Here's my quilt top for the Kaleidoscope QAL all done. It's for a baby boy and I'm a bit in love with how the colours twirl around it! Keeping the colours blocked in it was definitely the way to go rather than my normal scrappy mix-everything-up style.
I found this quilt quite challenging from a colour design perspective but it was worth it! I also found it challenging from a technical perspective and love how much I learned making it! I havent done a whole pile of work with triangles so far, and getting the 8 points meeting in the block centres took quite a bit of ripping back and re-sewing on some blocks. Now, I'm usually pretty relaxed about things being very precise but even I couldn't leave these go! Plus, it's for my friend's little boy and I wanted it to be right. Me and my seam ripper are best buddies these days!!
I'm still on the fence about adding a border or not. I put the question out on Flickr yesterday and thought I would post it here to get some more opinions from my wise bloggy friends :-) A few people suggested a colour border. What do you think? If so, what colour, one of the fabrics from the quilt or a different one? Or White (which is how I was leaning)? Or none? If I did do a colour border, how about binding then... would you stick with the same colour family? Eeek!!! Too many questions in my mind!
Please, o wise ones, send some suggestions my way... and N, if you're reading, as this one is for you, let me know what you think!!
I'm linking this up to Sew Chatty, Sew Modern Monday, Manic Monday and Fabric Tuesday! Go check them out for other lovely sewing and crafts!
33 comments:
It looks beautiful Sarah! If you were to do a border, what about the blue star fabric as the border and the orange circles as the binding? Just a thought.
Fingers crossed for you and the contest. Love that quilt! xo
I like it just the way it is but if you wanted to add a border...how about a thin white one?
I would add a blue or green border or a white border with a blue or green binding? Something like that.
What happened!?!? When I went over to vote you were in 1st. I can vote again from the work computer tomorrow :)
I think your quilt looks lovely just the way it is, I dont think it needs a border.
i would do 2 borders.. a small white one... like 1 or 1 1/2 inches wide... then a bigger green border... like 4 inches or so. then bind in the orange.
It looks great! I'd probably go with a chunky white border, and then use a lot of colour with scrappy binding :-) But it'd also look great just as it is!
I think a thin white with a thicker blue one and then binding in orange or green would look good. It looks great. I got as far as picking my fabrics out for this QAL then life at work and home got too crazy to get any further. Maybe someday I'll get it made. :0)
It looks smart! I would have a green or turquoise border and a different colour binding and avoid more white unless he is likely to be the cleanest boy in the world!
Stunning quilt! How about a thin white border followed by a blue patterned border? In the white border you could do something funky like continue some of the triangle ends of the half Kaleidoscope blocks into it! I'm sure whatever you come up with will be amazing! Jxo
Gorgeous quilt top! I'd generally avoid white for a little person, but then I'm thinking a thin white border plus a grey or blue would look great...you could also go for a natural linen border?
Another awesome piece of sewing Art :) I like it just the way it is. Keeping my fingers crossed for your quilt to be the winner!
Its looking lovely. I think whatever you choose to do it will look great. I really like the whale print and as it incorporates alot of the quilt colours then I would probably do a border in that and then I would add an orange piping (i love piping on quilts) before binding it in navy. Cant wait to see what you choose to do, im off to vote for you now, good luck
I am adding a piano key border so I don't have to decide! Can't wait on what you'll do!
I would not add a border, just bind it in scrappy brights.
Mrs. Hearts
I like the idea of a thin white border, but I do think it looks great without one.
I think it looks awesome as is! If I was going to add a border, I think I'd just do white. Looks great though!!
I'm in then border camp. It looks perfect as it is.
I think it looks fabulous just as it is. The pattern lends itself to go straight to the edge and I think a border might harness the optical illusion of curves and movement. The other thing is that if you add a border of blue or green then that will become the dominant colour. I always find that especially on scrap quilts...if you add a red border then all the red pieces in the patchwork jump out at you. As the blue and green in this quilt are balanced and neither is dominant I would be careful about adding a border of either of those colours as it might change the balance. If you really feel you need to make it bigger..then I would go with white so the pattern floats.
Just my 2 cents..look forward to seeing what you do :o)
Very nice! I say leave it as is. Cheers!
I like it just the way it is . . . no border!
It's wonderful!
I think if you did a border I'd do a thin scrappy blue followed by a thicker white. Maybe. I'm liking the idea of no border too. Bind it in navy? It would frame it nicely and make the whale print (the cutest!) pop very nicely.
This looks great! I think I would opt out of a border, but either way it's a beautiful quilt! :) Thanks for linking up to {Sew} Modern Monday and have a great week!
It looks wonderful! I decided mine was too small so I added a couple borders. I just added another border using the extra triangles I had and hope to post it tomorrow.
The quilt is terrific and it looks like you have gotten a lot of good ideas from the comments. I think I would just put a scrappy binding on it using the left overs from the quilt. I love it the way it is!! Nice job. I want to do that quilt when I get home and can sew again.
I like Jennifer's suggestion way up a the top. What a great quilt. Good job!
Great quilt!! I'm NOT in to borders these days so a good binding or skinny border or what ever you choose will be awesome!
I like it the way it is. Although I really like the thought of orange binding.
I really like it just the way it is!
That is gorgous! I love the way you did the color blocking. It looks very nice and professional. That baby is going to just love it!
~Kimberlee
www.TheSpunkyDiva.com
I'm with you on the white border...I use white in most of my quilts and I do love a white border! It looks really great though...might have to make a kaleidoscope someday after seeing yours!
Beautiful!! you have done a great job!
I'm in the no borders camp to keep the illusion of stars shooting of into the galaxy beyond - but it will be a great quilt whatever you decide!
I like the no borders approach to this quilt, but I could see a border would add a nice touch as well - white is good and neutral :).
BTW I'm hosting a Fabric Giveaway over at my site and giving away 12 FAT quarters. Swing by if you get a chance: http://www.jaqsstudio.com/2011/07/fabric-love-19-fats-and-fabric-giveaway.html
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