Woo hoo!!!!! Four down, one to go. It took almost five hours to achieve those three borders on the outside. Two one inch strips of light and the two inch pieced strip. THAT is how it is supposed to look.
I have a border print from the Old Primrose Inn line of fabric that I had planned to use as my outer border, but I have changed my mind. The border fabric is an extremely wide floral, and now that the quilt top has been assembled, I can see that a better look would be to use the dark brown with tiny stars that I have used in the blocks. I need to order away for the fabric, so I am at a stopping point for now.
But I achieved my goal. It wasn't going well, and I did more unsewing with this quilt than any I have made in a very long while. I stuck with it though, and I love the results. Sometimes you just have to give up, say "Uncle" and throw in the towel. Not this time. I knew I could do it.
Do you all feel seeing me make this quilt is like watching paint dry?
88 responses to “Tai Chi Borders”
I looks well worth the effort Nicole! I am so behind on my piecing, but I would love to add route 44 to my to do list. At this point my to do list will take me well into the next year or so though.
I looks well worth the effort Nicole! I am so behind on my piecing, but I would love to add route 44 to my to do list. At this point my to do list will take me well into the next year or so though.
Not at all like watching paint dry. It’s good to see you experts have to stop and re do now and then too- keeps the rest of us from being discouraged by our similar road stops. I agree the little brown print will look great as the outer border too.
Not at all like watching paint dry. It’s good to see you experts have to stop and re do now and then too- keeps the rest of us from being discouraged by our similar road stops. I agree the little brown print will look great as the outer border too.
It’s gorgeous! Well worth the struggles and time. I love the brown. Perfect choice.
It’s gorgeous! Well worth the struggles and time. I love the brown. Perfect choice.
I am comforted knowing an experienced quilter sometimes has to tear things apart too. Makes me me less incompetent! Thanks for sharing.
I am comforted knowing an experienced quilter sometimes has to tear things apart too. Makes me me less incompetent! Thanks for sharing.
The most beautiful paint I have ever seen! I love watching you make your quilts. You have such a great eye for design and colour.
The most beautiful paint I have ever seen! I love watching you make your quilts. You have such a great eye for design and colour.
It is turning out beautifully, even with the plucking! I think the brown is a great choice for the outside border. Can’t wait to see it finished!
It is turning out beautifully, even with the plucking! I think the brown is a great choice for the outside border. Can’t wait to see it finished!
Watching paint dry and then some!!!!KIDDING!!!! I am loving it that you are not a closet picker, you are out there loud and proud of boo-boo’s!!! All of us are behind mistakes the entire way, we feel your pain and of course are right there when you get back on track!!! OMG, doesn’t that sound like a Weight Watcher meeting waiting to happen?!?!?!?! Hugs…Susan
Watching paint dry and then some!!!!KIDDING!!!! I am loving it that you are not a closet picker, you are out there loud and proud of boo-boo’s!!! All of us are behind mistakes the entire way, we feel your pain and of course are right there when you get back on track!!! OMG, doesn’t that sound like a Weight Watcher meeting waiting to happen?!?!?!?! Hugs…Susan
Looks great Nicole. It was well worth the time and effort. I think the brown stars are definitely the right choice to end the borders. It will set it off perfectly. Good job!
Mary
Looks great Nicole. It was well worth the time and effort. I think the brown stars are definitely the right choice to end the borders. It will set it off perfectly. Good job!
Mary
I like this quilt more every time I see what you’ve chosen to do next and I liked it a whole lot when I saw the pattern and your selected fabrics!!
In considering a busy floral (no matter how lovely the fabric) I agree 100% on your decision to use the brown star fabric from the quilt and 1st border. This is the beauty of your system of getting new fabric and making a quilt from it. More of the same fabric is easily available. My method – to buy, consider, work on something else, consider – tends to allow years to go by and when I use the fabric, there’s no more to be found unless ebay or missingfabrics can come to the rescue.
What ever shall you do while waiting for more star fabric to arrive?!
Hugs!
I like this quilt more every time I see what you’ve chosen to do next and I liked it a whole lot when I saw the pattern and your selected fabrics!!
In considering a busy floral (no matter how lovely the fabric) I agree 100% on your decision to use the brown star fabric from the quilt and 1st border. This is the beauty of your system of getting new fabric and making a quilt from it. More of the same fabric is easily available. My method – to buy, consider, work on something else, consider – tends to allow years to go by and when I use the fabric, there’s no more to be found unless ebay or missingfabrics can come to the rescue.
What ever shall you do while waiting for more star fabric to arrive?!
Hugs!
I love that you chose the star print for your border. By extending the star prints to your outer border you ‘float’ those inner borders, which really accentuates it. I think we all have had quilts that kick us in the butt every once in a while. Keeps us humble and all that! LOL! Thanks for taking us on the journey with you.
I love that you chose the star print for your border. By extending the star prints to your outer border you ‘float’ those inner borders, which really accentuates it. I think we all have had quilts that kick us in the butt every once in a while. Keeps us humble and all that! LOL! Thanks for taking us on the journey with you.
It’s a beauty and well worth your efforts!!!
It’s a beauty and well worth your efforts!!!
I am inspired on a daily basis reading your blog! It is refreshing to know how human you are even as a professional. It makes me want to do more so keep up the good work.
I am inspired on a daily basis reading your blog! It is refreshing to know how human you are even as a professional. It makes me want to do more so keep up the good work.
No, nothing changes when the paint dries! Here you have been showing us your trials and ups and downs and your ability to persevere. Love the borders so far and YES to the brn stars. This is beautiful.
No, nothing changes when the paint dries! Here you have been showing us your trials and ups and downs and your ability to persevere. Love the borders so far and YES to the brn stars. This is beautiful.
I love, love, love it. I think you’re wise to ditch the big floral. See, no nightmare here!
I love, love, love it. I think you’re wise to ditch the big floral. See, no nightmare here!
oo-o-oh! What a lovely quilt. Sometimes we get more for our efforts when it doesn’t go just so smoothly. I too bought that floral border and had to rethink it for a quilt I made, ended up going back and re-ordering a smaller print in the Primrose Inn line. Hang in there on this one Nicole. The rest is downhill now and you will end up loving your quilt.
oo-o-oh! What a lovely quilt. Sometimes we get more for our efforts when it doesn’t go just so smoothly. I too bought that floral border and had to rethink it for a quilt I made, ended up going back and re-ordering a smaller print in the Primrose Inn line. Hang in there on this one Nicole. The rest is downhill now and you will end up loving your quilt.
Very pretty quilt.
Very pretty quilt.
This quilt is much more interesting than watching paint dry! LOL
Love the new border and I think it was worth all the angst!!
This quilt is much more interesting than watching paint dry! LOL
Love the new border and I think it was worth all the angst!!
Nicole – How did you get the individual borders to lie flat? Did you measure from the sides from the middle of the quilt or did you just cut off the extra at the ends after pinning? I usually sew all the borders together as one unit and then miter the corners. This is an intersting way to add them but I’m afraid I would have ripples in the narrow borders.
Karen L.
Nicole – How did you get the individual borders to lie flat? Did you measure from the sides from the middle of the quilt or did you just cut off the extra at the ends after pinning? I usually sew all the borders together as one unit and then miter the corners. This is an intersting way to add them but I’m afraid I would have ripples in the narrow borders.
Karen L.
Good for you! You stuck it out! It’s going to be beautiful and I agree with your border choice. Sometimes less(calmer) is more!
Good for you! You stuck it out! It’s going to be beautiful and I agree with your border choice. Sometimes less(calmer) is more!
Really love the brown you used in this one. And good for you for persisting and fixing it and moving it along instead of stuffing it in a closet and telling yourself you’ll do it another day, which is probably what I would have done.
Really love the brown you used in this one. And good for you for persisting and fixing it and moving it along instead of stuffing it in a closet and telling yourself you’ll do it another day, which is probably what I would have done.
Another beautiful quilt. Love watching you work your way through problem issues…it helps us all! Looking forward to seeing the finished project…the brown star fabric will be perfect as a border.
Another beautiful quilt. Love watching you work your way through problem issues…it helps us all! Looking forward to seeing the finished project…the brown star fabric will be perfect as a border.
Woohoo attagirl….I knew you could do it! And it’s beautiful! Well done you!!!
Woohoo attagirl….I knew you could do it! And it’s beautiful! Well done you!!!
Loved every moment of the process!! She’s a beauty!! Well done!
Paulette
Loved every moment of the process!! She’s a beauty!! Well done!
Paulette
I love the end result – I’ve taken apart and put back together a quilt and was very happy I also stuck it out.
I love the end result – I’ve taken apart and put back together a quilt and was very happy I also stuck it out.
BRAVO!
BRAVO!
Great job, Nicole! Another beauty–I think your choice for the outer border will be just the ticket.
Take care,
Beverly in WA
Great job, Nicole! Another beauty–I think your choice for the outer border will be just the ticket.
Take care,
Beverly in WA
Job well done Nicole! Even if it seemed like an eternity, your hard work paid off big time.
Job well done Nicole! Even if it seemed like an eternity, your hard work paid off big time.
This finished inner border is so pretty, I’m glad you stuck with it! It’s nice to know that experienced quilters have problems sometimes too, so that we who are new to the quilting world feel less intimidated. I think you are right with the switching-the-border-fabric. A busy floral would disguise the simple beauty of the inner pieced border.
This finished inner border is so pretty, I’m glad you stuck with it! It’s nice to know that experienced quilters have problems sometimes too, so that we who are new to the quilting world feel less intimidated. I think you are right with the switching-the-border-fabric. A busy floral would disguise the simple beauty of the inner pieced border.
I so hope you remember to show us when it is all finished. It is beautiful! You used one of my favorite lines of fabric. With my fat quarter bundle I made ‘Wind Farm’ another Miss Rosie pattern. I love the quilt because I love the fabric so much. Thanks for sharing.
Marsha
I so hope you remember to show us when it is all finished. It is beautiful! You used one of my favorite lines of fabric. With my fat quarter bundle I made ‘Wind Farm’ another Miss Rosie pattern. I love the quilt because I love the fabric so much. Thanks for sharing.
Marsha
This quilt is so pretty! I read your blog almost every day, LOVE all the quilty goodness I see here! SO glad you stuck with it, this is a real treasure! I would love to make this pattern one day. Keep at it!!!
This quilt is so pretty! I read your blog almost every day, LOVE all the quilty goodness I see here! SO glad you stuck with it, this is a real treasure! I would love to make this pattern one day. Keep at it!!!
It’s nice to know that we all have struggles with blocks now and then. Glad you kept at it and this quilt turned out great. Good job Nicole.
It’s nice to know that we all have struggles with blocks now and then. Glad you kept at it and this quilt turned out great. Good job Nicole.
I really love this quilt…and have loved the progress. Isn’t that the way it always goes, too…if you pick out a border beforehand you end up wanting to change it when the quilt is finished?!!!
I really love this quilt…and have loved the progress. Isn’t that the way it always goes, too…if you pick out a border beforehand you end up wanting to change it when the quilt is finished?!!!
Watching paing dry? No way! You still put together a quilt rather quickly!
Thanks for sharing the process!
Watching paing dry? No way! You still put together a quilt rather quickly!
Thanks for sharing the process!
I can’t wait to see it quilted…it is lovely.
I can’t wait to see it quilted…it is lovely.
We live and learn in quilting, don’t we? It’s beautiful so it’s well worth all your efforts. You’ll be so happy when it’s done you’ll be glad you finished it to the end! Congrats.
We live and learn in quilting, don’t we? It’s beautiful so it’s well worth all your efforts. You’ll be so happy when it’s done you’ll be glad you finished it to the end! Congrats.
The quilt is beautiful–I’ve saved a picture.
The quilt is beautiful–I’ve saved a picture.
I love seeing your progress on this quilt! And I felt your pain with the border issue – been THERE!
I love seeing your progress on this quilt! And I felt your pain with the border issue – been THERE!
Nicole it looks beautiful. I so enjoy reading your blog because you explain and show us as if we were your friend standing in your sewing room. Thank you! Prefer the stars for the outer border too. What’s next on the agenda. Oh, I am going to my daughters tomorrow for two weeks, no internet, will have to catch up when I return home. Will miss you.
Nicole it looks beautiful. I so enjoy reading your blog because you explain and show us as if we were your friend standing in your sewing room. Thank you! Prefer the stars for the outer border too. What’s next on the agenda. Oh, I am going to my daughters tomorrow for two weeks, no internet, will have to catch up when I return home. Will miss you.
Definitely much more fun than watching paint dry!
Definitely much more fun than watching paint dry!
This quilt is beautiful and well worth your effort! Love it!
This quilt is beautiful and well worth your effort! Love it!
Each time you show this quilt, I like it more and more. The brown star border will be just the right touch. Great job!
Each time you show this quilt, I like it more and more. The brown star border will be just the right touch. Great job!
This may be my favorite so far! It’s gorgeous and the borders are just right. Can’t wait to see it when it’s finished!
~Adrienne~
This may be my favorite so far! It’s gorgeous and the borders are just right. Can’t wait to see it when it’s finished!
~Adrienne~
Not at all like “watching paint dry”…more like a study in perserverance! Well done! many a time, I would have quit by now- but it’s definitely worth the effort.
Not at all like “watching paint dry”…more like a study in perserverance! Well done! many a time, I would have quit by now- but it’s definitely worth the effort.
Nicole, I was in the class with you in Rockford and have enjoyed hearing of your experience with Route 44. Being in that class was one of my best days ever! I, too, am sticking with it and am just putting on the pieced part of the border. This is what I call an “exercise in patience.” But I’m lovin’ it.
Nicole, I was in the class with you in Rockford and have enjoyed hearing of your experience with Route 44. Being in that class was one of my best days ever! I, too, am sticking with it and am just putting on the pieced part of the border. This is what I call an “exercise in patience.” But I’m lovin’ it.