possibly orange, yellow and a parrot green then more black (?) and finally binding it with a rainbow batik. I am a fairly new quilter and to say this was a challenge is putting it mildly, but I could use some ideas. If you have seen this pattern elsewhere, you likely know I have expanded on the color pallet used in the original...so I am looking for some adventurous suggestions but not one that suggest a lot more piecing...I need to recover!

Good grief, Lady!! Talk about starting out big!! I would have stopped after the first square, wherever the square is! That is a work of art! Alternative to enlarging. .. . send it to a museum!!!

I appreciate the comment and you are right about no squares....but a guy here

It's really stunning. I like your ideas of plain borders. It lets the center really shine.

WOW. Beyond words. Beautiful.

That is just stunning. I have heard that her patterns are quite challenging to say the least. I think you are on the right track with the borders you mention. I would plan it so the last colored border hit the edge of the mattress. In the "More Black?" portion (the 'fall' that hangs off the edge of the mattress) I would think about scattering some small tumbling blocks to echo the ones in the quilt, especially if you have some left over fabric from the ones in the quilt. You could piece them into the border, or applique them, which would be easier.

This is great so far! Just don't let your border(s) over shadow the intricate piecing in the body of the quilt.

Lovely and agree you are on the right track with the borders.

wow very striking

Great quilt. It's nice to see a guy doing some piecing, especially from my favorite designer. I was trying to envision what you were talking about for your borders and I guess I need to see it in a pic form. I use Yahoo as my search and put in "New York Beauty quilts". There are many pics there with different type borders, that might just appeal to you. A couple of them use some flying geese for parts of the borders. Others use applique and some feature a jagged edging. I'll be looking forward to seeing what you decide on. My link for the images is https://images.search.yahoo.com/sear...+beauty+quilts

Stunning. If you want to make it into a king size quilt, I would lay it actually on the bed and run an accent strip around where the edge of the bed is. Add any additional fabric to be able to get to that point. Then you can measure from that accent strip how wide your border are to be. MUCH better quilt than what my first quilt looked like. Congratulation on a job well done !!

You did a beautiful job on your quilt! What an ambitious undertaking. I was just looking at her quilts in the AQS catalog. You do have a vision. Please post again!

Wow Basketman - that deserves to hang on a wall and be admired IMHO.

Wow! Stunning quilt.

Amazing work ... you're a natural at quilting, Basketman!

Beautiful and so much work; I can't believe this work of art is pieced by a fairly new quilter. What could you do to advance futher??????????

Amazing-beautiful - gorgeous!!!!!!!!

Doesn't matter what you do next. IT'S BEAUTIFUL. Well done.

another thought.. Why not stretch it over canvas and make it art in the living room. It truly IS a work of art.

You have really out done yourself making this beautiful masterpiece. I am sure what ever you decide to do with it, it is going to be wonderful!!
:D :D :D :D

Great looking quilt - you are one really brave lady to tackle that much paper piecing. Thanks for posting your pic

That is just beyond comprehension,it is just stunning, and you say you are a male, Wow I wouldn't attempt it, great job.

It's beautiful! How will you quilt it? I've been working on a New York Beauty and haven't figured out how to quilt it.

Borders would be a great idea...the quilt is stunning

WOW!!!! Intricately gorgeous.

..as mentioned that wonderful piece should not be hidden in a bedroom...front and center! You have won the Golden Needle Award......

Spectacular quilt!! I don't have the nerve to tackle one like that! Your ideas on finishing sound good to me--but as others have said don't distract from your fabulous piecing!!

This needs to be bordered with a very minute lime green border; maybe to equal one inch when finished; then hung as it is a work of art. The small lime green border would enhance, not detract from your work of art. Awesome job! GiGi

Awesome, awesome! You've got good instinct for expanding!

I think this would be perfect.

You did a super job! The border idea you have sounds good. I do also like the idea of flying geese in the border to use up your scraps.

WOWEE! i agree with sending it to a museum! But I know you want this for yourself. Who wouldn't? WOW! So I think your borders are the right way to go. :) :) :)

Amazing!! Keep going!! Its beautiful!

Wow phenomenal what an undertaking for a new quilter but you were certainly up for the task, how long has it taken you to get this far?

Super job! Great work on this. Yes, simple borders will make the center shine. Thanks for sharing this. I had not yet seen this pattern from her.

After reading a few suggestions I am still thinking of expanding this to a larger quilt, using it as a piece of art doesn't work for my home. I believe a king mattress is close to 82" wide and my more reflective thought is to initially frame the 60" panel with a green batik ( suggestion from a viewer) then a strip of black, then another slightly different width of yellow batik, more black then orange batik to take the quilt to the edge of the mattress. Then a drop (hope that is correct term) that is again black, but in each corner a colorful New York Beauty with the spikes outlined in black. Someone suggested tumbling blocks used as a decorative element on the sides and I liked that idea but struggled so with “Y” seams that I am positive I will never do a tumbling block quilt...ever! I am still unsure how to make this all happen as most quilts seem to have a symmetry and if this panel is in the center of the bed and below the pillows...that throws things “off” a bit and needs further thought?


I am truly humbled by your praise and appreciate your encouragement, just never ask for photo of the back of anything I piece as it is a nest of loose threads, some well placed fabric glue and seams that reflect a lot of creativity to get a match. :)

Beautiful, how hard was it? I have the Aurora pattern and fabric but have not yet gotten up the nerve to do it. I would keep it if I were you, in its original size, as a lot of technical hard work went into it.

Quilting about two years... so not NEW but hardly experienced. I lost three knuckles, in a freak accident, on my dominant working hand and got talked into quilting for a diversion. This top is my third paper pieced project and I ultimately found that the freezer paper method is the way to go. Not sure I would ever do anything like this again...the larger meandering curves and tight inner corners were a serious challenge but J.DeJonge sure has some great designs!

From 60" to King is a lot, but you may be able to get away with some border of the same colors you used in the body. Do you have enough left to do two or three good wide ones?

Be sure not to get too fancy, or you will have to change your name to basket case.

With all the work that went into this quilt I think it should be a wall quilt!!! It is fabulous!!!