I finally made it to the sewing machine on Sunday afternoon, sewed solid black (well, not totally solid: Moda marble black) borders on the Wonky Quilt, and then spent the rest of the afternoon ripping them off because they were wonky too--ripply and bad. Would they "quilt out"? I finally decided I couldn't live with that idea and got busy with the seam ripper.
Sigh. And so it goes.
The plan is to sew borders on and quilt the piece, and then figure out how to wonkify the borders, delaying the decision-making as long as possible. This is so like me.
I debated making the outer edges wavy. But that seems kind of un-intuitive when waves don't figure into any other part of the quilt. I like a little thematic referencing. I may end up making the piece trapezoid-shaped, with the borders wider at the bottom.
Or something.
I do like the black borders framing the body of the quilt. I just have to use my head and get them on so they aren't flapping all over the place. I know how to do this. I just have to do it. And why didn't I do it in the first place? That's the question.
Also this weekend, some killer bean soup.
And I finished this most enjoyable book:
This author nails it--the speech patterns, the attitudes, and the cultural richness of the Caribbean. My daughter spent two years in the U.S. Peace Corps, posted on a small Caribbean island. (Not bad at all, as Peace Corps postings go.) Caro lived in a real neighborhood. We visited her several times and soaked up a bit of feel for real Caribbean culture--the kind you don't find at Sandals.
Some of the characters in Small Island are Jamaican emigres in World War II-era London. Paul and Mary, Caroline's Lucian landlord and landlady, had spent 40 years in London and had been able to retire back to St. Lucia. Theirs were the faces I imagined as I read this book.
Paul is over 70 and still could shinny up a coconut tree, cutlass in hand, to cut down coconuts for an impromptu backyard feast. Now there's an image I'll carry with me forever.Anyway--very good book.
4 comments:
sorry the border is making you unhappy. that's never a fun time with the quilt. mmm bean soup.
Straight borders on a wonky quilt are always a problem. On my Cityscape I made trapezoid borders that faced opposite directions so it still ended up square, if you know what I mean.
I have faith you will find the way on this quilt. It is so hard to tear out something you have spent hours on , but it is the best thing in the end. Can't wait to see the results.
I like a darker boarder myself, it gives a great "frame" to the quilt. If the quilt is busy looking it also helps hold the eye in, instead of traveling off the quilt.
Can't wait to see it finished.
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