The Conversation I Overheard

In a previous post I showed photos of possible border fabrics for these leaves.  (So many of you weighed in on your preferences and shared your observations.  Thank you!)   I left the potential border fabrics around the edges until I finally narrowed down the choice to the teal/blue fabrics, leaving only those.  As I glanced at the quilt while walking by one day I thought I overheard this conversation.

The border fabrics said, "Look!  We are the perfect color for this quilt.  We look great with you leaves in the center."

To which the leaves replied, "You are not perfect for us.  You are too loud and noisy.  You want to claim all the attention and overpower.  We are the center and focus of this quilt.  We don't want you.  Go away and stay away!"

My first thought was, Gosh, those leaves are really bossy.  And then I thought, But they're right.  All the time I'd been admiring the beauty of the color of the border fabric without thinking of what the leaves really needed so they could be the focus of the quilt.

When I first made this top and posted it, just before I folded it up to work on again later, I think it was Lizzy who suggested no border.  I was so tired of making leaves I didn't want to hear it.  But this time, when the leaves said they didn't want a border and the quilt was a tad small without a one, I dug deep, came up with 17 more autumn fabrics for leaves, and stitched them around two sides of the quilt.  And the leaves are happy.  It's now 8 blocks x 10 blocks and approximately 72" x 90".   (It will shrink with quilting and after being washed and dried.)  Perfect for a twin bed or an afternoon nap.

Good photos are hard to come by--we've had either glaring sun or stormy, grey clouds, and I'm not a great photographer, anyway--but here are a few.  None shows the true colors.

I love this autumn quilt.  It brings to mind some of the things I love about fall....  Sunlight dazzling through leaves on the trees, the swirl of leaves drifting to the ground, and kicking through bright leaves on a walk.  I'm looking forward to fall.  It's my favorite season.

I hope I can find backing fabric that does justice to the autumn colors of this quilt.  If you happen to see a great fabric maybe you could let me know?

Do your quilts ever argue, make demands, or carry on conversations?  Mine seem to more often than not (and sometimes I wish they wouldn't!).

I'm linking this post to
> Finished or Not Finished Friday at Alycia Quilts
> Peacock Party at Wendy's Quilts and More
> Brag About Your Beauties at From Bolt to Beauty
Thanks for hosting, ladies.

Thanks so much for visiting!
--Nancy.