NeedleCraft Plus/needlecraftplusvolume1.iso/quilt/q-brdrx/q-brdrx.txt

Text File | 1994-08-13 | 54KB | 1,089 lines

Quilt Border Exchange FAQ

===========================================================================
Part I: Summary of common ideas:

Note: "owner" refers to the person who made the center medallion and will
receive the completed medallion.

-) Group Leader: It is useful for each exchange to have a group leader that
sends out schedules and announcements at regular intervals.  The group leader
can help keep track of delays or adjust schedules if needed.

-) Timing: small borders can be done in 4 weeks.  larger borders may take 8
weeks.  Groups may consider a schedule that take this into account.

-) Delays: When a medallion is delayed this delays everyone in the exchange.
Some delays are unforseen and cannot be prevented (deaths in the family, etc).

-) Communication: Regular communication is a key.   Minimally send email for
the following:
    -) email to recipient and owner when medallion is mailed
    -) email to sender and owner when medallion is received
    -) email to recipient and owner when medallion will be late
Remember that the owner probably wants to know where her medallion is!

-) Communication: Participants should talk with the owner about their plans.
Participants should not make major changes without the owner's ok (e.g.
setting a piece on point, making a piece have a "top" orientation, adding a
color not on the owner's list of colors, adding embellishments such as beads
that may affect how the medallion can be used, etc).  Tastes vary and that's
part of the fun; but remember that someone else has to live with your work!

-) Communication: Any unusual features of the central medallion or any border
should be discussed with future border participants. Remember that not all
partipants will have access to unusual fabrics nor the skill or inclination
for unusual techniques.  Most problems can be resolved easily (e.g. the owner
can send appropriate fabrics).  Remember that other folks will have to build
on your work!

-) Fabric: As borders get large, they can take alot of fabric.  The first
border or two can be done with 1/4 yard pieces, but you will need 1/2 yard
chunks for the middle borders and possibly 1 yard chunks for the outer
borders.  Medallions can get large quickly!

-) Fabric: Using the same fabric in different borders can really help tie the
medallion together.  Often this can be done by using different fabrics in the
corner blocks or as a small part of a pieced design.  Send scraps that can be
used for small pieces in later borders.

-) Quality: Everyone's work depends on everyone else's work. Participants must
do their best.  As in all exchanges, people will have different levels of
experience.

-) Learning: Participants learn alot.  Most participants are glad they
participated and would do it again!

===========================================================================
Part II: Original Rules
===========================================================================
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 92 10:11:13 -0500
From: Lisa A. Leutenegger <[e-mail]>
Subject: Border Exchange Rules & Schedule
To: border exchange participants

RULES:

1. Center beginning block to be a maximum of 14 1/2 inches square
   (14 inches finished size). Can be patchwork or applique, can be
   made to set square or on point.  Of course your center doesn't
   have to be square - it can be rectangular - but please no other shapes
   unless the other 4 in your group agree to add borders to the shape you
   pick.

2. All fabric to be used will be 100% cotton (unless the originator of
   the square agrees to something else), prewashed, run-tested.

3. Borders chosen must not repeat one already attached to the piece
   (that is, not be the same border - obviously it may repeat in
   basic shapes). Borders should be between 2" and 5" (finished size -
   plus leave a 1/4" seam allowance) in width, in general (of course,
   there's no reason you could not email the owner of the square and ask
   for permission to do more, if you have a really hot idea.  hmm,
   guess you'd better email everyone in the circle as the other people
   will have to "sew around" your work).  Borders MAY NOT be plain
   strips of fabric, they must be pieced or applique or otherwise embellished
   in some way.  (I guess this means you could paint or embroider or
   apply beads/sequins or words or something to plain fabric, but some
   thought has to go into them).

4. Each participant should include a note with their center block
   with any specific requests she may have, for example:

   "teal, orange & bright red loud prints preferred"
   "please sign border with name, date,..."
   "no orange please - I gag at the sight of orange fabric"
   "no bead/sequins etc - i plan on washing the quilt"
   "anything goes!"
   etc...

   This note will be passed along with the block.  Please put your
   name on the note so group members can quickly identify who's block
   they are working on.

5. Each mailer will be responsible for the mailing costs to the next
   person in the circle of whatever piece she has just finished.

   The international group may want to work out some scheme to even
   out the mailing costs.

6. Each group is free to modify the rules and schedule as they see fit,
   as of today you are on your own.  I'll help out with getting addresses
   straightened out but I won't play border patrol.


SCHEDULE:

Schedule A (January starting time - 6 week intervals):

   Beginning square completed and mailed by January 25th.
   First border attached and mailed by March 8th.
   Second border attached and mailed by April 19th.
   Third border attached and mailed by May 31st.
   Forth border attached and mailed (back to originator) by July 12th.


Schedule B (February starting time - 8 week intervals):

   Beginning square completed and mailed by February 22nd.
   First border attached and mailed by April 19th.
   Second border attached and mailed by June 14th.
   Third border attached and mailed by August 9th.
   Forth border attached and mailed (back to originator) by October 4th.


BLOCK ROTATION:

Groups have 2 choices for rotating the blocks between them - each
group should pick the algorithm that suits them best.  I have
simply listed group members in alphabetical order in the accompanying
list.

Algorithm 1 - each quilter always mails to the next quilter on the list,
          ie A always sends to B, B always sends to C, etc...

              +-> A --> B --> C--> D --> E -->-+
              |                                |
              +--------------------------------+

Algorithm 2 -  Millie worked out an algorithm that would ensure no one
           mailed to the same person more than twice (she says she
           couldn't come up with any to ensure only once.)  With
           this algorithm we wouldn't always be adding a border after
           the same person on each quilt so it would give us a bit
           more variety.

This is her algorithm:

              +-> A --> B --> C--> D --> E -->-+
              |                                |
              +--------------------------------+

original block:   Send to person 1 hop beyond around the circle (A to B, etc.)
after 1st border: Send to person 2 hops beyond you (A to C, B to D, C to E,
                                                    D to A, E to B)
after 2nd border: Send to person 4 hops beyond you (is same as 1 hop back)
                                   (A to E, B to A, C to B, D to C, E to D)
after 3rd border: Send to person 2 hops beyond (same person you sent to after
                                                you added a 1st border)
after 4th border: Send to person 1 hop beyond you (person you sent your
                                                    original block to)

I arrived at this mess by using mod-5 numbers, in case you wondered.
Here's how it would work.

  A sends block to B (1 place forward);
      B adds 1st border then sends on to D (2 positions forward);
      D adds 2nd border then sends on to C (1 position back);
      C adds 3rd border and sends on to E (2 positions forward);
      E adds last border and sends to owner A (1 place forward).

  B sends her block to C (1 place forward);
      C adds 1st border then sends on to E (2 positions forward);
      E adds 2nd border then sends on to D (1 position back);
      D adds 3rd border then sends on to A (2 positions forward);
      A adds last border then sends to owner B (1 place forward).

  C sends her block to D (1 forward);
      D adds 1st border then sends on to A (2 positions forward);
      A adds 2nd border then sends on to E (1 position back);
      E adds 3rd border then sends on to B (2 positions forward);
      B adds last border then sends to owner C (1 place forward);

  D sends her block to E (1 forward);
      E adds 1st border then sends on to B (2 positions forward);
      B adds 2nd border then sends on to A (1 position back);
      A adds 3rd border then sends on to C (2 positions forward);
      C adds last border then sends to owner D (1 place forward);

  E sends her block to A (1 forward);
      A adds 1st border then sends on to C (2 positions forward);
      C adds 2nd border then sends on to B (1 position back);
      B adds 3rd border then sends on to D (2 positions forward);
      D adds last border then sends to owner E (1 place forward);


Have fun - and get those center blocks started!!!

            ---lisa

===========================================================================
Part III: Compilation of responses:  with minor editing where appropriate
===========================================================================
Original Request for Information:
===========================================================================
To: border exchange partitipants
Subject: Requesting Summary of Border Exchange Experiences
Date: Thu, 19 Aug 93 13:23:07 -0400
From: Anne Louise Gockel <alg>

Border Exchangers,

Now that some groups have finished their border exchanges and others are
half-way through, I'ld like to ask for some feedback from participants.
Please send me feedback on any of the following items:
    -) suggestions for improving or altering the schedule, rules or
        procedures
    -) what you learned during the exchanges that may be important to
        future participants
    -) things you think future participants should keep in mind
    -) where you found ideas for patterns
    -) technical tips for drafting or adding borders
    -) references to books, etc, that you found particularly useful
    -) how you felt about the whole process (sending out your medallion,
        working on other people's projects, receiving the medallion
        back)
    -) any other border-exchange-related item that you wish to comment
        on for future participants

Thanks ALOT for your response and input.

                    -Anne
Anne Louise Gockel          Cornell Computer Science
Internet: [e-mail]        UUCP: cornell!alg
----------------------------------------------------------
Lisa Leutenegger organized the exchange groups and drafted the schedules
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 19 Aug 93 14:12:45 -0400
From: Lisa Leutenegger <[e-mail]>

    -) suggestions for improving or altering the schedule, rules or
        procedures

I think 8 weeks is too long for hte first few rounds - interest levels
drop because there is really nothing to do most of those 2months.  I think
at this point most of those not finished would just like to be finished.
If I organize this again I would go with the following schedule:
1 month to make center block
1 month for borders #1 and #2
1 1/2 months for border #3
2 months for border #4

For the rules I really think each individual group needs to discuss this
amoung themselves.  My group talked about putting setting triangles on
and we all agreed to make a note with our block indicating if this was
okay or not.

For procedures - I think the organizer should just put the groups together
and turn them lose with a "group" leader.   Unlike most other exchanges
the organizer has very little to do with most of the people involved.

    -) what you learned during the exchanges that may be important to
        future participants

This is a lot more work than I had initially anticipated.  It is expensive
also - I have an extensive fabric collection but have had to buy fabric
for each border so far.  This is a long time commitment - if you feel you
may not be able to make the deadlines DON'T sign up.  Don't just think
about the next month - but the next 6-8 months!

    -) things you think future participants should keep in mind

You are building on someone elses work - this is more difficult than
whipping up 12 blocks for an exchange - your work has to deal with the
flaws in the preceeding work - this is a lot harder than it sounds - when
i make mistakes in my own work I can easily work around them because I
understand them - it is harder dealing with other peoples mistakes.
Fortunately
my group is amazingly talented and I haven't really run into problems but
I have heard of other problems.

    -) where you found ideas for patterns

Looking at pictures of quilts in magazines gave me a lot of ideas.

    -) technical tips for drafting or adding borders

I "cheated" on 1 border - i pieced the border and after I saw how big
the border came out I put a solid border on the block to make it the
right size.  I think fitting the border to the piece is one of hte more
difficult parts - you end up with odd measurements like 24 13/16".

    -) references to books, etc, that you found particularly useful

    -) how you felt about the whole process (sending out your medallion,
        working on other people's projects, receiving the medallion
        back)

I have wanted to keep each piece as I finished it - as you work you think -
"wow this is great - maybe I can keep this one and someone else can have
mine".  It is hard to mail away this work - but I know I will get something
just as wonderful in the mail with this is all over.
I have taken before and after pictures of piece I've worked on - I really
love seeing how my work changes the look of top.  I am really curious
to see the final product for all of these blocks.

    -) any other border-exchange-related item that you wish to comment
        on for future participants

While I made this sound really hard and a pain it is also extremely
rewarding and tremendous fun.  This exchange really forces you to think
about colors and patterns you might not normally use.  It will show you
how wonderful pieced borders can be - you will never put a solid border
on your own work again :-)

            ---lisa
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 19 Aug 93 15:30:25 -0400
From: Anne Louise Gockel <alg>

Schedule:
    8 weeks is definitely nice towards the end
    4-6 weeks might be more appropriate at the start
    as the quilt grows, so does the border; I like Lisa's suggested sched

Things you think future participants should keep in mind:

Fabric Quantities: The fabric requirements are MORE than for blocks.  While
the first border or two can be done with 1/4 yard pieces, you will need 1/2
yard chunks for the middle borders and possibly 1 yard chunks for the outer
borders.  This makes a large financial committment AND a growing financial
committment.

Time Committment: The time committment is a growing one.  A border on a 14"
piece is easy; the border on a 55" piece takes a while.

Fabric Swatch Log: Consider a fabric swatch log, where each participant adds
swatches to a paper or muslin log.  It can really help with shopping!!!  Some
people won't want to use it while shopping, but others will.  If someone
wants, she can even make up a small felt booklet to use for swatches?

Labels, Signatures: Decide what you want to do about labels or signatures and
make it explicit.  Send the label and directions with the quilt.

Note: in our group, the labels and swatch-logs were separated from the quilt
in several instances.  I'm not sure how to best prevent this.  It's probably
useful to have a large ziplock bag to hold all of the "extras".

Schedules: Ideally, include a schedule with the quilt so everyone knows who it
came from, who it goes to, and when it has to be sent.  The schedule should
include dates, USMail addresses and Email addresses.  Writing this schedule is
a pain, but once it's written just include the copy with your medallion.  Make
SURE you clearly identify who it belongs to and have an address inside the box
in case it's ever lost in the mail!!!!

Border Sizes: I think it might be a good idea to *consider* having inner
borders be smaller.  I realized that if everyone adds a 5" border (and several
pieces so far seem to be going that way) then by the last border it is HUGE.
Not the end of the world, but we need to remember that small borders are also
a good idea.  (Maybe it's just me that's been guilty of always adding large
borders so far.)

Alternatively, groups might have a "rule" that when you send out the piece it
cannot be larger than the largest it's supposed to be for that size.  I feel a
bit guilty for adding a large border to a quilt that was already on the large
size; I should have reconsidered, particularly since my border was a bit
larger than the required size!

Plain Fabric Strips: Adding plain fabric strips can make it easy to draft a
border.  The plain strips can be used to make a quilt the correct size.  I
encourage adding a note to the rules that allows fabric strips used for this
purpose.  Our group agreed that they are ok.  I would not have found it very
difficult to add borders without adding plain strips.  (Trudy Hughes calls
these spacer strips.)

Drafting:

I xeroxed several pages from the Hughes book and the Beyer book and sent them
to everyone; I think they were very helpful for me.  The most important
reference was pgs 71-74 of Trudy Hughes' Template Free Quilts and Borders
which includes her worksheets for drafting borders and adding spacer strips.
In Jinny Beyer's book Medallion Quilts I used pages 130 - 146 which discusses
measuring quilts, adding plain strips, corners and repeats, drafting borders
to fit and applique borders.

I believe that it's best to draft the border and then use strips of plain
fabric to build up to the right size (spacer strips).  BUTTTTTTT you need to
think about this before drafting the border because these strips DO add to the
total size ----- you don't want to add a 2" spacer strip and then add a 5"
border (I'm guilty!).  If you want to jazz up the spacer strips, you can add a
square of a contrasting fabric to the corner of the strip.

Be sure to measure *each* direction (horizontally and vertically) and measure
each direction in several places.  At LEAST measure in the middle, but it's
good to measure at near each edge too to make sure it's square!

Mitered corners pull out of square really easy.  Consider butt-edge corners if
the fabric, pattern, etc, allows it.

You can ease an inch (possibly 2") on 45"; but be careful if you have to ease
1" on a 16" border.  Instead cut plain fabric spacer strips that are different
widths to make up for any uneven-nesses.

Books:

Trudy Hughes's 4th book is Template-Free Quilts and Borders.  It has several
pages that discuss drafting borders and calculating "spacer strips" so that
the borders do not have to be drafted in outrageously oddball sizes.

Jinny Beyer's _Medallion Quilts_ discusses medallion quilts and borders in
general, altho it doesn't really include lots of patterns.   This book
discusses fabrics and borders and quilts, but there are no patterns.  Just
lots of ideas and general techniques.  She discusses ways that borders can
repeat (mirror images, special corner blocks, special blocks in the center,
etc), and discusses what to do when the border does not match the quilt evenly
(in some cases she just uses partial blocks).  A fair amount of historical
info on medallion quilts too.  Pages 130-146 include info on:
    - properly measuring the quilt
    - don't draft the borders until after you've pieced and measured the
        medallion because quilts sometimes change size!!!!
    - what to do if you require partial blocks
    - color layout and symmetry
    - having a turning block in the corners
    - have a different, special, block in the corners or in the center (she
        prefers the center)
    - stretching a border a few inches (make your seam allowances just a
        touch small)
    - drafting info for borders based on 8-pointed star patterns
    - drafting applique borders


Quilter's Album of Blocks and Borders.  Jinny Beyer.  EPM Publications.  1980.
198 pages.  be sure to get the plastic grid/template which is inside because
you need that to lay over the pattern and see how to draft it (the plastic
template has outlines of 4-patch, 9-patch, 25-patch, 8-pointed star, etc and
when you lay it over the block you see exactly how the block was divided up
and drafted!).  This contains JUST pages and pages of quilt blocks.  You lay
the plastic over hte block to see how it is drafted.  Then you draft the block
yourself.  If you've never done any drafting, yuou really want to read
_Patchwork Patterns_ first; if you've done drafting this is a great collection
of zillions of blocks that you can easily draft.  Note that there are NO
pre-drafted patterns in here.

Patchwork Patterns.  Jinny Beyer.  EPM Publications.  1979.  200 pages.  If
you haven't done much drafting this is a WONDERFUL intro to drafting in
general. I highly recommend this book.  She discusses the various types
(4-patch, 9-patch, 25-patch, 8-point star, etc) and shows how to draft each.
This is the best intro to drafting patterns that I've ever seen.  It's a MUST
HAVE for every quilter, altho it need not be the first book you buy.  Note
that this book does not really have info on borders nor on drafting specific
borders.  It's the least relevant book for the border exchange, but it's a
very very good all-around reference for drafting traditional quilt blocks.

Patchwork Portfolio.  Jinny Beyer. 1989. EPM Publications.  248 pages.
Advanced drafting, very advanced techniques.  Wow!  I love Beyer's work and I
really really love this book.  The HB edition is covered with one of her
fabrics.

Timeless Treasures.  Nancy Sebro-Johnson.  Template-free techniques (i.e.
rotary cutter methods) for many complex shapes including diamonds (30, 45, and
60 degrees), hexagons and octagons.


Fabric:

In several of the quilts I found that using fabrics from the center medallion
or from previous borders REALLY ties the piece together.  Beth Nicol's
medallion is the best example of this.  These fabrics can be used in the
corners, in the center block or as a small piece in a pieced border.
Repeating fabrics really helps tie the whole piece together.  When feasible, I
suggest that participants send scraps from their fabrics that can be used in
subsequent borders.  Either 2-6 pieces that are 2"x4" or one or two pieces a
that are 12"x12" will allow subsequent participants to use them as accents.
Striking frabrics from the center medallion may be particularly useful for
this.

If someone wants a medallion that is fairly well coordinated they should plan
to send 2-4 yards of fabric with the medallion.  This can be a 4 yard chunk of
a major fabric in the medallion or it can be 1 yard chunks of several fabrics
from the medallion.  Remember that folks may need up to 1 yard for a major
fabric in a large outer border.


Feelings:

Every border changed the piece dramatically.  Each changed the tone of the
piece.  I worried alot ----- what if my vision didn't match the owner's
vision.  Additionally, it's extremely hard to tell HOW a certain border is
going to change the piece.  You know that the fabrics match, but you don't
know how the quantities of fabric will interact.  I once put a separating
strip that was somewhat wide on a piece and was amazed at how the feeling of
the entire piece changed.  Indeed I was SCARED ---- what if that wasn't the
feeling that the medallion owner wanted?  Yet I know the next border will also
change the piece more.

I treated this as an *incredible* and *wonderful* learning experience and I
would do it again for that reason.  Working with other people's projects is
*always* inspirational.  I got a chance to practice alot of techniques that I
wouldn't do on my own.  The deadline provide motivation (but I tend to
procrastinate and that is a problem).  Always working with someone else's work
is interesting ---- everyone does something unique.

Basically I looked at is as an opportunity to try something new and different
with each piece and then at the end I would receive some sort of top that
hopefully was something like I might like as an unexpected "reward".  It's
been a great chance to try all sorts of new things.

I realize this sounds like "a great chance to experiment with someone *else's*
project" and indeed that really is true.  That sounds a bit selfish ---- but
then I know that someone else is experiementing with something for me.  I'm
pretty sure that some people don't share my attitude and that could be a
problem.

In reality, like all of our other exchagnes, the quality of work will vary.
The problem is that with a block exchange you can just set aside the block you
don't like.  In this exchange everything is built in to the top!  A bit more
of a risk, alot more of a challenge!

The collection of notes/letters that is traveling with the pieces is really
interesting.

If you're taking pictures, take before and after and see how each border
changes the piece!

This is a LONG term committment.  You're not going to see your piece back for
4 - 10 *months*.  BUT you send out a 14"x14" block and receive back a 50"x50"
or larger quilt!!!!  And each border takes longer and longer to make and takes
more and more fabric.

So far I've been AMAZED at the pieces I've seen.  I love every one of them.  I
hope the original owners do too!!!


Pictures:

I think it's reasonable to ask each participant to take 5 pictures and send
them out at the end of the exchange.  Ideally this should be included in the
original discussion of rules.  It'll cost about $5 to develop and mail the
reprints (40 cents for the reprint, 29 cents postage).  The pictures are a
general "thank you" for each participant.  I encourage participants to send
one to the organizer as a "thank you" for her work.  Pictures can be scheduled
as the last period, to be done 6-8 weeks after the quilt top arrives back.

I would encourage people to send a picture themself with the quilt top.  I
think that seeing a picture of our exchange partners really makes the whole
exchange seem more real.  But a picture of just the quilt top is fine too.

(1/28/94): In some exchanges, participants have considered sending a
disposable camera with the medallion.  Each participant would be asked to take
one or two pictures of the quilt top (w/ or w/o the quilter!) after adding her
border.  This is an easy and rather simple way to see how each border changes
each piece.  The pictures aren't going to be professional quality; after all
the camera is going to sit in the hot sun occassionally and the film will age
during the construction time.  But it should be a good way to get a simple log
of the quilt.

                    -Anne


----------------------------------------------------------
From: [e-mail] (Linda Kosidlo)
Date: Thu, 19 Aug 93 13:40:58 EDT


The 6 week schedule seemed like a reasonable time limit. I was able to
complete the borders within that time. Everyone seemed to following the
rules and stick to the schedule. I do suggest however, that if someone
is going to be late that they let the receiver know.

I learned a lot in this exchange, such as using colors that I would not
normally use, and got a lot of ideas by looking at the borders and
center medallions from other people.

Future participants should keep in mind that when working on something
that belongs to someone else, you really need to pay attention to your
techniques and do a good job. Everyone involved in my exchange did a
great job on their part of my piece. I was a bit intimidated at first
but overall I'm pleased with the work that I did, and I'm really very
happy with my finished piece.

Tips for borders: I got ideas from looking at a reference book on borders,
one in particular called "Borders Borders Borders by Sharon Libby. Also
I got ideas from Quilter's Newsletter magazine.

The whole process was a lot of fun. I got to see other people's styles and
techniques, and trying to add something to a piece that was done in a
style completely different from my own was a fun challenge. I hope there
are more exchanges like this on the net.

Linda Kosidlo
[e-mail]

----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Thu, 19 Aug 93 23:17 CDT
From: [e-mail] (Vlack)

-)Schedule:  perhaps could be one month at the beginning, two months
as the border grows.  I was always glad for our two-month schedule and
used the full period, but in the early small border stages I could have
worked within one month.

Rules:  everyone must understand that it is _very_ important to do your
best.  It becomes very obvious when someone throws something together.
I have no difficulty accepting best work from a beginner but would feel
put out if I am asked to accept careless work from an experienced quilter.

Although I am flexible within a week or two for deadlines, we shouldn't
ask for much more than that without reasonable communication.

Major changes in the piece should be ok'd by the owner before proceeding.
Example:  changing the piece to put it on point or adding a new color when
the owner included a list of colors to use.

Procedures:  I liked the sequence we used in our group so we didn't always
receive from the same person or send on to the same person.  That way we
got to get a feel about what everyone else was doing.

-)What I learned:  be flexible.  Communicate -- this has probably been
the best forum for me to become better acquainted with other Quiltnet
members.  Stretch your abilities but know your limits.  Quiltnet people
in many of these exchanges are terrific people to get to know.

-)Keep in mind:  stay within perameters unless you ask permission.  This
piece has to live with someone else.  Try to keep future borders in mind
as you do your present border.  Every piece eventually evolves into a
theme: by subject, color, shapes, whatever.  Don't buck the system.

-)Ideas for patterns:  I have been collecting borders ideas from books,
magazines, pictures, floors, wallpaper, designs, stationery, etc.  If it
seems appropriate, I like to have a pieced border followed by an appliqued.
I look for motifs in the fabric prints.  Sometimes I just have to wait
for the lightbulb of inspiration to pop.

-)Technical tips for drafting or adding borders:  Very important -- measure
across the middle of the piece and compare that measurement to the edge.
Keep things equal and square.  Don't leave bias edges without stabilizing
them with even a very narrow on-the-straight piece.  Jinny Beyer has
directions in her _Patchwork Patterns_ for drafting any size block.  "How
to divide any square into any size grid" (paraphrased) is a skill I would
not want to give up when it comes to drafting blocks for borders.  I
can divide any side length into any size block to make it fit.  Always
measure your border after piecing and before adding it to the main piece
so be sure it will fit.  You may have to let out a couple of seams to ease.
Measure, measure, measure.  Your mistake in sizing could be compounded by
future borders and drive somebody nuts.  Applique borders on a solid piece
background are a great size transition from one pieced border to the next.
There are many more tips, but it would take a book :-).

-)References:  I love Jinny Beyer's Patchwork Patterns for drafting
techniques.  Margaret Miller's Blockbuster Quilts is a new favorite.
Baltimore Album design books have some wonderful borders.  There are some
fantastic Japanese quilt books that have great ideas.

-)Feelings about the process:  I knew I couldn't lose no matter what.  I
had a great deal of trust in the other members of my group, some of whom
I knew through their writing but a couple were strangers to me.  I felt
that they had to have some trust in me, too, in order to try this kind
of project.  I had already done a border project like this on my own just
for and by myself and I wanted to do a round robin just to see what
happened.  From the feedback I'm getting as our pieces are getting passed
around, I am feeling very good about what I have done and about what the
other group members have added to my center.

I have had a lot of fun working on other people's pieces.  I am presently
teaching a borders class, and my students anxiously await each new piece
to see what I will add to it.  I have worked in purple and teal, which are
not my "colors of choice" (to quote Lisa), but I love the combination now.
Each piece brings a new challenge.

-)Future exchanges _may_ want to structure their borders by declaring that
the first border, for example, should be made up of triangles.  You would
be amazed at how many variations you will get in borders with just that
simple instruction.  The next border could be squares.  The next a vine.
Followed by a one-patch, etc., as examples.

Allow yourself plenty of _time_.  Appliqued borders take a lot more time,
for me at least, than pieced.  Curved seaming takes longer than straight.
Don't try to do this when your schedule is already crammed for several
months.

This borders project has been a favorite of mine.  I have found since I did
the first one (and I am now on my third in addition to the round robin) that
I can no longer just finish a pieced quilt with a piece of fabric as the
border.  Now it must be appliqued or pieced or at the very least a very
special print.  I am building borders quilts with themes:  time, Christmas,
school, Japanese.  And before I'm finished with one I'm starting to design
or even stitch the next one.  You eventually can use just about every
technique you have ever tried in these borders.  It's great.
--Barb

Barbara Vlack
email:  [e-mail]

----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 20 Aug 1993 09:09:31 CST
From: Beth Nicol <[e-mail]>

I have really enjoyed the border exchange, and have these
observations to offer:

1.  It has been very exciting to see each new piece.  My initial
reaction (without fail) is "How on earth am I going to add to this
without screwing it up?!" But, I have stretched my creativity and I
have been very happy so far with the resulting piece I sent on.  (I hope
my successors have been happy with what I sent on.)

2.  This has forced me to think in ways I wouldn't normally.  My
quilt-design ability has definitely been expanded.

3.  Group 5 is on a six-week schedule.  We seem to be pretty
much on time.  While I have actually executed each border in under
two days, at the 11th hour, I enjoyed having the time to ponder on
what I would do with a piece.  Next time I might be game for the 4
week interval, but I'm not sure.

Basically, I think I would do it again.  I liked having someone in my
group who lives close enough that I might get to see her finished piece
in the flesh.  But then again, I love getting packages from all over.

----------------------------------------------------------
Date:         Fri, 20 Aug 93 10:35:30 EDT
From: "Millie G. Wujek" <[e-mail]>

Some thoughts:
1. We all start out with good intentions, but health and other scheduling
   problems may unexpectedly crop up.  Most folks are understanding IFF the
   person having trouble meeting the schedule will just send an email message
   explaining why/how-long the delay occurs.

2. Realize that as the block gets bigger, it will take longer to add
   a border.  The 4th round will take you more time than the 1st.
   Don't commit to a round-robin unless you have and are willing to spend
   the time.  Planning for one border (finding appropriate fabrics and
   choosing your design) may take 30 hours, some of it in trial and error.

3. Not everyone's taste is alike.  Someone else may not like a border you
   created, or vice versa -- but part of the fun is that you will get to
   work on a variety of projects and work with colors you might not choose
   for yourself.  It's a learning experience.

4. A 2 inch (our given minimum) border is pretty small to do anything creative.
   What about upping the minimum?

5. Generally we will all try to do our best work, keeping the block as square
   and even as possible.  Even with my best efforts I found I needed to square
   up some of my borders by adjusting seams and/or trimming edges.

6. Keep in touch by e-mail.  When you send or receive a block, inform the
   other person.  And since we are all like to know where our own "child"
   is, its nice to drop a short note to the person whose block
   you are currently working on.

    Millie

  Millie Wujek   [e-mail]   (username has no zeros)
----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 20 Aug 1993 10:56-0500
From: MaryShepherd <[e-mail]>

The schedule - seemed pretty slow to me, but others had trouble
finishing in the aloted time so I guess that is pretty subjective.

Future participants - should be very clear in their directions.  For
instance if the person who makes the original center wants only clear
jeweltone colors, make sure that is stated explicitly.  If she doesn't
want any calico, that should also be stated.  Each of us has differing
views of what is beautiful (thank goodness) so such expectations should
be explicitly stated.

Keep in mind - the differing abilities of those who will be working on
your center.  We are not all great at assessing our abilities, some
overestimate them and others underestimate them.  It is also important
to keep in mind the fact that someone else is going to have to add a
border after yours.  This means that there should be enough fabric left
for a seam.  For example, if points meet at the edge of the fabric
instead of 1/4" in from the edge, the next person will either have to
redo your border or the point will be lost in the seam allowance.

Pattern ideas - came from thin air most of the time.  I looked at what
had already been done and took into account the requests made by the
person whose center I was working on and went from there.  Out of the
four borders I added two were made up, one was a traditional block used
as a border (4" log cabins with stuffed centers), and one was from a
book (Seminole piecing).

The best technical tip - I can give has to do with odd sized borders.
If you are supposed to add an odd sized border, consider adding a strip
of the fabric you intend to incorporate in your border to bring the
dimensions to a more workable number.  For instance, instead of a 24.5"
border, add a strip to bring it up to 26" and then go from there.

The process was - a learning experience.  I was forced to be creative
using colors and styles that I would never have used on my own.  This
really was a great idea expanding exercise.  I was a little hesitant
to send my center out, but I figured if it turned out that one or more
of the borders were terrible (they were all GREAT), I could remove
the offender and redo it.  I also found I was much more careful when
I was working on someone else's project.  I kept thinking "When they
look at this seem, what will they think?"

For border exchanges in the future - I would stress that each participant
should realistically evaluate their own abilities as far as both the amount
of time they need for each step of a border, as well as how well they
calculate and sew.  Make sure your expectations are clear and unambiguous
so there will be no disappointment later.

----------------------------------------------------------
From: [e-mail] (Sharon L. Breeggemann)
Date: Fri, 20 Aug 1993 17:13:11 -0500 (CDT)

 I think the schedule should change as the number of borders increases.  What
I feel would work well would be 1st border- 4weeks, 2nd border 6 weeks, third
border 8 weeks, fourth border 10 weeks.

 I used several books for patterns, including Trudie Hughes Books ( lots of
border ideas), seminole piecing, baltimore boquets( very pretty swag border)
and theelectric quilt software.

 Most imporantly I loved the entire exchange ( or at least I will as soon as I
find that last bit of red to finish off the last border. )

  My quilt turned out wonderful, I learned alot about borders.  I pretty much
kept to my goal to use by stash only , no buying new fabrics for the borders.
I worked in colors I usually would not have worked in.  All in all a very
interesting learning experiance.

Sharon Breeggemann

----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 24 Aug 93 13:41:36 PDT
From: [e-mail] (Bea Deering)

I just finished a border exchange that was on the six-week schedule.

For me, the schedule was fine. If I'd had more time I would have just let each
piece sit longer. It made me disciplined enough that I got to work two weeks
before the piece was due, and always finished a little early. My whole group
was quite prompt and kept to the schedule, as far as I know. I'm glad there
were two schedule options.  If there had only been an option for six weeks,
some people might have signed up who really couldn't keep that pace but who
really wanted to participate (though I don't know if other six week groups had
problems with tardiness).

I wish one of the parameters had been to send fabric along with each piece,
maybe a background or something to keep it unified.  Some of our pieces worked
better than others. Some are great, in fact, but usually that's because
someone had or found some fabric that was in the original block. My finished
piece would hold together a bit better if others could have used my background
fabric. So, if future exchanges aren't sending fabric along, people might want
to use easily-available, current fabrics, such as Jinny Beyer's or Hoffmans,
prints that will be in the stores for a few months.

About skill level and designs: I've heard many people say they don't feel
competent to participate in a border exchange. I think that the main criterion
is whether you can piece accurately. I've seen some really nice, simply-pieced
borders that worked quite well. But it's important that any border be pieced
accurately so that it is flat and the piece remains square. If a piece isn't
square, the next person has to fix it before adding their border.

I found most of my patterns in Jinny Beyer's "Quilter's Album of Blocks and
Borders."  I wished I had had more resources but there aren't a lot of books
out there with pieced borders in them. And I usually wasn't up to designing my
own.

I drafted every border on large graph paper. I found it was important to draft
one whole side and a corner, to make certain that the design will actually
fit. Then I made templates from the drafted border. I made extensive use of my
design wall, auditioning fabrics and designs and making sure things were
really going to fit.

I often added a strip of fabric to a piece before adding the border.  either
to visually separate my border from the previous one, or to bring a piece up
to a size that would work easily with my chosen border, so that I could keep
things in easily-measured sizes.

I mostly enjoyed the process. Each new piece gave me a period of torture when
I thought I'd NEVER figure out what to do with it. Then I'd find some
appropriate fabric, or figure out what shapes I wanted to use, and I'd be off.
I was mostly happy with the results, and it was very good practice, for a few
reasons: I got to try several pieced borders a lot quicker than if I only put
them on my own quilts. I had to solve a different design problem with each
piece. And I didn't have to love every piece, or my addition to it. I could
approach each one as a design problem, not as a piece of art that would
reflect on me and all my ancestors :.). I did my best for each one and sent it
on its way. For me it's very good to work on something that I don't love, that
isn't mine, that I can't spend ages agonizing over. And each piece was so
different!  The last couple of borders were definitely harder than the first
two; there are more divergent elements to tie together. But I always managed
to come up with something.

When I started the exchange I swore that I'd only use fabric in my own stash.
That only lasted until I got the first block, when I went right to the fabric
store. I'm sure some people have sufficient fabric at home to do almost
anything, but I didn't.

It was really fun to be so intimately involved with other people's work. It's
a really nice collaborative effort.

-Bea Deering
 [e-mail]

----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 27 Aug 1993 10:29:00 -0400
From: [e-mail]

Nancy was asking for quilt book recommendations, expecially
for Borders.  I recommend these three:

     Template Free Quilts and Borders - Trudie Hughes
     Painless Borders - Sally Schneider
     Treasury of Patchwork Borders - Elizabeth Nyhan

I purchased the last book from Dover Publications for only $3.95.
It has full size patterns for 60 designs.

Most of the quilting books from Dover are under $7.00.  In fact
I purchased Back to Square One from them for about $6.00
Shipping is always $3.00 regardless of the size of the order.

The catalog is free and updated often.

    Dover Publications, Inc.
    31 East 2nd Street
    Mineola, N. Y. 11501-3582

Donna Lockwood

----------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 27 Aug 93 15:14:06 PDT
From: [e-mail] (Marina Salume)

    -) suggestions for improving or altering the schedule, rules or
        procedures

    I felt there was almost too much time in the beginning, but I
learned to slow down and enjoy the process later on. Also it takes longer
to make the larger borders towards the end. Five in an exchange is plenty!

    -) what you learned during the exchanges that may be important to
        future participants

    Don't wait too long to get started. It takes longer than you think
to do the actual sewing--I spent at least 8 hours on each border, just
cutting and stitching. Spend a LOT of time making sure your border
fits and will lie flat when it is attached, or you will create problems
for the other participants.

    -) things you think future participants should keep in mind
    -) where you found ideas for patterns

    I tried to use some element from the center medallion. If it
had a pieced star, I drew something using similar shapes.

    -) technical tips for drafting or adding borders

    Complex pieced borders fit better if you sew them to a foundation,
like lightweight interfacing, muslin, or paper. Otherwise they stretch
a lot when you sew them together. For some reason long skinny borders stretch
more than blocks! If you aren't good at precise piecing, try machine
applique.

    -) references to books, etc, that you found particularly useful

    I didn't use many ideas from books.

    -) how you felt about the whole process (sending out your medallion,
        working on other people's projects, receiving the medallion
        back)

    I loved it, and it's an interesting way to design. However, it's
a big time commitment and I was amazed how much work some of the other people
put into it--I always tried to design something I could sew fairly quickly.

    -) any other border-exchange-related item that you wish to comment

    Communicate with your other exchange members! We sent mail to each
other at least every time when we received a new medallion, sometimes
more often. It was fun to hear what everyone else was doing, to hear
tantilizing descriptions of what was happening to my medallion, and
to get tips about books and magazine articles on borders. it made the
project twice as fun,  I didn't feel like I was working in isolation.

--marina

----------------------------------------------------------
Date: 29 Aug 1993 22:06:23 -0600 (CST)
From: [e-mail]

I would definately do the border exchange again, It was a real stetch to
work with other colors and patterns.

Suggestions: I don't know if this would be practical, but I wonder if it would
be possible to break groups down into exact time and relaxed time groups.  I
was late (2 weeks) sending off the last border, and I could see how this would
be a real problem if it had been the middle border on a longer exchange, it
would cheat later quilters out of their meditation and stitching time to make
up for my lateness.  I'm not sure what the temperature of the group really is
on this.

Advice for future participants:  try to keep outer edges of all added borders
on the straight grain, as the bias can really challenge the next person.

Cheryl

----------------------------------------------------------
Date: 21 Apr 1994 16:23:16 PT
From: "Kathryn Childers" <[e-mail]>

When mailing the border piece to the next person, always put a minimum
amount of insurance on it. This makes it much easier to trace should
the package go 'missing'.

Kate
----------------------------------------------------------

Date: Sun, 29 Aug 1993 20:00:15 -0400
From: ixevol![e-mail]

To respond as one person who is constantly seeking answers to tricky
construction especially on borders to Victoria Neff and anyone who wants
to listen --

One of the things I have found out even about plain strips of fabric
borders:  they will shift if they are applied to the quilt center if
they are not anchored at landmarks by pinning before sewing.  First of
all, measure the length and width of your quilt _across_the_center_ of
the quilt and compare those measurements with the edge of your quilt.
The center measurement is probably your accurate measurement, and if your
edge measurement differs greatly (more than 1"), you will need to take
some corrective action in the seams along your quilt edge so you won't
have a wavy quilt.  Corrective action may be as simple as taking a 1/16"
tuck or letting out in 8 seams along the edge per 1" of distortion.

After you measure your middle and edges again for an accurate length,
carefully cut your border pieces leaving a little extra just in case.  If
you are boxing your borders (applying across the top and bottom and then
the sides without mitering -- or vice versa) your little bit extra will be
easy to cut off after application.

Fold your border in half then fourths then eighths.  Do the same to your
quilt.  Match the border landmarks (which could be marked with pins or
snips into the seam allowance) to the quilt landmarks and pin carefully.
As long as you know your straight grain border is the perfect measurement
you may even ease your quilt slightly to the proper size.  Do not ease
to the point of creating pleats or tucks, though.  Take that easement out
by seaming before you apply the border.

Even though I have confidence in the way my sewing machine feeds fabric
pretty evenly, I do find if I seam two equally long fabrics together I
better pin them strategically in order for them to turn out equal lengths
after I sew.  Worse happens when seaming a plain fabric border to a long
side of a quilt without stabilizing by pinning at landmarks.

A pieced border needs even more care since stretching can occur at any
seam.  Accurate 1/4" seaming is extremely important.  After seaming each
piece in my borders I measure for accurate sizing.  Landmarks _must_ be
marked when applying a pieced border:  matching seams or folding border
and quilt into equal parts and matching landmarks.

Sometimes I find I even have to measure the binding so I get the edge
measurement to agree with the center measurement.  That's when using a
bias binding is very helpful because it can ease some extra length in
the edge of a quilt and stabilize it so I don't have a wavy edge.

I don't know of a book that is just on designing and applying borders.  There
are several books that have examples of borders that have been mentioned
in previous postings.  Jinny Beyer's book, _Blocks and Borders_ has some
fine pieced border ideas.  Several applique books have beautiful borders,
especially those by Elly Sienkiewicz and Jeana Kimball.  Elly's book,
_Design a Baltimore Album Quilt!_ has some great border ideas that she
offers in a workbook format for finding the right kind of border for
your quilts.

Borders are fun, but you must be careful to be accurate.  I think the
border exchange groups have learned a lot about various construction
techniques with each border they have applied.

--Barb