How many borders is too many? (minor MM mystery quilt spoilers))
01-10-2020, 06:57 PM
#1
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Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 142
How many borders is too many? (minor MM mystery quilt spoilers))
Warning: This question contains very, minor spoilers for this year's Merry Mayhem Mystery quilt (just part of the border and some measurements)
I did the Merry Mayhem Mystery quilt this year and loved the pattern, however I'm now stumped on what to do with the borders. The original instructions end up with a border like this:
The purple is 3 inches and the green is 6 inches; the blocks were 9 inches. There were also instructions that if one wanted to make the smallest size a little bigger (for a QoV, for instance), a small 3rd border could be added.
I really liked how the 3rd border worked out on someone else's quilt so I added a 1 1/2 inch as the innermost border on my quilt, then the regular 3 inch border, but I don't think the 3 inch and 6 inch borders in my fabrics look very good directly next to each other. I was thinking of adding another 1 1/2 border of the same fabric as the first one in between the other two, but I don't see that being done in a lot of quilts and worried 4 borders would be too many. I did find one example from APQS Texas that is similar to what I think it would end up looking like:
The only difference is that my 1-A and 2-A would both be 1 1/2 inches. Would this look strange? The 1-A in the example picture is technically not a border, but sashing for the main part of the quilt. Is there a hard-and-fast rule of thumb about how many borders a quilt should have?
I did the Merry Mayhem Mystery quilt this year and loved the pattern, however I'm now stumped on what to do with the borders. The original instructions end up with a border like this:
The purple is 3 inches and the green is 6 inches; the blocks were 9 inches. There were also instructions that if one wanted to make the smallest size a little bigger (for a QoV, for instance), a small 3rd border could be added.
I really liked how the 3rd border worked out on someone else's quilt so I added a 1 1/2 inch as the innermost border on my quilt, then the regular 3 inch border, but I don't think the 3 inch and 6 inch borders in my fabrics look very good directly next to each other. I was thinking of adding another 1 1/2 border of the same fabric as the first one in between the other two, but I don't see that being done in a lot of quilts and worried 4 borders would be too many. I did find one example from APQS Texas that is similar to what I think it would end up looking like:
The only difference is that my 1-A and 2-A would both be 1 1/2 inches. Would this look strange? The 1-A in the example picture is technically not a border, but sashing for the main part of the quilt. Is there a hard-and-fast rule of thumb about how many borders a quilt should have?
Last edited by QuiltnNan; 01-11-2020 at 04:00 AM. Reason: shouting/all caps
01-10-2020, 07:48 PM
#3
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 142
Good call, I did it and decided I didn't like the 2-A border. I'm now sowing B & C directly next to each other and it turns out they don't look actually look too bad next to one another. Thanks!
01-12-2020, 02:19 PM
#8
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Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 142
That bottom picture is from a cute free pattern from APQS Texas called "Trucks in the Daisy Patch"
https://www.apqs.com/free-quilt-patt...e-daisy-patch/
I just happened upon it while googling for "4 border quilts" but it is adorable (I prefer the flowers & hearts version but there's also a toy trucks & stars option as well)
https://www.apqs.com/free-quilt-patt...e-daisy-patch/
I just happened upon it while googling for "4 border quilts" but it is adorable (I prefer the flowers & hearts version but there's also a toy trucks & stars option as well)
