Okay, Count me in!

[Renata L.]

I'm so confused :? :? :? but feel free to keep the ideas coming! I love the simplicity of Rosemary's roses (I actually think I could do that). I love Nancy's design and wish I could do that but definitely don't have the confidence to follow through unless I redrew the entire design onto Press-n-Seal and I also believe such a beautiful design would not really show up with so many colors already on the quilt (it's more lack of confidence that drives me away from that design). I love what you did, Margo, especially putting it right on my quilt to see--I think your suggestion is very doable because it starts from the center rather than from the outside and I think this is easier for a novice to do. I also love and consider quite doable Rita's suggestion from Leah Day. Lots to think about while I attach the border! I'm so grateful you all are so willing to pass on your ideas, experience and enthusiasm.

[Nancy R.]

Hi Renata - That's one of the fun things about quilting! There are so many ways to do it, and all create beautiful quilts! Funky flowers like Margo's are one of my favorite designs. I've done them in an all-over design like my roses, but with her flowers and it is really fun and looks incredible! The fun thing about flowers is that it doesn't matter if all of the pedals are the same size or if all the flowers are the same. The variation really looks good! But I digress.... Whatever you choose, one of these or something completely different, I know it's going to be incredible. And I can't wait to see it!

Nancy

[Renata L.]

Thanks, Nancy--you're always so kind and so responsive! I guess I just have to DO IT, don't I? Whatever I decide on :lol: I really do appreciate your encouragement and support! I suppose it's like learning how to swim--you just don't want to jump in the water but after you're in, it's actually fun!?!

[Margo C.]

Renata, whatever design you decide to use, you will feel more confident if you practice drawing it first on paper (like a large, 11"x17" sketchbook!) until you are really comfortable drawing it. That builds "muscle memory" for the design. Then make a couple of practice "sandwiches" so you can do a couple of them with your sewing machine before you start on your actual project.
You can do this!!

[Margo C.]

Renata, whatever design you decide to use, you will feel more confident if you practice drawing it first on paper (like a large, 11"x17" sketchbook!) until you are really comfortable drawing it. That builds "muscle memory" for the design. Then make a couple of practice "sandwiches" so you can do a couple of them with your sewing machine before you start on your actual project.
You can do this!!

And you don't actually need to use lots of sheets of paper either - just keep re-using the same piece over & over again :wink:

[Renata L.]

Yup, Margo! Ten-inch blocks are my friends and I also have a hand-held erase board that I build muscle memory on.

But, now here is my big dilemma and I've looked it up and can't find the answer: I just finished cutting my strips for the first 1-inch border. Of course, they're stripes!!! Why not make this hard, right? The stripes are multi-colored too :lol: :roll: and of course, one 42-inch strip is not going to stretch to the 48 3/4" side of my quilt (just joking about stretching it). I know how to sew two pieces together on a diagonal; what I don't know how to do is match up the stripes so it doesn't look awkward. HELP lest I go crazy trying to figure it out!!!

Thanks a million!

[Renata L.]

Oh, Rosemary... I hit the send button and your posting preceded my by a second! I actually have an 11x17 sketch pad but never thought of using it the way you suggested, but I really like the idea because it will simulate more closely the size that I am trying to reproduce and size does not necessarily translate into muscle memory when the design is practiced smaller. Brilliant! Thank you!!!!

[Renata L.]

With that stripey fabric I would do a straight seam either through the black or just about edging the black to one of the coloured stripes, I am sure that it would be far less noticable than doing the diagonal join - in this case.

Besides there is a directionality to your stripes and you have one of your pieces upside down to the other in your photo :wink:

[Renata L.]

With that stripey fabric I would do a straight seam either through the black or just about edging the black to one of the coloured stripes, I am sure that it would be far less noticable than doing the diagonal join - in this case.

Besides there is a directionality to your stripes and you have one of your pieces upside down to the other in your photo :wink:

Yes, I do have it upside down, don't I?!! In fact, I was just gazing at it and wondering why the order of the colors were in the opposite direction next to each other... duh!!! :mrgreen: (never could find a good place to put in Mr. Green...) Going black-on-black with a straight seam will be the easier way to go on this, but I certainly hope to learn how to do on the diagonal too. Thanks, Rosemary!

[Lois B.]

If you got both strips with the stripes going the right way I think you might be able to line them up very closely using a light box. The black fabric might make that more difficult but the light showing throught the colors might make that work.

[Nancy R.]

Hi Renata - I haven't done this before, but this is what I would try. Take two pieces of the stripe fabric and lay them out next to each other, setting them about how you would like to connect them. This is really just to find your connection spot, make sure they will be long enough after connected and make sure you have them going the right way. Then I would take one of the pieces and fold it diagonally, wrong sides together, along your desired seam line. I would then set it on top of the other piece with both pieces facing up, positioned as they will be after they are sewn. Carefully glue the top, folded piece on top of the bottom piece along the seam line. Use washable basting glue or glue stick. Unfold the folded piece and sew along the crease. Open to make sure everything looks right, then cut off the excess fabric 1/4" from the seam.

Does that make sense?

Nancy

[Renata L.]

Great minds think alike, Nancy! That is exactly what I did after I "frogged" :lol: the piece you saw in the picture. I was going to do a straight stitch on the horizontal but, once the stitches were out, there was still the diagonal fold remaining. So that made me think, "what about if I match up the stripes closest to the diagonal with the fabric of the other strip?" Then I glued it on to keep it in place for sewing... and it worked! So, yes, what you said made total sense and I'm glad to have confirmation from you that this might be a good way to go. Lois, would you believe I don't have a lightbox yet? I know how to put a makeshift one together but I'm hoping when DH builds my sewing room furniture, he will build one into my cutting area...

Okay, it's not PERFECT, but close enough for the first joint:

[Lois B.]

Hi Renata - I haven't done this before, but this is what I would try. Take two pieces of the stripe fabric and lay them out next to each other, setting them about how you would like to connect them. This is really just to find your connection spot, make sure they will be long enough after connected and make sure you have them going the right way. Then I would take one of the pieces and fold it diagonally, wrong sides together, along your desired seam line. I would then set it on top of the other piece with both pieces facing up, positioned as they will be after they are sewn. Carefully glue the top, folded piece on top of the bottom piece along the seam line. Use washable basting glue or glue stick. Unfold the folded piece and sew along the crease. Open to make sure everything looks right, then cut off the excess fabric 1/4" from the seam.

Does that make sense?

Nancy

Nancy, Brillant!!! Renata, Don't get a light box to match these stripes! I think Nancy's idea is much better.

[Nancy R.]

Renata - It looks great! It feels good to have someone else out there who thinks like me!

Nancy

[Renata L.]

I feel the same way you do, Nancy!