So I played with trying to make a crumby border for the Pinwheel Polka - and I'm not sure that I like it. I think it might be a little distracting and may just go with a plain outer border and put the crumby piece on the back. Until I decide - I'm going to let it "marinate" on the design wall for a while - ;))
Then I made the scrap card for my scrapbook - and got bored with the pink/green -
So I decided to play with the Amish Cheater Panel Pillowtop for a bit -
Centered it and layered it with a fusible batting and a black backing - then because the center/pillowtop already had a layer of batting and a muslin backing - I added some extra batting to the sides. I sewed on some borders to make it table runner size - quilt-as-you-go style. Then I stitched in the ditch - again - around the center "square" and "borders" - to quilt through all the new layers. I'll play with some FMQ border designs later - and then trim it down to straighten it out - ;))
And while I was in the mood - I fused the Halloween Cheater Panel to a black backing - and quilted in the ditch around all of the "squares" and "borders" - ;))
One of my Craftsy teachers shared a great technique for ditch quilting to make sure the lines come out straight and the quilt remains "square" and doesn't get tweaked in the process - and it works. In this photo - the lighting is poor and makes the backing look gray instead of black - but the quilting shows up pretty well - ;))
One thing about the Craftsy classes - even though I have been quilting since the 70s - if I buy class - I will watch the entire class. I ignore the stuff that I already know and wait for that little "gem" that makes the class worth the money. And some of the older/mature quilters have some really cool tips. They remind me that the best experts are those with the most experience - ;))
BOB thinks that some of the younger so-called experts are just now discovering things that we old white-haired ladies have been doing for years. Reminds me of watching a baby when they first discover their feet - they don't realize that some things have been around for quite a while - and just because they just now discovered it - doesn't make it new - ;))
Next thing you know - they'll be showing us how to use your walking foot for quilting and how to mark quilts so you can quilt on the lines - LOL - ;))
Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -
8 comments:
I think you should put a plain border at least 1 1/2" and then add the crumby border. Artistically speaking , the plain border gives the eye a place to rest.
now I am wondering which teacher told you what about ditch quilting (not one of my favorite things to do.)
I think I like the crumb border but think I would add an 'inner' border to give it a 'break'. As for the teachers ... ah youth.. But have to tell you. I have a dear friend, who is actually 'responsible' for me being a quilter, that does amazing quilts. But ever so often, she tells me about a 'new' technique she learned from watching some show on PBS.. I just smile ...
Thanks, Gene - I'll try that - the inner white border in the photo is only about an inch wide - and seems to get "lost" - it should be wider. And maybe the "crumb" border needs to be wider, too - ;))
And the Craftsy class was "Beyond Basic Machine Quilting" with Ann Petersen - ;))
Thanks, Katie - the inner border in the photo is probably too narrow and should be wider - especially if you didn't even know it was there - LOL. As for the teachers - BOB tries to smile but usually winds up laughing out loud - ;))
I vote with the above.
There are hundreds of solutions to every problem. Sometimes mine is the best for me but every now and then I hear of something that works even bettes. I belong to the"celebrate hand quilting " on facebook and am often amazed at the discussions when people insist their way is better. Well, maybe better for them but not for me. One was the size of knots! Honestly, do they only use one weight of fabric? I wonder. Often a new quilter asks a question and gets 40 answers and half or more make me think "Huh?"
Thanks, Julie - I love that there are so many different ways to do things - one is not necessarily better or worse than another - just different. On my blog I try to show my readers how "I" do something. It may not be the "proper" way - and it may not be the best way - or the easiest - but if it works for me - I'll do it that way - because I'm the one doing it - LOL. - ;))
Oh how I love the analogy with fairly new quilters and a baby discovering he has feet. On one hand you can appreciate their joy and excitement of discovery as I do with some of the new ones I am helping. On the other, well us older ones have learned a thing or two in our years at the craft that WE learned from someone else or in our own practice as "happy accidents" or "what if I tried?......" moments. It is all geometric shapes and how we manipulate them, after all.
Good luck with your border decisions though I think you came up with a plan in later posts. Oh, am I behind! LOL
LOL - BOB does "appreciate their joy and excitement of discovery" - but it also reminds me of Columbus getting credit for discovering America - when it was already populated by various Native American tribes - HUH?? - ;))
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