December wasn't necessarily a very busy month for me but Christmas preparations, illness, snow and an ice storm kept me from blogging as much as I wanted to. The ice storm wasn't as bad here as in other areas but the streets were ice packed and as a result, my husband was involved in a minor car accident just before Christmas which totalled our car. He wasn't injured but it did add a little stress to our holidays!
So, here is Phebe as she is today. She measures about 68 1/2 inches square and is getting too big for my design wall. I have two fleece covered 4x8 foot sheathing boards which I use for my design wall. They're great because they're lightweight and I can store them one in front of the other but unfortunately, my sewing room isn't large enough to have them both set side by side. From now on whenever I take a photo of Phebe, I'll need to wrangle the boards out of my sewing room and into the living room. Its quite a process.
I'm ready to add border #12, the last dogtooth border, and I have either made a mistake, read the instructions wrong or am expecting something different than the pattern. The dogtooth border points are not lining up with the first dogtooth border points. I don't know if you can see this in the photo above but the white triangles are about 1/2 inch off. If you've made this quilt, could you let me know how your border 12 fit?
To correct this, I'm going to move the first triangle up 1/2 inch and add the needed triangles at the bottom of the border. This and some careful pinning and stitching should make the points align or come closer. I noticed the "Primarily Quilts" photo of the original quilt shows it pieced this way.
All of the border 12 strips are pieced and ready to stitch to the quilt after I make the necessary corrections. After that, another mitered brown narrow border which I'm happy to say will be the last one!
Of course, there is the question of the last border fabric. Ever since I began working on Phebe, I've been looking for just the right fabric to use in borders 14, 15 and 16. It needs to be a small busy print to hide the seams and it needs to be a light tan or brown so it will set off the dark brown mitered borders.
These are the four fabrics I've purchased in my quest to find the right border fabric and I'm not really happy with any of them. I've decided against the middle two fabrics because they're too dark.
This is the fabric on the far left. I like the actual fabric the best but I don't think its the best choice for the border because due to the larger ecru flowers, the seams will show more. Did I mention that two of the borders are only 1/2 inch finished?
This is the fabric on the far right of the border fabric choices photo. Its the best choice at this point but I'm still not convinced beyond a shadow of doubt. Maybe it will look better with the Variable Star blocks pieced into it.
OK, this is where all of you readers can tell me I'm over thinking the whole fabric choice thing, LOL! Or, on the other hand, if you've got a better fabric suggestion please send it on.
I wish you all a Happy New Year full of meaningful relationships and experiences, especially the quilting kind!
Until next time, Mayleen
OK, this is where all of you readers can tell me I'm over thinking the whole fabric choice thing, LOL! Or, on the other hand, if you've got a better fabric suggestion please send it on.
I wish you all a Happy New Year full of meaningful relationships and experiences, especially the quilting kind!
Until next time, Mayleen
6 comments:
Looks just fabulous. I don't blame you for over thinking this one, with all the work in it you want to get it just right. But watching your progress has made me rethink my desire to do this one. I love it but am not sure I am up to all that piecing!
Happy New Year Mayleen! Your Phebe is looking phabulous. I like the first background fabric that you chose (the one on the far left in the photo of four) but it's very hard to tell from blog photos for such a detailed quilt. I'm sure you'll make the best choice. Good luck with getting your border to fit
Each time I pull up your blog I am in awe of your beautiful quilt. Thank you for your kind email in response to my question for the pattern. I did order the book, thank you! You are doing an incredible job with this- it truly is a masterpiece!
I have studied your choices for the 1/2" border (yikes!) and wow, it is a toss up. I wonder what the 2nd and 3rd choices (you suggest too dark) would look like. They look like they too would go well with the few inner borders. Of course, I am not helping AT ALL :) LOL. But I like the darker feel of the far left.
Looking forward to seeing your choice! Happy new Year!
Your Phebe is absolutely beautiful! Choosing border fabrics can be so difficult. I always like a fairly dark one, but it can be so different when you actually see the quilt in person. Success with your final choice! And a very happy 2014!
Oh dear! It looks like everyone else went with the color on the left and I thought the one on the far right looked the best. But I have to agree with Carole - it is difficult to tell from blog photos.
Phebe is turning out wonderfully! Amazing detail and workmanship!!
I have just discovered your blog and what a treat! Your Phebe is stunning and am enjoying looking back at some of the applique close-ups. Am not sure I can help with the border fabric - like them both but sometimes trying in different lights can help?
Hilda
Post a Comment