This quilt top will go to Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) who, according to their website, wants single tops that are 60" x 80". With 6" blocks, that means a quilt with 10 blocks across would be 60", but for length, with 6" blocks, I have to choose between 78" and 84". Right now I have 9 blocks by 13 blocks for a quilt that would finish at 54" x 78". Another round of blocks on side and end would make the quilt 60" x 84". I don't have much print fabric left but I could probably squeeze out another round if I piece some scraps.
The alternative is to leave it the size it is and add a border. Sadly, these are the only two fabrics I have that seem even slightly compatible and of which I have enough.
There are two recent posts from other bloggers about Hands2Help that I love. Thanks to both Gretchen and Bonnie for the great information.
- Gretchen Weaver posted Charity Comforters a week ago and wrote specifically about donations for MCC and showed how the tops are prepared. I was pleased to read that, "The tops need to be at least 60" by 80". "At least" is good. But I wouldn't want to go smaller than that because quilts shrink in the washer and dryer.
- A day or two ago Bonnie wrote a post, A Fast Quilt for Charity!, in which she gave the suggestion to make larger, simple blocks, instead of smaller ones, along with directions for two different blocks. I think I'll go with her suggestion for the next quilt top.
Sarah Craig is hosting the Hands2Help Comfort Quilt Challenge at Confessions of a Fabric Addict. I don't know whether it's too late to sign up for this year or not. Big thanks to Sarah for organizing and hosting this huge effort. I'm sure it blesses many, many people.--Nancy.
I like this! And, since you asked, I'd use the blue polkadot fabric for a narrow stop border, then a wider border of the colorful print. I think that would compliment the 9 patch blocks beautifully.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the input, Pat. When you say a wider border of the colorful print, do you mean the red one or the one I used for the alternate blocks (the non-9-patch blocks)? I have a width-of-fabric strip of that that's about 7-10" wide, so I can't use that one.
DeleteI do love this chameleon print. It would have been a great backing for your Zinnia Baskets project. I think it works in your project, so pretty and will be enjoyed up close and snuggled under.
ReplyDeleteThe distance/ muddy effect aspect is why I dislike patterned wide borders on quilts. Often up close they are so beautiful and well chosen but at a distance they look like an afterthought, like remnants of someone's old faded sofa. I do love that blue polka dot too.
I am surprised you like this fabric, Lizzy!
DeleteI'm with you against wide patterned borders, unless the pattern is very large and strong or a tiny print that is tone-on-tone or similar.
That is amazing how your fabric changed from one picture to the next. I wouldn't have guessed it was the same fabric. I like the blue with black polka dot fabric. I think it would make a great border.
ReplyDeleteYes, I think it's amazing how different the fabric looks up close and from a distance.
DeleteThanks for weighing in on which fabric to use for the border. The blue with dots is the one I was leaning toward. I hope to sew the top together tomorrow, then cut and measure for the border, then sew it on, too, but possibly not by tomorrow night.
Count me in on the blue column. I think it brings out the blue in the original fabric, and might even make it less blendy from a distance. It's a beautifully simple quilt!
ReplyDeleteThanks for weighing in on the border fabric, Susan. I'm going to sew the top together tomorrow, then confirm the blue with dots for the border and, hopefully, cut and sew the border. It is the one I was leaning toward.
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