I like that gold one. With a purple inner border, it really frames it nicely.

I like the gold border too. Binding it with the purple will draw the eye back in. Lovely job!

Mary

I agree with toolgranny - love the gold - like the purple...but, I think the batik with the squares outlined in dark navy or black, may be the culprit in making this feel untamed. (I may have the same or a very similar batik.) Can you try it in one of the borders or the binding just to make the eye land again in a controlled frame around this center.
I could be all wrong and it look crazier ~lol. I'm just thinking it is so different from all the other batiks that it won't let the eye rest, that's what you were trying to do with the black border. I do like what you are doing.

I hear what you're saying, magothyrivergirl.

That was a FQ and I cut all of it up. But I'll see if I can buy another FQ or some yardage to see if some of it in the border tames the P&P monster.

---â¢---

I'm a little surprised to see support for the gold border. Delighted. But surprised.

I like the gold border as well, but I think I'd make the purple inner border just a bit smaller...maybe half that size. Seems to compete with the gold a bit. Using the purple for binding would finish it nicely.

I love the purple inner and gold outer. I still think you could do a dark, narrow inner, inner border with the color that is in that FQ - is it black or navy? I would audition a narrow dark border, followed by the purple and finished with the gold outer.
Karlene

I agree with Karlene, a very narrow dark inner border would contain the inner blocks and keep the eye from trying to keep wandering. Why don't you audition that before making the final decision and post a photo of it? I really love that gold fabric as a border, too.

I think it would be pretty if you could match the color of that blue/green that is in the quilt top (with the black squares) for a border....something without a big print so as not to take the focus off the pretty center.

Salijo

I forgot to mention that I like the purple border and the blue/green would go nicely as the outside border.

Salijo

I like the gold. Try the gold as a narrow inner border and then a wider purple outer border.

~Geraldine

I like the gold, too, especially imagining it finished with purple binding.

OK. Just to review and to incorporate as many of your ideas as possible:

Here is the original black inner border:

It contains the busy center blocks but it's too flat and jarring.

Here I'm using a black batik that I hope is softer but can also frame and tame the raucus, competing bullseyes:

It's amazing to me that when the gold is added it really takes the "Barbie" out of the pink & purple as you might also see by comparing the right to the left.

I'll see if I can get more of those very dark-bordered boxes that are pieced into the bullseyes but I'm afraid if that print is cut narrow it won't read and if it's cut wide the hard geometric quality will overwhelm everything else that's soft-edged and flowing.

Still, I'll see if I can get more to audition it. The store I bought the FQ from doesn't stock everything as yardage that they get as FQs from their parent store in another county. I also hope I can get more of that violet in the middle border on the right that references the gold. I've probably had that for a year or longer and I don't have the foggiest notion where it came from.

Finally, I'm thinking there's something to be said for the simplicity of the right side. I've still got that under consideration. I bought the blackest purple I could find but I might go back and see if they have a black that reads a little purple before I give this approach up.

I like the black color purple and then what about a yellow! Good contrast and it will compliment as well. Not a yellow that's in your face but a nice yellow. The gold is just too boring for me. JMO

May I add my 2 cents? I like the purple as the inner board but I think I would like to seperate the purple from the gold with a narrow (1/2-1") black strip. Although I love the gold I think that it is little over powering. MHO. Jayne

I'm going a different direction with my thoughts on this one. It's a gorgeous combination. You want to tame it, however? Go earthtone using the same palette. In solids. It grounds it to my eye. I'm thinking a brown/plum and mossy green. Aubergine and mustard would work too.

{{!gwi}}

Good thoughts and I love how you used technology to simulate the effect, calliope. If i'd been able to do that I bet I could have saved myself hours of driving to shops and going through my stash. I've still got hours of reorganizing and putting things away to do!

I thought I had finally reached a decision after my last fabric run this morning:

But I'm putting it aside and working on the top I began as an alternative. Maybe with the space of a little time I'll see something I love.

You got me digging into my fabrics to find that batik with the squares ~LOL~
Mine is similar - it is not squares, more crazy than yours - and mine is made by Textile Creations. FQ's and jelly roll - so don't even think it would have helped you.
I think you should try what nanajayne suggested. I really think you need a thin border of solid dark navy or black -whatever color is outlining the square batik print to frame it all.

This is why I have trouble with scrappy!

I think I've got it:

Geraldine, I think you were right all along. ;>

BTW, this is the first pic that, I think, has really accurately depicted the colors.

I think it looks good! Yea for Geraldine! Stitch it together and call it a day :)

DONE!

My husband will take both tops in to work with him tomorrow and let David choose the one that's right for him and his new home.

For all the tsuris that went in to getting this right, I am very pleased with the results. If it comes back tomorrow night I'll be very happy to have it back to keep or to give to someone else as a gift.

Thank you to everyone who contributed ideas. They all helped me work my way through a difficult design decision.

OR

I wouldn't be surprised if he picked the first one. The purple border tamed it down.

~Geraldine

I'm glad I'm not David and have to decide on ONE! They are both wonderful! I didn't chime in on the border because that is exactly the thing I have the most trouble with. I have trouble with individual squares, too. I really like how it came out.

Robbi

I have you to thank, Geraldine.

That tiny gold border (I think it's only about 3/8") made all the difference in the world. I don't think I ever would have gotten around to trying that by myself.

Thanks to everyone for the kind words and the help to work it through.

I like the results. The borders work very well now. The purple you used fits much better then the first one and the strip of gold is perfect. TFS Jayne

That's actually the same piece of fabric that was in many of the pix. The lighting just wasn't right to get a good representation of the colors.

I agree with you that the placement of the gold made all the difference in the world!

Did I miss it? Which one did David pick? I love the way this one turned out!
Karlene

Surprise, surprise! He picked the green one. ;>

I had a really lucky quilting day yesterday. I took the measurements for the 2 small quilts I just did to the local shop and both of them fit on a twin batt. Then I found a great backing fabric for David's top and when I got it home it worked with the top as well as I hoped, and then the woman in the shop gave me the card of someone local she said could do the machine quilting on both of them muy rapido! I'm off to see her work and work out the arrangements this morning.

Here's the backing plaid I got. I think plaid will work well for a guy. No border for this one.

That plaid is perfect for a man, I knew he would pick this one over the other, should have put money on it, huh??

They both are delightful--and yup, that green and gold plaid is very, very good. I really thank you for posting all these pictures. I've enjoyed watching somebody figure things out. It gives me hope for my future. ;)

I guess everybody but me could see the first one was a mistake. Duh... What was I thinking??

But at least I have the first one for myself at this point. ;>

Patsy, it was very helpful for me to post each step. I got some great advice and ended up with a better top than I was putting together by myself.

There is actually an online group (alas! lost the trail of breadcrumbs to it) that agree to show each step -- the good, the bad and the ugly -- so that they can each learn a little bit from one another's work. I think that's a great idea. Perspective is a wonderful thing as are additional eyes and combined experience. ;>