Month 9 Border

[Constance G.]

I love everyone's proposed modifications...we're pretty good at it! Hey, maybe we should design our own BOM! :shock: On second thought, probably should leave it to the pros! :lol:

[Barb A.]

I'm going to replace the '2013' with a bouquet, because apparently I cannot count and ended up with extra pieces from previous borders. Now I get to use them yay.

Here's what I am planning (you can see the '2013' in the design as reference to the size and space I'm trying to fill):



I have all the leaves and the top middle flower already done; so am hoping this won't be too much more work.


Barb in Alabama
(aka Liz, the one who cannot count, of course)

[Constance G.]

Beautiful design, Barb! You and I are headed in the same direction with the top border modifications.

[Barb A.]

Thanks Connie! I am just happy to use up my leftovers.

It will be such fun to see what we all ended up doing with that top border.


Barb

[Margo C.]

Great idea, Barb! Thanks for the sketch!

[Deb B.]

Very nice Barb! I like everyone's ideas and I'm looking forward to seeing all the finished borders for September.

[Barb A.]

Back with a progress report.

I decided to stitch as much as possible of my little posey to see if I could end up with a single unit to be appliqued onto the border. So first I transferred the outline of the design to a piece of tear-away stabilizer so that I had something upon which to mount the individual pieces.



Then I pinned the pieces onto the stabilizer.



And stitched here and there where the pieces touched or overlapped.



(Can load only 3 pictures; will continue in another post.)

...Barb...

[Barb A.]

...continuing The Saga of the Posey...

Then removed the stabilizer after sewing, aka ta-dah!



But now I am wondering if I should trim off any portions of a piece that will not show from the front, to reduce bulk. And if I should soak the posey to dissolve the Stable Stuff as much as possible, also to reduce bulk. Here's the back - you can see by the applique stitch where there are multiple layers.



I would greatly appreciate thoughts on trimming and soaking.


Barb in Alabama

[Margo C.]

Barb, that looks great!! Personally, I seldom trim any bulk on appliques like this because I know that my quilting will be done on a long-arm.

If I were going to be hand quilting (stop laughing....it COULD happen!!!) it would be a different story. :lol:

[Barb A.]

Thank you, Margo!

I like your answer a lot. I will probably be quilting this on my 830, if I do it myself. But hand-quilting won't be happening at all hah.

And it suddenly occurs to me that if I pre-soak to remove Stable Stuff, I will also be dissolving the washable glue which is holding down the unsewn edges of the posey. Eeeeek! It would have been the circle fiasco all over again.

Shuddering here.


Barb

[Norma H.]

Pre-soaking the Stable Stuff would not remove it either, just soften it

[Barb A.]

Thank you, Norma! This quilt is my first experience with Stable Stuff; so I wasn't sure what to expect. That is good to know!

Barb

[Rita C.]

I am really enjoying seeing what everybody is coming up with as alternatives to 2013.

Barb I love your posey, what a great way to use up the extras and it will be so lovely at the top.

Deb, I really like the birds nest too. You can never have too many birds in MHO. If it was me I would put a couple of open-mouthed chicks in the nest and then you would have mum and dad on the branches.

Rosa yours looks good too - a neat solution. You see we are all designers when push comes to shove.

Connie, I am looking forward to your rebellious moment. :lol:

RicaWil you don't look old enough to have a daughter getting married - do you mean to put this in her bottom drawer for when she grows up?

[Constance G.]

Barb, your floral center looks fabulous! Guess I need to get crackin' on this border, or all you ladies are going to leave me in the dust! :shock:

[Deb B.]

Great job Barb! I really like your solution!

Rita - I like the idea of the babies too. I actually tried to do something with that yesterday but just couldn't get them looking right. Then this morning I thought: If I just make the babies by reducing the "adult" birds in half (which is 1/4 size from the original pattern), tilt them a little and add an extra beak to make it look like their mouths are open . . . it just might work. I'm just afraid that they'll be too tiny. I'm going to give it a try though and see how they look. I may have to go back to the big bird sitting on the eggs .

I keep getting tempted by everyone else's designs but, in the end, I keep coming back to the nest.

Deb