Saturday, May 30, 2009

With or Without?

Gwen and Freddy's Reading In Bed quilt has three rows of random strips of fabric as a border. It's the inspiration for my Laughing Out Loud quilt, so I set out three rows of strips next to mine. I'm not quite sure if it works for me.So I tried adding a thin strip of the black and white sashing fabric as the innermost strip.I think I like it better. I think it's more unifying and gives the blocks a bit of space to breathe.
What do you think?


**It's got to have a border, it isn't big enough without one. It needs about six inches on either side. It's actually about 6" too long right now, so I may trim 6" from the bottom.

I want the top to "breathe" and I think a dark inner border would restrict it. I'm not 100% sold on the scrappy borders either.

16 comments:

Exuberantcolor/Wanda S Hanson said...

I like it both ways but if you use the black and white border first I think you still need 3 rows beyond that. It is such a beautiful quilt of jewels.

Robin said...

I love your quilt but as much as I love color I think you need somewhere for your eye to rest. How about a very thin border of black (solid or reads as solid) as an inner border instead of the black and white. Then I would go for it and add the 3 scrappy rows. You've inspired me to do something totally bright, scrappy and happy.
Robin in Seal Beach, CA

jovaliquilts said...

Funny, I kept picturing it with no border, which I think would work great! It's a very different kind of quilt with the border, but I like that one, too. I agree that you need a thin, less busy border as a separator -- well, I think it's worth an audition. I never know till I see it!

Clare said...

I agree with Cheri. I imagined it without a border. Can we see it without one? Please?

Joyce said...

I like the idea of a thin black border. But without the border would probably look great too. I'm no help am I? Lol.

Feedsack Fantasy said...

Would love a border on this ... it is spectacular.
TTFN ~ Marydon

sewfunquilts said...

I agree with Robin. It will "break" it before the border, or the border will not look like it's a border.

Erin said...

I love the black white border on it. No border sounds good too.

Sara said...

I really think I would like it without a border! Or just a small plain black one...

Callie Brady said...

I like it with the inside black and white strip best. And how about if you would try out an inside black and white strip, a random color strip, and then another black and white strip for the outside strip. Maybe having one color random strip would not have the border compete with the quilt pattern so much? I think the competition for attention between the quilt and the border is why people like the quilt without the border. Maybe one color strip surrounded by the black and white would calm that down?
It is a fantastic quilt! Love the colors.

stitchinpenny said...

i like the sashing strip and then the pieced strips.

Ida from Central PA said...

The B/W gives the eye a 'stop' place. Go for it.

3anklebiters said...

i do like the b/w print as the first border. what about scrappy borders that make a solid looking border, say random pieces of red for one border, blue for the next, then yellow? what are Gwen and Freddy's favorite colors?

Gari in AL said...

I like a somewhat plain inner border to frame or stop the movement in the center of a quilt. Even if the interior is chaotic, I like it to stop before the end of the quilt.

Helen said...

First of all, I love this quilt. Lots of fun, not TOO loud but really really jazzy!

Black and white border first. I think that looks really great. Kind of finishes off and contains all your piecing.

Not sure I really care for the pieced borders. How about (or do you have enough fabric) doing borders of your jewel tones? Just a thought.

Whatever you decide, you just can't go wrong with this quilt.

Hugs

Mr. Karate said...

use the b&w strip.