Choosing the fabrics for the border was easy enough but choosing how to incorporate stars was a real challenge. The center has star-like flowers and the first border has liberated stars. I didn't think repeating either in this border was a good choice, especially after trying so many options. I posted about my first idea here. Below are some other ways I considered incorporating stars.
I thought about stars during the day, considered possibilities, then laid out my idea. By bedtime I was certain that I'd found the perfect border. When I awoke in the morning and looked at the border I knew it wasn't right -- yet. Over and over again during the month I repeated this cycle.
Several of the border options seemed too decorative, others seemed patriotic (red/white/blue--which I don't have anything against but just not for this quilt), and others just seemed too confining.
I wish I'd taken a photo after the border was sewn and before I added the star points, but here it is now. The way it's hanging doesn't enhance the quilt itself....
Two good things: the quilt is still close to square and still nearly flat. I stitched the border on, then unstitched where I wanted to add the star points, appliqued them on, then restitched the border to the center. I don't know how concerned I should be about it not being perfectly flat but I'm concerned enough that I'll probably try to fix it. (Maybe I should have started with an 8" x 10" center and I would have had more control?)
I'm writing this before the last border is announced. When I learn what that is and if I think a change in this border will enhance and go with the center and the next border I will have no qualms about changing this border.
I can't help but feeling that this medallion quilt along is a little advanced for my skills!
I'll be linking to Lori's post at Humble Quilts when she opens the link-up. Go there to see several dozen ways that others have interpreted the borders for this quilt-along. It's lots of fun to see the variety.
--Nancy.
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