I want to change the size of the quilt I am creating to a queen size quilt instead of the lap size. I went and bought 3 yards of Maroon fabric and cut a bunch of pieces hoping to use it as a border around my block. Yuk...it looks horrible. So glad I did not sew it.

You can use the maroon as a final border, to add extra inches, but the way to increas your lap size to larger is to make more blocks!

I used up all of the fabric I had that I used on the disappearing blocks ; ( maybe I should just stick with the small size quilt. I have never made a larger quilt. I thought it would be easy to make it larger by adding a frame around the blocks, but it looks horrible. Looking at other patterns, but so far not sure if it would look good. I wonder if I sew the 9 blocks together and then just add a tan border. It will end up being a small quilt, but at least it will not be ugly.

You could use a brown instead of the cranberry. Maroon has a brownish tint to it.

It is an ugly color...I bought 3 1/2 yards of it. It looked nice in the store.

Maybe make the sashings strips a little narrower? Those are a bit wide in proportion to your blocks :wink:

A great reason to buy more fabric LOL

I think the sashings were going to be too wide - that is why the maroon stands out so much. Amma is right.

Next time don't cut your fabric for the borders. Instead open it out and lay the blocks on it to audition them. That way you can always use the fabric for something else if you don't chose to use it for strips. You might try a darker brown, or a lighter tan for a border.

If you don't have the fabric yet, take your blocks with you to the fabric store and lay some across the bolt and look at it. If you think you like it, then open it out and lay more blocks to make sure. Ask the clerk to help you chose. They want the sale so usually will help, if you go in at a time when they aren't busy!

@Mshawii...thanks I never even thought about putting the blocks on the fabric...I don't know why...LOL...I went thrift shopping today and found 5 yards of a light tan for 1.99 along with a few other colors. The other colors do not go but can use them with a scrap quilt. I was so bummed I took a break...so glad I went out today. When I found that material for under 2.00 it was a sign to keep going.