This Was a Fun One

So it's been a fun week, squeezing this applique project into little bits of spare time. I put it off for such long time, but once I finally determined to dig in and attack the details, it all went very smoothly. This was one border I had no trouble dredging up the interest to stitch on!

Border work for Peachy Cameo Medallion

It's hard to believe, but the entire quilt was started because of this solid peach fabric. Bought for a backing, I decided it was entirely too bland to work properly, then was left with a big chunk of weirdly colored fabric. Not that peach is truly strange and unheard of, but it's not exactly something to spark an entire quilt. Until, of course, it somehow does! Still scratching my head over this one....

Getting the borders sewn on

It's hard to say no to a good challenge! And although I drew up a rough draft of how I thought this particular quilt might look, it has, as usual in my quilting experience, taken it's own meandering journey. The peach fabric was thinking it might not join the quilt after all, and I had to coax it to play along for maybe just one border? After all, what is a challenge if you succeed in eliminating the core challenge element?

So fun looking

When drawing the birds for the applique border, I remembered seeing a similar bird in one of my pattern books. After a quick look-see, I found what I was looking for in 'Garden Dance' by Jan Patek and Cherie Ralston. All I had to do was chop off about an inch or so to the length of the tail, and the bird fit perfectly into my border! I drew up the little branches after thinking the birds looked pretty silly hanging out there on the spindly vine--basically just levitating. I love how they give the birds more gravitas. They are much more in charge of their surroundings now!

So on to the next section--the top and bottom part to this round. This border in the medallion was scheduled to be a little different than expected, not just the normal four sided repeat. I drew up a mock border a couple years ago and hadn't quite found a use for it yet. Why not slide it into this quilt? It's very similar to the Benjamin Biggs quilt Lori finished up earlier this year and I think the light, airy look will be a good contrast for the rest of the quilt.

Prep work for the next border

If, {a very big IF}, I can figure out how to get it pinned down in fairly consistent repeats! Ahhh... this is the part that makes me want to pull my hair out! Truly though, it's never quite as difficult as we often make it seem. Just have to find the method {and measurement} and make it work.

 It took one whole, green fat quarter to make just 2/3's of the bias vine, so I added another slightly darker green fabric for the rest of the bias length. I get tired of always trying to be matchy matchy. Weighing back and forth, do I want to add all the darker green at the very end and totally, completely break the colors up? No, maybe not. I impulsively mixed the darker green in sporadically with the lighter color while I was sewing the bias length. If you look closely, the two colors randomly start and stop within the 18 1/2' lengths cut for the applique border--an absolutely, delightful look. Makes me so happy!

Trying to figure it out....

And once again, the applique projects are starting to pile up. I'm starting to think that's my current comfort zone.*wink

Linking up to sew stitch snap share #8 with Linda and Julie!