Nebraska Views: Piecing Friendship Part 2

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Piecing Friendship Part 2

For the first border I pieced a repeat of the triangle shapes that are in the stars. I used the same fabrics from the setting squares as I didn’t have any of the fabrics my friend used in the stars. The problem is this border is too big to fit the pieced interior. I needed a 3/4” border between the two to make it fit.

Ideally I wanted to use the dark blue with the tiny bright colored stars but that was not going to happen. I didn’t have enough for that border plus another planned border on the outside of the pieced border. I love challenges like this so had to put my thinking cap on.

I chose to use the light blue with the bright stars for the 3/4” border and for the corner squares in the pieced triangle border. It is Ok but it bothered me for some reason and I think it was the value - not enough contrast between it and the light yellow.

This border just didn’t thrill me but I didn’t have enough of the dark blue with the stars for it and the one I planned to stitch outside the triangle border. I thought of another idea – add a skinny 1/4” border of the dark blue.

I appliqued it down by machine using clear thread and a tiny buttonhole stitch as I didn't want to try piecing it or ripping out the light blue. Here it is stitched down and the quilt laying on the dark blue fabric to simulate the last border then a couple of skinny strips to maybe simulate binding and a corded strip. Looks OK but……I still don’t like it.

I kept looking at it and looking at it trying to convince myself it was wonderful, great or maybe just OK but the more I looked the more I disliked that border. Now what? Well it was back to my stash and see what I could come up with. After pulling many fabrics I settled on a dark blue the same shade as the one with the tiny stars. It took me a while but I finally got the offending border ripped off and replaced with the new fabric. A much better look. Also replaced those corner blocks with the yellow fabric and I like that look better too.

Since this is the only time this fabric was used in the quilt I decided to add another border clear on the outside to repeat the fabric. Now I like it!