As soon as I finished up my month 6 blocks for Monique's Blogger Girl BOM sew-along, I started working on my setting. That was back in May, because I needed to have my blocks done for the block reveal on June 1st.
I made my blocks half as big as the pattern, they finish at 6 inches. Since my blocks were so small, Monique's block setting didn't really work with my little blocks, so I decided to come up with something else.
And decided on this.
So at this point, this project is just 26" x 26", and I wanted it to be a little bigger, so I added another border.
I thought I would add some bigger squares, to get a better look as some of the prints in those fabrics. My pieced blocks were small and it made it hard to really see the pretty design in this fabric.
The whole time I was working on this project I knew one thing for sure, the red polka-dot print from Sweetwater's Hometown was going to be my outer border.
So I added the border, took a picture, then put it up, one less thing on my To Do List, and something I didn't have to think about again until it was time for the parade.
But I did think about it, even though the quilt was hanging in the closet, that red polka-dot border bothered me, I would look at that picture and wonder what was wrong, was the red too bold, the border too wide? Even though I was considering this project done, it was still driving me crazy.
So I finally asked a friend what she thought of the border and she told me it was a matter of scale, that the dot print was too big for the small pieced center. That was it, I couldn't put my finger on the problem myself, but as soon as I read that explanation I agreed, that was the problem. So that gave me this weekend to come up with Plan B.
At first I thought maybe adding some white to the dots would help. And tried this.
But it didn't really help, the dots are still too big, even surrounded by white.
So then I decided to add a plain white outer border, and I like it. I've never put a plain white outer border on a project so it's a nice change of pace. I guess I could use that polka-dot fabric for the binding, but I'm so over it I think I'll go with a yellow print instead.
This is Lifetime Quilt Number 107 - Blogger Girl BOM
The pattern is by Monique Dillard of Open Gate Quilts
The fabric is Hometown by Sweetwater for Moda
It finished at 44" x 44"
It has approximately 815 pieces.
There are some other quilters with finishes for you to check out today
Jackie - Adirondack Urban
And a few more finishes out on Flckr that I couldn't match to a blog so check them out too.
If you've finished your project we want to see it, leave a comment with a link to your blog if I missed you or add it to Flickr.
And finally, thanks Monique for providing this free pattern and organizing the sew-along, I could not be happier with how mine turned out.
There's another parade over at Santa's and Sherri's blogs, a Dulcinea parade, be sure to check it out too!
