Monday, April 14, 2008

More decisions

Thanks to everyone who gave me input on my medallion. I'm still trying to come to a decision. I've decided I do need the "stopper" border in between the stars and the mountains - but what fabric should I use? I tried a few more and eliminated some of them easily. Here is my thinking process.

First I repositioned the stars so only 2" of the brown fabric shows. That gave me a better idea of what it would look like sewn together.



Next I tried a slightly lighter brown fabric. OK, but really no better than the other.






I tried a considerably lighter fabric - one with a neat curving feather stripe. Oh no - I don't like this at all!





Finally I tried the blue stripe. I didn't try it sooner because I have less than half a yard - not nearly enough. My friend Kathie found a place I can get more online so I cut strips to see how it would look. Hmmm . . . I like it, but I'm not sure I like it better than the brown.

I could try the blue stripe with brown corners like the border in the center - but first I would have to hunt for that brown floral. It has escaped from my baskets and found it's way back to my shelves - somewhere. Not sure I want to spend time right now hunting for it.

So this is the burning question . . . do you like the blue stripe enough better than the brown one that I should go to the trouble of ordering two yards - so I don't have to piece it - online and waiting for it to come? I'm not at all sure I like it that much better.

19 comments:

antique quilter said...

I like the first one best, it makes the stars stand out better in mho
the second one is ok since it blends in with the fabrics in the stars...but the first one is my favorite...

Karen said...

How many more borders are you planning to do?

If this thin border will be the LAST thin border, I would go with the same brown as before.

If you will have another thin border later, then go with the blue, and use the brown for the next thin border.

Am I making sense here?

Just my humble opinion.

Kim West said...

I agree with Karen...

Stina Blomgren said...

I like the first brown and the blue stripe...The blue one just because it repeats nicely...(first blue, 2nd brown and 3rd blue again... and maybe brown at binding)...I guess I would have added some other fabric with the blue...and not ordered new fabric...I´ts a scrappy quilt!!
Good luck on your decision...

Lily Mulholland said...

I like the blue, but the brown works too. Sounds like you're keen to just get on with it, so why not bite the bullet and go with brown?

Good luck!!

Lily Boot said...

Blimey Patti! I practically need to keep these photos on the wall in my sewing room so I can keep up with the progress/decisions! ;-) I like the second brown better than the first, didn't like the pale at all, and quite liked the brown corners with the blue - but liked the blue better from a distance (when it looked less ornate) than when it was close up). Now aren't I just soooooo helpful! p.s. it's an amazingly beautiful quilt and you must be putting in *hours* at the machine!

Suzy said...

Personally, I like the second lighter brown stripe. Since your quilt is soooo scrappy, I feel you need to follow that through in the separation borders by making them different from one another, but not so different that one stands out more than another. Does that make sense? LOL! Anyway, I hope you find what you are looking for. I love all the wonderful fabrics in this quilt top! :o)

Debbie said...

I like the blue first, followed by the first brown as a second choice. Lovely quilt!

Jeanne said...

I like the darker brown fabric the best. If it was me, I wouldn't order two yards of blue. It's a scrappy quilt, so can make something work from your stash.

ForestJane said...

I vote for the lighter brown stripe. Save the darker brown for closer to the outside of the quilt. :)

Quilts And Pieces said...

I like the darker brown that matches the inner stopper border.

canquilt said...

I like the first one (the dark brown) the best. I also like the blue, but I think the brown is best. Maybe more blues in the blocks instead of the border.

Andrea said...

I would go with the second brown - seems a shame to wait for the blue to get there when you could be getting on with it.

Libby said...

I like the one in the first picture.

scraphappy said...

I think you should use what you have. If one border doesn't speak to you, then it makes more sense to make do.

Angela

Joan J said...

I'm voting for the first one - it just seems to frame everything so much better. Just my two cents!

sewprimitive karen said...

Love all the opinions! I think Suzy Quilter makes a good point that having the narrow borders repeat kind of fights with the fact that it's a scrappy quilt only I loudly vote for that combination of the blue with brown corners, which looks GREAT. I was so interested to read your comment on the Dear Jane blog about those thingies being called half-square triangles only; that name has always bugged me to death because it doesn't make any sense. I was so relieved (!) to hear you say it used to have the longer name, half-square triangle squares, which totally makes sense. What a relief!!

Margeeth said...

I like the first brown one best. The blue one comes second, but you have to order it while the brown one is sitting on your shelf, so I would say: go for the brown one.
That way, you can keep your money in your pocket, you don't end up with even more stash and you can just to ahead with it.
Just my 0,02$ worth.

antique quilter said...

sooooo what did you decide?