One of the challenges early in my quilting career came in 1996 in the form of a guild challenge.
At the time, border challenges were all the rage….you know, the ones where you started with the first block and then passed it on to the next person who added a border and then passed it to the next person who added a border….and so on!!
Our guild suggested a border challenge, except we would only work on OUR quilt. BUT, each border had to be a certain size and have certain characteristics.
Sounds intriguing, doesn’t it!!!
I had a Southwest influence in mind for my quilt and this was my center block…..
If I remember, I added the brown border to make it conform to the proper size.
Next we were to add a small border of squares and then a larger border that I honestly don’t remember the parameters for…..
Then came a larger border with triangles…..
….followed by a tiny border of squares and rectangles. I chose for mine to be on-point…..
Next, there was an “open” design large border where we could do whatever we wanted. Many people chose to add applique but I went with lots of smaller borders and designs that mimicked the inside block…..
The final border had to be POINTS, and I was inspired by the Delectable Mountain pattern…..
This was the final quilt…..
….and I LOVED IT!!!
My one memory of making this quilt was sitting outside with my husband while I struggled to get all of the sizes correct for the next to the last border. Remember that this was pre-“Electric Quilt” so I was using graph paper and when I changed any size in the interior borders, it meant that MANY others had to change as well!! As I was drawing and erasing, my grumbling became louder and louder. Michael finally turned to me and said “I thought that quilting was supposed to be fun”. I immediately retorted….” I AM HAVING FUN…..LEAVE ME ALONE!!”
As I got ready to make the label, I decided to keep up the fun and make it a “Crazy Quilt” label….
…and to name the quilt “Bordering On Insanity!!!
It is a great memory of a REALLY fun challenge!!!
You ended up with an awesome quilt!
That and a splitting headache!!!
We did those too, in my guild. Called it a Round Robin. So I paper pieced a large Robin for my medallion. I still had sew much to learn!
Were you happy with how it turned out???