30 October, 2012

Wedges On The Edges

 I decided to try something different this time, after doing three of this style quilt I knew that I loved the scrappy outer border element but I wasn't ever completely happy with the complete randomness of that look with both fabric and shape. I dove into my novelty scrap bin this time, my fourth attempt at these borders, armed with a new tool: a 15 degree wedge ruler! Surfacing with only fabrics that read medium and dark, I cut and trimmed what I could with this ruler; if they were too small and didn't measure up I tossed them back in the bin! Placing the wedges beside each other at opposite angles I stitched the cut pieces into pairs, then units, and so on... until I had pieced borders long enough to fit both sides. I love the results: random colors but one unifying shape; this method satisfies my love for the multi-fabric pieced borders without trampling on my sense of required orderliness, if you can see the logic! Hopefully the top and bottom borders will go together and be added this week. Gregory's birthday is Saturday; his quilt won't be quite ready for the day, but it won't be too much longer! It's a good thing he is patient with his Nana!
Top and bottom border wedges ready to be stitched together,
along side my 15 degree fan ruler, I added the sandpaper 'dots' to the back
for added grip while rotary cutting around my most straggly scraps;
it worked like a charm!

Life is Good!

11 comments:

Janet O. said...

I completely understand the need!
I am blown away by your novelty fabric collection. I'm not sure I could even make a respectable novelty mini quilt. : )

jude's page said...

Love the border, great quilt.

Nancy Near Philadelphia said...

Oh, it's terrific!

lindsey said...

This quilt will keep little eyes busy for ages.

Kathy ... aka Nana said...

How adorable is that quilt. I know exactly what you mean by a sense of required orderliness. ;-) That and a very slowly-growing stash is why my scrappy quilts have been very controlled scrappy quilts.

regan said...

I love this border.....looks great!

quiltkeemosabe said...

It looks great, but so did your totally random borders on the last quilt. I like them both but then we all know I deal with chaos a little better than you since it seems to follow me wherever I go!

cityquilter grace said...

glad to hear your son is on the mend and getting much needed recuperation...and i love the border...and those dots? priceless!

AnnieO said...

Terrific idea--I know what you mean about containing the scrappy into an orderly arrangement--I can never be totally random either!

Gayle said...

I like how you added some family photos to your I Spy quilt - that makes it so fun and personal!

LizA. said...

Love it. I like the angles of the wedges.....nice take on the piano key border.