So in love...then I added the border

I recently made a beautiful quilt top that I titled "AH-Mazing" It is made from a moda candy bar and a black batik. It is literally a maze. I loved it. It was turning out to be one of my favorites... then I added the border. I think it is awful. But everyone I show it to loves it. I need advice. What would you do with it? Here are three pictures. One, before I pieced the blocks and two with the border added.

PS - Please ignore the disaster that is my living room floor. :) I was too busy quilting to clean (that's my story and I'm stickin' to it)

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Steph

Hi Steph - yep - i agree - border is not making it. it is to wide. can you cut it down add a row of the small squares all around and then another round of the same border fabric..... that will help break it up and still give you this size you want..... i would bind with the black to give then stop. :D

for me i would make the border black... the white/light stops it the cool maze design too suddenly...wonderful quilt....

Steph, I can't see anything wrong with the border. My only suggestion would have been maybe a narrow darker material strip between the main panel and the light border but I am fairly new at large quilts. But I love the pattern and do think it is a lovely quilt.

I'm with GrammaBabs, a darker border would make this just a master-piece!

The quilt is goreous, and with a different border it will still be your favorite!!!

When all I saw was the first picture my thought was "it's got to be a black border." I don't like the light border at all either. If you did like Suzi described with a narrow black, then all the squares, then another narrow black or black binding, I think it would look great.

Hey Steph...the maze is amazing! Is there really a "way out"? I see your problem with the border. My suggestion would be to not make it as wide, maybe the same size as the blocks that are in it. And use a matching color, not black as I think that would over power the black squares in the quilt and make it not look so much like a maze thereby taking away that effect. Use a medium color that would not take away from the maze the black is creating, but still be in sync with the colors that are there. I see a maroonish color and a green that might be good. To light a color would, I think, make it look like the maze is just kind of like left "open", like "I've come to the side...now what?" But boy howdy, you put in a ton of work and it does really look great! I couldn't have done it!

I think your quilt can still be amazing and your favorite if you just change out your border. I too think a black border would give you the look you want to achieve. The white sends to wash the quilt out and takes away from the focus of the blocks.

Actually in the upper right and the lower left are the start and stop points, and yes it really does work. Thank you!

Thank you for all the suggestions. I will keep at it and find the perfect border!

My take is a thin black border, another double row of squares then a colored binding to match a color in the quilt. It's hard to know until you audition the fabric. What a great little quilt you have going there! Good for you knowing the border doesn't work. I love the design and think the quilt is dynamite!

I'm with Cyndi.. a small Black border..maybe just a inch to 1/2 inch in width then use that matching fabric.. It should "close in" or "contain" the Maze and allow you to use a light or dark fabric for the border..

Before I read any responses, I examined the quilt carefully & BINGO ..... black is the color I felt would be most suited ... in a narrower border. Your quilt is sure to be a stunner!

Right off, I must say that your quilt is beautiful! I guess if I was going to change anything ,that I'd make the border narrower and a darker color.

Steph your quilt is indeed AH-Mazing! Love your blocks and colors, but agree that the border size and color does not enhance your beautiful blocks. I definitely think the main border should be black. I hate ripping seams, but if it were me, I would remove the light border, add a narrow border (1"-2") picking one of the brighter colors in your blocks like a deep peachy pink or solid turquoise blue. I would make this the initial frame around the quilt, then add a 4-6 inch black border and finish with either a black or a colored binding. The binding could be the same as the narrow colored border or you could do a series of strips of fabrics from the quilt to make a multicolored binding. I think a black border with a bright colored smaller accent border would really pop your blocks and be visually very dramatic!

I know you will find what works for you. Just go with your gut. I think quilters usually have a sixth sense that tells us a color/pattern combo is just not "quite right". So keep trying different fabrics, give it a few days to try to visualize the final result and you will come across the right mix that says "Yes! that's it!" :)

Yeahp! Black Calls Me Too!!

Beautiful Work!

You took the words right out of Me.....

It's "AH MAZING" :)

Hee-heee Stick To That Story...Don't Let Go Of it!...HA-HAA-HAAA

Darker border would really make everything else stand out - I agree with everyone above! Narrower size would make it look better too.

Lovely design though I really like it a lot.

I'm with everyone else too, black border, and why not use the black fabric that you used for your maze pieces. From rereading the postes I think it is unanamous (?sp)---black border. :)

The light border washes out your quilt. I would remove the outer border, leave the inner border of blocks and add a black border and black binding or a scrappy binding if you have lengths of fabric left. Please don't put a light border on your gorgeous top...it's screaming for black!!!!

I agree. It either needs a black border or break up the light colored border. It looks awesome though. I wouldn´t have the patience to do all that.

All right - I agree with the black border, but come on now - has anyone else tried the maze except me? And, I'm lost cause I can't seem to get past the black at the upper right or lower left and it's driving me crazy! Of course I was never good at these things anyways.

Hugs,

I love the maze! I got it through it, from the bottom left corner to the top right corner! I agree with the black border but I think you need to add another row of light coloured squares. I think if you put a black border too close to the maze you will lose the maze part, it will get confusing to the eyes.
I love the idea of it and I will definitely add this to my ever growing list!

I'm thinking that a border that is one of the darker colors in the maze, but not the black. Maybe the turqoise or rose color/reddish color. I would make the border a little wider than the row of print blocks that are on the outside edge.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by quiltingtrish

All right - I agree with the black border, but come on now - has anyone else tried the maze except me? And, I'm lost cause I can't seem to get past the black at the upper right or lower left and it's driving me crazy! Of course I was never good at these things anyways.

Hugs,

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The Maze goes from the large squares in the upper right and lower left as the start/stop spots.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by atoz1mom

The Maze goes from the large squares in the upper right and lower left as the start/stop spots.

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Oh, so the black is the path? I thought the light color was the path. I was able to do it with the black as the path. :)

What an ingenious idea, a maze! It is adorable. Please show us again if you pick a different border. The wide border showcases the maze, but it takes away from it too. Don't you wish you had one of those "design walls" the pros always talk about!

I like this pattern---it is reall neat. I think that black would make a great border on the quilt,

That pattern is awesome. I don't have anything more to add as suggestions. But I'm definitely going to do this one day. Excellent work!! :) Beautiful!

I'd use a red border, like the second square on the left, but wouldn't make that a large border, than add a thin black binding to it.

i think you should make your border with sewing machine.