Friday, November 5, 2010

Bad, bad, border!!! A post quilters can appreciate

This is one of the  many nightmares of every quilter.  The wavy, untamed, lumpy, too big border.  As a quilter I deal with them the best I can.  I push, I ease, I steam, I finagle the material as best I can to keep from getting those folds and pleats in the borders.  But....I can only do so much.  Here are a few pictures of my daughters quilt where she did not put the border on correctly.  Funny story...by the time it came to putting the borders on, she was OVER the quilt.  She no longer "liked" the quilt, so "loving" the quilt was completely out of the question.  She just wanted it done! 

Here's the quilt...you have seen it before.....(it's the split 9 patch)


This is just after the first row has been quilted....you can see I'm already in for a long road ahead.


The other side of the quilt isn't much better...like I said she was "over it" and does not want to become the Princess of Blocks. (She calls me the Queen of Blocks)


If you notice in the picture above the pink border is not lined up straight with the bar on the machine.  That's because I had already been working with the extra fabric from the beginning.  When I attempt to straighten the quilt, this is what it looks like.....can you say "forever waves of grain?" and I'm not talking about wheat like the song.



As we progress this is the way tucks and folds look due to too much fabric.


some bad and some not so bad.....



I can tell from this picture that the borders are going to give me problems.  Check out the bellowing, balloon like border on the right side of the quilt.  Yep, serious trouble.


Here's a view of some of the tucks and folds that MUST be done to keep the quilt somewhat on line.  If I didn't I would end up with massive amounts of fabric at the end.  When the borders are this bad, a quilter has no option but to tuck and fold......



Approaching the end of the quilt with all of the tucks, folds, pleats and stretching the top that I've done.  Here is what the last row looks like....


There's still more tucks to come. If you notice the pink has different waves than the final border, this makes tucks in the pink and not the print.


Can you say ruffle??


The good news is the quilt is finished and because she knows (and loves) the quilter she didn't have to pay to have this quilt finished.  She has had the quilt with her at school for the last couple of years and loves it.  It's done...her friends are amazed that she made it.  A well seasoned quilter might have a different opinion, but for her it's good enough, it's done, it's not a show quilt.  It's a quilt that she grabs to snuggle up while watching TV in her room and for her that's good enough. (All pictures used with permission, not that she actually had a choice.)

Borders are an important part of the quilt.  It's not as easy as just sewing them on.  I didn't know this when I first began quilting, but now I know.  If you have any questions about the "correct" way to apply a border, do some research, ask questions.  It does make a difference.

Thanks for checking on me,
hugs,

joanne


love to hear what you've got to say......

13 comments:

Angie said...

It is such a cute quilt, too bad she lost interest at the very end. You did a good job of quilting it despite the waving border. I use Bonnie of APQS forums, starch & steam method on borders. It can take 2 or more attacks with the starch and steam, but it works quite well. I enjoy reading your blog!

Katrina said...

Just in time for the border on my latest quilt...
I was thinking it was the binding that was the hard part~

jdqltr said...

An excellent post about problem borders. I have had a couple quilts cross the table of my longarm looking very similar. Recently I just had one that I was able to fold the excess at a seam and top stitch it down. Can't tell it was a problem. But for most quilts, they look the same as yours. I always recommend to customers that they take their quilt home and FIX the border first, but most of the time I hear the exact same story your daughter told... they are tired of it and just want it done!

WoolenSails said...

I had a bit of that with my last one, I do not know what is the right way, so guess I better read more about it. I usually cut with the grains so they don't stretch, but was in a rush on the last one.

Debbie

Barb said...

I totally enjoyed this post. I can see how this was very frustrating for you. I also enjoyed seeing the quilting as well. That is a job well done and you should get extra chores done for that one. Your daughter did a good job, lesson learned. I think I have had a few life lessons as well.

Erzebat said...

hiya, dont sweat it! you did a great job machine quilting it. once you wash and dry the quilt all the wrinkly/crinkly goodness will come thru and hid it some more.(mauh) Liz

QuiltSue said...

It's a great quilt, what a pity your daughter fell out of love with it. It was an interesting post to me to see how you dealt with the "ruffle" effect. I'm guessing that after a couple of washes, with the crinkling up, the tucks hardly show at all?

Funoldhag said...

What a good mom you are--you got it quilted for her and I am sure she will use it and enjoy it just as much as if it were perfection. I do hope she starts another one one day and stays in love with it and can learn some of the ways to keep that from happening. Wavy sides have happened to all of us - that's how we learn. Have a great rest of the weekend!! Carol

Allie said...

Well for all that, it's still a beautiful quilt and she's using it, that's what counts. You did a beautiful job on the quilting, Joanne.

IHaveANotion ~ Kelly Jackson said...

What makes a quilt great is that it is made with great pleasure....it is enjoyed and loved. If you look at great quilts from history...they are not masterpieces to be hung on a wall...they were loved....so I say.....carry on!!! :)

I think you did a great job quilting it....she can tell people those "waves" were designed to be there.

Smiles,
Kelly

Micki said...

Great job on the quilt...It will be treasured I am sure.
Micki

Talin's Corner said...

I love the colors in your daughter's quilt and, in the end, she is a quilter. Do you know any quilter who has not made mistakes? I don't and we always love the quilts, mistakes and all. Your quilting is beautiful, she is lucky to have you!

Unknown said...

that is when you just quilt the sucker down and then wash it in hot water to pull it all together......haha.....
Not that I know.