C8's Quilt--Adding More Borders--Might as well!

Here are a few pictures of the finished border. C8 wanted more piecing in the border and so I used the scraps and this is what I came up with.

I wanted the wider border to add to the overall size of the quilt, but I thought it looked a little bit odd to go from 1 1/2" strips in the blocks to 4" strips in the border. So I added that middle border strip made from leftover scraps from the blocks. I think it ties the blocks to the border a little bit more.

It is a totally random pattern with regard to the blues and greens and what fabric is next to what fabric. I mostly like the way pure randomness turns out.

I added the strips exactly how I added the pink strip. I measured the width of the quilt and cut my strips that size and then added them. Then I measured the length and cut my strips that size and added them.

Here's a picture of the entire quilt top, finally finished and ready for the quilter. Finished size turned out to be 68" X 84".

I'm upset with myself that I didn't take any photos of the back of the quilt. That would have been a great post/tutorial. I'll take some pictures when I get it back from the quilter! I have a feeling I'll be tacking down the binding on the airplane on our way to Idaho when I take her to college. :)

C8's Quilt--Border Patrol

This is it! All of the blocks are done! 48 blocks that have been tweaked, squared, and stitched together! Time to put on the border! I decided to put on a pink border first to bring out the pink squares in the middle and separate the blocks from the rest of the border.

First step is to measure the short side, right across the middle of the quilt. This tile floor is the biggest space I have in my house to lay out a quilt. And my knees are starting to feel it. Ouch!

It measures 51 1/4" wide. That's the measurement I use to cut the top and bottom pink strips.
I go with a 3" wide strip and cut 2 strips 51 1/4" long.

I find the middle of each pink strip by folding it in half and then pin the middle of the strip to the middle of the top and the other strip to the middle of the bottom of the quilt. Then, while I sew it on, I make sure the ends of the strips meet at the ends of the quilt. I use pins and bobbin tugging to make sure the fabrics (border and quilt) all match up. This will keep your quilt square!

Next step: Measure the length of the quilt, down the middle, including the new top and bottom borders. Cut 2 3" wide strips that exact length. Find the middle of the strips and pin it to the middle of the sides. This helps to sew the border strip to the quilt evenly. Make sure the quilt fits the border length when you sew it on.

Here's a pic of the first, pink border. I added 2 more borders to this quilt before I called it good! More pics of them in the next posting!

M I A

Sometimes I bite off more than I can chew. I have great ideas and then after a while, I realize that it's not working out, other things crowd my life, just not possible. This blog was full of great intent but life happens and this got shelved for a while.

I'm not ending it, but I am slowing down. I've always been more of a jack-of-all-trades rather than a master of one. So, I got busy with other things. I still will always be making quilts, but I can't plan every project around pictures, cameras, lighting, posting, and self-imposed deadlines. So, please feel free to continue visiting and I will post when I can.

Please don't expect too much from me. My whole life is not quilting, although a lot of it is. Caitlin's quilt has made it to the quilter's who promises 2-3 months on the return. We'll see about that. Maybe I'll start the nagging phone calls ("Is it done yet?") now. I'll post the end of the piecing soon.

Please continue to ask questions, visit to review a how-to, and keep making beautiful quilts!