In between all the things and projects I am working on, I’ve continued to work on my Smith Mountain Morning quilt.
I have the center all together.  If you noticed that it’s big, it is.  It’s one row longer and two rows wider than the directions.  If you’re looking for the pattern, it’s in Bonnie Hunter’s  Scraps & Shirttails II: Continuing the Art of Quilting Green.  Didn’t Bonnie design a great quilt??
I’m stuck…what do I do for the inner border?
There is this-we’ll call it #1.
or this….we’ll call #2.
or this….we’ll call #3.
I just hate making decisions…right now, I am leaning towards #2…but then I started thinking maybe I should just use muslin.
Any suggestions???
It’s looking great so far. I like option #1 because it’s more blue than the others and goes better with the centre of the quilt.
I’d make a narrow frame (1″ wide) with dark red (maroon). It would make the rest of the quilt sing. I would use any or all of #1, 2 or 3 for binding. Keep in mind this advice is coming from a person that is framing a scrappy log cabin quilt with black.
I like what Shirley S. suggested with the narrow maroon frame, the use #2 to finish it off. :)
#2 of the choices offered but I also think it needs something darker, maybe a brown or brownish black. The light makes it to “floaty” not grounded. Just my opinion and as we know, Quilters can give ’em! lol and good luck.
Jo, It is a beautiful quilt. Of those 3, I like #3 the best. They all read very light to me. I might suggest something a bit darker than these three. I think that way this border won’t compete with your background which really makes this pop. Just my opinion and I am not an expert. Whatever you do, it will be gorgeous! Thanks for sharing.
I like option #2 as well! :) I am usually for stripes but the stripe is a little too light for my taste. Great job! Love smith mountain morning, Its on the bucket list lol!
I like #3 but I agree that something a tad darker might work better!
Either number 2 or 3, but something a bit darker would be good.
You’ve used the same muslin for background and cornerstones, right? Your three blues are kinda wimpy compared to the blues you used in the rest, so if you decide to go light I think the muslin would be better. I think a dark chocolate brown would “complete” the brown star blocks. In any case, I love the quilt!!
I like #2 best.
I like #2 the best too!
To me they are all too light, but it depends on what look you are going for. Of the three, I like #3 the best. Have you tried a darker brown and darker blue to see what it would look like? Love how it is turning out, and the colors!
I think you need a darker narrow border instead of the light a dark brown or maybe the maroon if it is dark enough that it leans towards the browns. If you have your heard set on the lighter border I like 3 better then the others. Have fun!
This quilt is a real stunner. Good luck deciding how to finish it! I always get stuck on
borders, too, and often just don’t add ANY! Whatever you choose, it will be gorgeous. You have been given lots of nice advice. I like how Shirley S. thinks!!
I like #s 2 or 3; definitely not #1! pick 2 or 3, whichever looks best in person, it’s hard to tell on the computer. love it!
I like #2 best.
–C.B.
I think your lite prints are off with the design. A skinny muslin or even as suggested previously – a pop with the maroon.
I think your lite prints are off with the design. A skinny muslin or even as suggested previously – a pop with the maroon.
I agree with those who suggested a narrow, dark inner border. If you are committed to using one of the three, I like #2 best. The quilt is wonderful — I wish mine was as far along as yours!
Hiya Jo! That’s a good looking quilt top, there, well done! I offer the idea that your whole creation is scrappy, so use different lengths of all three of your inner border choices to keep that scrappy look. I think that the plain muslin would be way too stark in this quilt. I’m also intrigued with the ideas of deep rich browns, so try auditioning those, too. Get a good night’s sleep and the quilt will tell you what to do, LOL!
I like #2 the best.
Of the three, I like # 2 the best.
I like #2 because of the brightness of the fabric. :) It’s looking gorgeous!
#3
I like #1. Numbers 2 and 3 are too light. I would even use as blue darker than #1 if you have it . . . . I’m just starting this in King Size – blocks set 12 x 12. Wish me luck!
I just finished mine last week. I think my colors were more saturated than yours but I used a medium colonial blue. Wasn’t that border a bear to match? Triangle in a square (star points) are not my favorite to make. I find it hard to be consistent no matter what ruler I use. Looks grat, happy holidays!
My vote is for #2. I love this quit so much!!
I’d go with a dark blue, or the plain muslin you used for the backgrounds.
I like #2. The quilt is wonderful!
I’d like something darker, either blue or brown. I think whichever you choose will make the quilt more that color.
i think it needs something dark brown or navy to pop it
option #1 – no doubt. Merry Christmas from Oklahoma, USA. crystalbluern at onlineok dot com
To me, none of the three work. It needs to be darker. The quilt, however, is gorgeous! I love it.
If you don’t go with a darker color, I think I like #1 of the three. It seems to define the center better than the other two fabrics and you really want to showcase that beautiful quilt!
Wow-what a fantastic quilt. Go with #2.
Something darker in my opinion. Option 4?
I would either go for the plain muslin or for a dark brown. Another option forget the small border and go with the pieced one.
hi jo. i agree with shirley. a dark maroon or a dark red that finishes maybe 1/2″ would give it just enough ‘oomph’. then if you need the border a certain size, use one of your three or even a navy to finish out the size. should rock. just the center is gorgeous! i love this pattern. on my list of ‘to do’. patti in florida
I also have to agree with Shirley on the maroon, or even a dark brown. Your quilt is beautiful!!!
I like option 2, because it has a more “neutral” look, and I would lean more toward neutral than toward the blue-y look. Any way you do it, this will be gorgeous! Great color combo!
Which color would you rather pop on your quilt. Add more of the other color and your preference will pop. If you want the blue to pop add brown and vice versa. HIH
Choose the one that your eye is drawn to first. That is usually the right choice for your quilt.
My 1st suggestion is dark red about 1″ finished, 2nd choice is dark blue, I personally think your choices are too light, but I’m a dark dirt floor primitive type gal.
I absolutely love #3. =)
Personally, I would try a dark brown. But if you like the lighter, I like #2 the best!
I think I would choose a darker color that reads as a solid.
Hi Jo, That quilt is a real stunner! It definitely needs a dark brown that reads solid. Those light prints just don’t do it.
If you like Bonnie’s colorway( which it appears that you do, )I’d go with number 1.
Definitely No red or burgundy in your lovely browns and blues!
I love this quilt. Mine is about half as far as yours. I’d love to be in the same room as your quilt and back off for the overall effect but as others have commented it’s hard to tell on that moniter!
Have fun! It will be a lovely finish!!
I like number two.
Like #3, but agree it needs to be darker. I really like the stripe. Congrats on making so much progress.
I like #2, but it does seem to compete a bit with all your other scrappy fabrics. I think you need to have a place for the eye to rest before that pieced border. Not sure I like the idea of maroon, perhaps a redish brown if you want to pull out the reds. Maroon is a bit too purply in my opinion. Something in either the brown or blue for the inner border and then perhaps use one of the three suggestions for a binding. In #1 it looks great next to the outer pieces of the pieced border. Sandi
I love your quilt, but I think your too light also a narrow white with deep burgundy would look great. Of the three I would pick # 2 .
Until I read the other comments, I was all for #3. I like that best because it has both blue and brown in it, and I thought it tied the colors together nicely. But, then, maybe darker is the way to go–I don’t have real good color sense, but I just audition until I find something I like. And then I try not to second guess myself. I like your blue and brown quilt!
If you are set with one of the three light borders that you showed, then I would choose #2. But If you would still consider something else, I would go with the darkest brown you have in your quilt. I think the star blocks need something dark on the outside to finish them off before adding another light border..
I have to agree with those who are voting for a darker border. All of your current options get lost in the rest of the quilt for me. I didn’t even realize it wasn’t the carpet or something and you’d left a bit of room in between the center and the outer border until I re-read what you were asking us to vote on.
Dark brown inner border! Beautiful, beautiful quilt and job!
Love this quilt – you’ve used a lot of dark fabrics, but there’s a lovely lightness to it! I like border #2 because the background’s like muslin/calico and makes it really float, but the dark blue, more open pattern holds it down and doesn’t let float right away. Not a fan of a dark border for this, even though it would normally be my default mode.
I like #2 with it. It just look like it was made to go with this quilt.
I’m not for making a light framing boarder. I like the idea of maroon.
Of the ones you offered I like #2 best but I think I’d like a medium or dark blue or brown most of all. Beautiful quilt and on my bucket list !
I love the quilt! It is beautiful! I am sure whatever you do for the border will be wonderful.
I made your Chains of Faith quilt in browns, blues and tans for our youngest daughter for her wedding quilt. Maybe someday I will get a picture of it to share with you! It turned out wonderful! I did add some borders to it to make it queen size (99″ square).
If all the other background is muslin, then yes, use muslin for the inner border.
Would also make the quilt center “float”. The prints fabric looks like an after thought or that you ran out of the muslin in the body of the quilt. Now to do back and read what other suggest.
Of those three I like one best, but I’d prefer a darker colour
I’ve made this quilt in the same colorway and put on a med/dark blue border. When I had it appraised at my guild quilt show, the appraiser commented on how she thought the darker border really helped to make the quilt ‘sing’ – compared to others made with a light inner border.
I would go with #1. It has more of the blue in it and I think #2 and #3 just kind of wash it out. Plus I just love blue! I do like the previous ideas to go with a darker blue.
Jo —Darker border would set it off. You already have the beautiful center that is your focal point. Number 3 would be a second choice. Great job. Yes Bonnie does a great job on her scrappy quilts. It will be lovely no matter what you choose.
I like #2.
Muslin or #2.
I think I’d try a dark. I’m not overly crazy about those lights.
I would definitely use something dark and saturated, either blue, brown or burgundy. Sorry!