Something New

I finished the quilt top from the 2006 blocks in my previous posts and I am so very happy with the way the quilt top worked out.  I will post another photo after it is quilted.  I have to get to my long arm sewing machine soon and get this quilted.  It is such a process for me to just get it on the frame to begin quilting.  With the summer heat, vacation and multiple visitors the past few months have been a blurr of BBQs, sleepovers and fun in the summertime activities that leaves no time to quilt.

I found a new quilt book last February and fell in love with the patterns.  I wanted to make something, almost immediately.  The evening I first read the book I could not sleep I was so excited trying out different patterns and colors in my mind.  I could tell it would be an uncomplicated pattern to do so I began my search for the special ruler.  The book was easier to find than the ruler.   It took me 6 trips to 7 different quilt shops before I found this special ruler that goes with the patterns and technique.  As I was standing in line at the quilt shop to make purchase I noticed several bundles (not a jelly roll)  of  2 1/2 inch fabric strips for sale.  So I grabbed two bundles and decided they would be the source of my experiment to see if I really did love this new pattern.  How could I feel bad buying the many strips for $6 of random fabrics? 

I could not wait to get home and play with those silly 2 inch strips of fabric.  It was like Christmas for me to untie the twine on the bundles and open them to lay them out on the floor. The best Friday night ever!!  ( I am easily ammused.) 
Over that weekend, I began to sew the strips together with a white fabric I had in my stash.  When I had the strips sewn together and then cut with the new and special ruler, I began to sew together the blocks.  It took me two Saturdays due to multiple interruptions that involve yard work and house work.  After that, the blocks sat in a basket in my sewing room while I moved on to more difficult challenges in life.  Summertime was upon us.
Early last month, it was hot and the AC was working really good in my house.  I had a cold can of coke, M & Ms and some free time.  I was itching to play with fabric.  I grabbed the basket of quilt blocks and I played on the floor to come up with this pattern for a crib size top.  I sewed the rows together and added the bright blue stop border. 

I am now "auditioning" fabric for the final border and I can't decide. I have gone from solid orange, yellow tone on tone, multi green, green on green, blue brights, pastels and various red solids and prints.  I keep coming back to this multi dots on white in this photo.  I purchased a yard of a very bright and busy print with circles that on the bolt look like the perfect fit.  But...nothing I have in my stash or at the store seems to work right.  I almost feel this piece is too much white. I know I will not use flower prints, juvenile prints or any color of pink.
 

I welcome your alternative suggestion for the 5 inch final border on this random strip quilt.  Maybe this dotted fabric does work and I am over thinking the border.  I will bind with bright blue fabric to the dotted fabric.  

There is a new grandson arriving in the fall and he will need something blue.

Don't you love the bright and cheery look of this quilt top? I wonder what I will make next.