Border progression

  The leader and ender project from Bonnie Hunter this year has been the Jewel Box Stars.  I decided to use floral fabrics for the blocks and have enjoyed watching them come together into a very flowery show.   I did not want a  large quilt so I stopped and joined them into a small top.    And now, the blocks are together and it is border time.

  My plan had been to use a 4 patch border on point around it.....but yuck!  I found it so distracting that I did not even take a photo.  But I wanted a enough border for soft quilting.  So here, you can see the progression my thinking took.

    I started with a plain wide border .
 I cut a mottled beige/tan into 6'' widths.
 A little too plain and sort of looks just as it is ---an add on.
    On to the next idea.

 

   I found a dusty rose tone with a gray paisley design in the closet.  I liked the rose tone and it blended well with the blocks.  I cut 1 12/'' strip here and put it between the wide border and the center blocks.
  I like the separation to stop the design.  It also helps define why I want more border.   Alas, it also is sort of lacking.  It needs help.








   So I spent a little while making some vine/stems, and applique shapes from different scraps.  The stem has the backing paper on it still from the fusible, so it doesn't lay nicely.  And I only put up a few leaves and floral shapes to get the effect.  Sir Old Man wants the vine to extend into the blocks over the inset border strip.  That I can do.

   I will be playing around with this for a while.....getting the parts cut, and the borders attached to the quilt blocks.  I think it will be what I want.
Happy stitching:)