Day 7 working on the baby quilt.

Yesterday, Friday, I cut out the border for the quilt.  I changed my mind on how I was going to do it.  I went with all red for the main border and will make the trim edge with the blue.

I used the rotary cutter and it cut through 8 layers no problem.  I folded the fabric so it would all fit on the cutting board and I could do the cuts without having to stop and move the fabric or the cutting edge.  I am so impressed with the cutter and how straight and accurate it cuts.

(I have sometimes wandered on my cuts though when drawing it along the ruler but as I cover the piece of fabric I want to use, if the cuts go awry then it is on the waste fabric and I just re-cut against the ruler).

I attached the border to the quilt top then ironed it all. That iron hadn't better be thinking I'm it's new best friend though 'cos when this quilt is finished it's going right back into the cupboard where I found it!

Then I hit a snag.  The fabric I wanted to use for the backing isn't big enough.

I found some fabric that I do have enough of but I am not totally convinced I like it.  I really wanted the other fabric which is the brown I used for some of the squares.  So I am toying with putting a border on it to make it fit.  Not sure if that is quilting etiquette though and I don't want the Quilt Police on my back!

So still thinking on that one.  Another option is to combine it with another fabric and make 4 large squares and stitch them together. Maybe, even buy some different fabric.

I have always wanted to make a quilt, just a plain old patchwork one like they did way back when. This is my attempt at that with the idea of using what I already had.

I imagine, back then, they made quilts into patchwork to use up any scraps of fabric they had left from other projects because they didn't have a lot to spend.

Modern quilting has become so detailed and competitive and to be honest, it would cost quite a lot to make one buying everything you need from scratch, so I am trying to be like the pioneers and make do with what I have, so would prefer not to have to buy more fabric.

On the other hand, I am really happy with how it has turned out so far and want it to look really nice when it is finished.

Decisions, decisions, decisions................

Meanwhile, last night I sat and un-picked the centre motif on the mis-cut white backing square so tonight I will sew it onto the quilt top centre square.  Just have to make sure I centre it correctly!

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Hadn't closed this post as I wanted to add a photo of the quilt top with border. Then I looked again at the backing I really want to use.  It is just a tad smaller than the top. Two options here I think.

1. Trim the top.  Don't really want to do that though.

2. Go with it as it is and make the edging wider so it covers the edges of the backing.  It says to cut the backing a little bigger than the top in-case it puckers up a bit with the quilting so I am hoping I don't lose too much of it.

Think I'll try option 2 and hope it works...............If it loses too much I can just trim it all.

I have a roll of edging but it is like a burnt orange colour which would so go with the backing but not with the quilt top so will stay with the blue I had originally planned on.  I checked it and have enough to make the edging strips wider.