The borders of quilts are seldom given the prominence that they deserve. Too often we say, "I want my quilt about 72 inches wide by 84 long so I'll use blocks 12 inches square, that's 6x7—42 blocks. All right, that's that"; and the quilt may be ever so much work, beautifully done, and yet look disappointingly ordinary when finished. Personally I'd as soon hang my pictures unframed, as to finish my quilts unbordered.        

The simplest and often most effective way is to use a wide band of white, say 5 inches wide at the sides by 8 or 9 at the ends. This, beautifully quilted, and bound around the edges with a color repeating from the pattern, is one solution. Color bands, white and two colors from the pattern make a handsome border, especially with mitred corners. Or the wide plain border may have pieced stars in the corners, or repeats of whatever block is used in the quilt center. Very distinguished looking coverlets are achieved by having a center square or oblong closely pieced, like Arabic lattice, Spools, Square and Compass, about a foot smaller than the bed top. Surround this with a 10-inch band of plain for display quilting, then a pieced border repeating the design and a narrow darker border to complete. This takes less blocks and makes a more effective top than when pieced clear to the edges.

Commonest of the pieced borders on old quilts is the "Saw Tooth." This is simply a row of squares, each square made of two triangles, one light and one dark, so placed that the darks all go to the outside and the whites in next the white of the "set." A triangle border in better design is made by using isosceles triangles instead of right triangles; such a cutting unit may be found with the block pattern called "Spider Web." When a white strip is placed between two rows of Saw Teeth, with the dark to both outside edges, the "Double Saw Tooth," a really handsome border, is formed. "Zig-Zag," like the quilt design of that name, is another triangle border; "Flying Geese" or "Wild Goose Chase" yet another. This one takes two sizes of triangles as shown in the block pattern "Wild Goose Chase" and has a decided movement not found in the other staid designs. A border that "stays put" is preferable to one which leads the eye relentlessly on and on. By alternating the colors in each little pieced oblong, as shown in one fourth of "Swastika" one gets a different border entirely, but built on the same two sizes of triangles as used in the "Goose Chase."

Diamond blocks sewed into a strip alternating dark and light make a neat little border, or two rows that lead in different directions and jog the color placing produce a very good one. This plan is sometimes called "Laurel Border" and does look like a laurel wreath when pieced of green and white. One similar to this, with the ends clipped to look even more like leaves, is shown on our original design, the Trumpet Vine. Ribbon border block, one of our hundred and one, is an excellent pieced border to use next a plain one, either around a whole plain center or with a pieced center.

Almost any pieced block can have a special border unit evolved from it which harmonizes with the design—triangle borders exactly suit some, others could use alternate color squares or pin wheels and squares; there is an old-fashioned one called "Tile Border" which is really just little "Necktie" blocks with the center square only in dark or contrasting color. "Spools" also makes a clever patchwork border, as does diagonally placed dark squares, filled in to the outer edges with light triangles either side. One of the most elaborate quilts that I have ever seen, a real museum piece, has no less than ten borders around a gorgeous applique and embroidered center. The owner calls it "Framed Medallion" and surely it is. One border is a double row of light and dark Zig-Zag so placed as to give a dark ric-rac effect on light, another flanks triangles with diamonds, alternating position each time and meeting in four most precise corners of two diamonds each. There are bands of print between pieced borders, one border is even appliqued and the widest one pieced of eight-pointed stars is about seven inches wide.

A pieced border which scallops is given with the "Friendship Ring" pattern.

Applique borders are more usual on quilts of their kind than pieced ones are on patch-work. There are the scallops that sometimes add onto a straight edge quilt and sometimes match a cut edge. These may run a sequence of color overlays as green for an outer scallop with rose and pink over it for a rose applique. There is a scallop cutting pattern with "Double Irish Cross" which may be extended to become an exact multiple of your quilt edge. If your quilt is 90 inches long the scallop might be 9, 10, or 15 inches, or even 13, by a trifle of manipulating. The scallop itself is often scalloped into little unevennesses, or may drop in a sort of triple curve. These are apt to be rather heavy, awkward looking additions, rather reminiscent of the funeral hearse when ponderous tassels hang between. Sometimes the tops met in a totally inadequate little tulip looking like a crowned tooth, or other times this join was weighted down with princess plumes or great green oak leaves.

A well proportioned scallop, one in keeping with the quilt pattern in daintiness, color, and curve may be the loveliest possible finish for your quilt. One is suggested with the pattern called "Rose Cross." Roses, Fleur-de-lis, leaves, plumes and tassels may be used with the applique scallops, but restraint and a feeling for design are cautioned to mix well with them "before taking."

Most satisfactory of all applique borders, in my opinion, are the running vine types. These may have a stem cut on a continuing "S" shape, or use regulation bias tape which accommodates itself to any curve. On this foundation beautiful borders are builded, with leaves at precise angles, with flowers above the bend or grapes below. Tulips made of three petals and 3 layer roses notched around like a cooky-cutter are favorites in keeping with the antique feeling in appliques. These, with certain buds, big and little, were favorites always.

Usually an applique border is best on an applique quilt, and a pieced one with pieced blocks. I have seen artistic pieced work around applique, especially when there is some piecing in the block, but an ornate vine or scallop border around a homey pieced center is as out of keeping as a massive gold frame on a chaste little etching.

There are original borders on many quilts of later day resulting from women's developed sense of design. An enclosure around angular or erratic forms, such as pieced blocks often are, sustains the whole. I well remember a testy old art teacher's example of that; the question was on rug design, as to what relation the border should bear to the pattern. "We students must have all looked blank because he immediately hammered a desk with his cane and queried, "Well, well, if you had a bull in a pasture, should the bull or the fence be stronger?"

So we have designed "strong" borders of twining vines, of little flowers with spreading leaves and such.

On our embroidered flower garden quilt there is a patch picket border, and around the "Farm Life" group of picture patterns a pieced rail fence, which literally holds in their places all the pigs and poultry. This quilt is far from a conventional classic, but for a child, a boy who loves the farm, or even for a man who thinks he does, it will receive more appreciation than a "Wedding Ring"!

For a high four poster, the valance or flounce like they originally used to hide the stored chests or trundle bed beneath, is a finish in keeping. Many well dressed beds choose this fulled finish which adds to the quilted counterpane for beauty's sake. A 3-inch plaited ruffle is lovely on silk quilts or comfortlike puffs. Bound scallops are good, even on wash quilts and some antique quilts as well as quilted white counterpanes boast a fringe.

However the usual final finish to the quilted top is a binding. One yard of material cut on the true bias into strips about 11/2 inches wide will bind a straight edge quilt, but allow one half yard more for scallop edge, or if you want less, piecing. This is usually machine stitched around on the wrong side, to bring over the top, crease back to seam and whip down on the front.

SKYROCKET

The   Skyrocket   is   another   twelve-inch block particularly adapted for a    cushion,    using    old-fashioned calico prints.    These patchwork pillows are just the things for chair seats in an old-time rocker or more scantily padded to tie on to breakfast room chairs for both looks and comfort.

Used  in a quilt,  this block sets together diagonally with alternate white ones, using half-blocks of the plain to complete. A border of gold and white triangles pieced "zig-zag" makes a fitting finish.

The pattern units above are to be traced onto cardboard, cut carefully and then used to draw around on to cloth. They do not allow for seams, so cut a seam larger and sew back to the pencil line.

In piecing this, the small trianglesare first added to the gold blocks to form squares then the center nine-patch made, and the pieced corners added to complete into a really lovely block.

Material estimate: For 25 pieced blocks with the 16 plain blocks, 16 half blocks, (cut diagonally), and 4 corner triangles of the quilt, you will need 21/2 yards of gold material, 11/4 yards green and 51/4 yards white.

WILD GOOSE CHASE

Wild goose chase is a twelve- inch block, an especial favorite for a little patchwork pillow or chair seat. Or it makes a mighty attractive quilt set together with alternating twelve-inch squares of the light blue, really more effective than with white squares.

Of course other colors than the ones suggested on the pattern may be substituted—any dark and light with white "geese." It pieces in the manner shown in the very small sketches, being mostly a problem of sewing tiny blue triangles on to white ones and joining them properly into strips. A continuing strip of flying geese makes a most charming quilt border. Add seams to the unit patterns here given. Five blocks wide by six long will make a center 60 by 72 inches. Around this sew a 2-inch border of light blue, then a pieced border of flying geese and a 3-inch border of light blue
to finish.    Bind in dark blue.

Material estimate: For this plan, allow 2 yards white, 3 yards dark blue, and 51/2 yards light blue. A Spiderweb design could be used on the alternate squares, or a larger pattern like the President's Wreath, as the large light blue triangles of the pieced blocks join the 12-inch plain blue squares.

GRANDMOTHER'S FAN

Grandmothers fan is a good old pattern in which to use silks and woolens. Instead of calling for fancy quilting, too, it is practical when interlined with an old wool blanket and simply tacked at intervals. Each foundation block must be 12 inches square, although the face material does not have to extend under the fan, but a seam. To this foundation block of muslin or whatever is used, are sewed the six assorted color blocks, the first one just basted on with raw edges. The others are sewed joining with edge to edge a seam back and turned over each time into the fan. This method is called making a "pressed quilt."

At the top edge, the raw edge of these pieces is covered by the small black fan, while the wider arc at the base may be hemmed back or finished each time with a scrap of fancy braid. Embroidery stitches often embellished the old-time "Grandmother's Fan." These pattern units do not allow for seams. This quilt finishes about 72 by 84 inches and includes 42 pieced blocks, 6 blocks wide by 7 blocks long.

Material estimate: You will require 51/2 yards of muslin for the twelve-inch foundation blocks, 1 yard black for the corner, and 41/2 yards or 3/4 yard each of six assorted colors, a total of 11 yards. The fans would be very dainty in rainbow tints, as shading yellow, green, blue, orchid, pink, and orange.

WEDDING RING

This double Wedding Ring quilt should not be attempted by anyone except a real quilt enthusiast. "Believe it or not," the friend from whom we got this pattern boasts 720 small blocks in her counterpane, "mighty nearly all different." That is the unique idea here—no two of the wedge-shaped blocks alike, in close proximity at least. Such a variegated scheme suggests "married life" rather than just the wedding ring, and yet when you see the melon-shaped blocks set together, forming four-patches where they join, you also see large perfect circles overlapping regularly into a really lovely design—wedding rings it seems.

Blocks are made into melon shapes around the pattern marked "1 yellow," half of them with dark blue squares at the ends and half with white. By laying several finished blocks together you will see that a large pillow-shaped block is needed to set them together. This pattern you can readily cut or easier still, simply applique the finished blocks onto white sheeting by turning all outside edges and placing together carefully. For a large quilt, 60 melon shaped pieces are used and the yardage required is 4 2-3 yards yellow or unbleached for the background or center of block, 6 yards, 1 yard each of 6 variegated colors, 2-3 yard dark blue, and 2-3 yard white.

A Spiderweb design is recommended for the large pillow-shaped white block and flower with leaves to fit the ellipse shaped block.

MAPLE LEAF

The Maple Leaf is one of the best examples possible of a charmingly naturalistic   pattern   from   squares and   triangles   simply   placed   together. Of course, the applique stem does help, too.

While green is suggested and usually used, there is no reason why gay leaves of yellow, orange, red and brown tones would not make a wonderful quilt. Maple leaves always set together with alternate blocks, check-board fashion, so that the stems all point in one direction diagonally across the quilt in a sort of formal, windblown effect.

Patterns here given are to transfer to cardboard; they do not allow for seams, so cut about a quarter of an inch larger and sew back to your pencil line. Stem does not have to be turned in at ends if it is appliqued onto its small square first, before the block is pieced. This makes a nine inches square block and requires   51/2   yards   of  white  with   3 yards of green or autumn tints to complete into a full size coverlet.

A border of maple leaf blocks each 9 inches square separated by 3-inch strips would be handsome. This, between 3-inch borders of white, would complete a center five blocks wide by 6 long, into a top about 75 by 84 inches. Bind in color to finish the edge.

ROLLING OR EIGHT-POINTED STAR

There are ever so many star quilt blocks of 4,  5,  6 and 8 points.

The diamond pattern here given fits together eight times into a perfect eight-pointed one, which is perhaps favorite in the galaxy.

The smaller sketch shows the simplest way of completing it into a block with four squares and four triangles or half squares. But when elaborated with eight squares and then again with eight more diamonds it becomes a glorious affair authentically called "The Rolling Star."

If I were piecing it, I should split each square into two triangles, as suggested on the pattern to simplify the seaming together. Only nine Rolling Stars with borders of course to add size, are needed to make a quilt.

The Rolling Star blocks finish 21 inches across. You will require 11/2 yards of print for the center star diamonds, 31/2 yards of plain for the outer diamonds and the six-inch border, and 31/2 yards of white.

A Pineapple or 8-inch Feather Circle would quilt nicely on the 9-inch "set" squares.

SQUARE AND COMPASS

The Square and Compass is one of the more intricate quilt designs, and yet there are only three patterns used. As the story comes to us, it was first designed by the wife of a life saving crew's captain, so to maintain the sea flavor throughout, blue or blue green with white would make it most nautical. Aside from pointing eight true directions like any real compass should, it some way suggests spars and rudders and propellers. So if you possess that bit of romantic imagination which the quilt originators had, you will surely appreciate the "Square and Compass."

Cardboards are made exactly from the parts here given and traced around, onto the cloth. Cut a seam larger than the penciled part and sew first the triangle block onto the long one, then the "pie-shaped" pieces into the ends to form a larger triangle. This, of course, is half of the small square which in turn is ¼ of a complete block.

Each block will be thirteen inches square, a good size for patchwork pillows, or if making a whole quilt, this pattern uses all pieced blocks which form a continuing and overlapping series of squares and compasses all over the coverlet.

The quilt sets together 6 blocks wide by 61/2 blocks long and requires 36 whole mocks and 6 half blocks. It finishes about 78 by 85 inches. Or surround a much smaller center, say 4 by 41/2 blocks, with a 5-inch plain band for fancy quilting and a pieced border of half blocks 61/2 inches wide to complete. The more intricate the pattern and the smaller the cut units, the greater the yardage required. For instance, you can make a comfort top 72 by 90 inches from five yards or 36-inch material. But cut it up into squares, or smaller pieces, or yet smaller, and the seams soon take up almost as much as the part that shows. You will need 9 yards for this quilt, 41/2 yards of each color.  

DOVE IN THE WINDOW

Dove in the Window" is rather an intricate block to piece but a  charming  and unusual one when done.    It finishes about fourteen inches square, suitable size for a patch-work pillow.   If used for a whole quilt, set the 25 blocks together with 3-inch strips of pieced sand and white with 3-inch   squares   of   sand   color   or   tiny pieced nine-patches at all intersections.

As with the others in our patchwork series this gives exact size of finished parts; trace these sizes on the wrong side of the cloth, then cut a seam larger sewing back to the line.

The quilt sets together 5 blocks wide by 5 blocks long, with strips 3 inches
wide by 14 inches long joined with the squares at the end of these strips. These strips are cut 13/8 inches, two of sand and one of white to go between them. With seams off from sewing them together, they appear between blocks 3 inches wide. A 3-inch border all around the pieced center may be of the sand color with binding of rose or blue.

Twenty-five pieced blocks, 40 pieced strips and 16 3-inch squares will finish about 82 inches square. Material needed is 11/2 yards of rose, 11/2 yards blue, 2 yards sand and 41/2 yards of white, ft total of 91/2 yards.

ROB PETER AND PAY PAUL

This quilt gets its name from the appearance of the light blocks being cut out to add to the  dark, while the dark blocks are trimmed to piece out the light blocks.   This procedure is not exactly the case, however, as in reality the blocks must be larger to provide for a seam.

Make cardboard cutting patterns from the sketch given above. These patterns do not allow for seams, so draw on the cloth around the cardboard but cut a seam larger and then sew to the pencil line.

Rob Peter and Pay Paul looks like a series of circles when set together, but
the unit block is square, as shown in the small sketch at the left. Of course half of the blocks are made with dark centers and half with light centers surrounded by the darker color. Blue and buff are suggested but any two harmonizing colors make up attractively in this charming, old-fashioned design.

The blocks are a generous 51/2 inches square. The quilt may be 14 blocks
wide by 15 blocks long to finish about 77 by 83 inches. For the 105 light blocks and 105 dark ones you will need 41/2 yards each of a light and dark color. It is equally effective, and less work with a solid center, say 9 by 10 blocks—a wide plain band of the light fancy quilting, a pieced border of blocks, then a narrower border of dark.

This pattern is sometimes called "Or-range Peel" and by others "Dolly Madison's Workbox."

JACOB'S LADDER

The Jacob's Ladder block is rather large, 131/2 inches square, but it is really   composed   of   nine   little pieced blocks, five four-patches and four triangle   squares.     These   nine   little patchwork blocks and again the large squares must all be set together so that light squares follow light and dark ones dark, as shown in the sketch. Other-wise   Jacob   might   yet   misstep   on  a faulty ladder!

The band of four patches set diagonally between dark triangles makes one
of those clever little patchwork borders which add so much of well planned beauty to a patchwork quilt. It would finish about 6 inches wide and could be effectively spaced between plain color strips of dark or light.

The quilt sets together with alternate unbleached blocks, 13 inches square, and is 5 blocks wide by 5 long plus a three-inch border. If thirteen pieced blocks and twelve plain ones are used the quilt will finish about 73 by 73 inches. Material required is 5 yards of unbleached, 11/2 yards red print, 1 yard brown and 1 yard extra for the three-inch border.

An Anchor design, slanted all one direction, would be lovely quilted on the large plain squares between "ladders."

GREEK CROSS

This Greek Cross is one of the many variations of nine-patch, that old-time favorite upon which so many little girls have learned the gentle art of
stitching. However, Greek Cross is quite an elaborate version, and made up in the analogous color harmony suggested above, three kindred colors in about the same light and dark value, it is a beautifully unusual quilt.

The block is nine inches square and the strips between the blocks are three
inches wide. Patterns are made by tracing the ones here given onto cardboard and cutting carefully. These are used to mark around onto your cloth, but cut a seam outside of this line. The pencil line is used to sew to; it marks the size of each finished part.

The quilt includes 49 blocks, 7 wide by 7 long, and sets together with strips 3 inches wide by 9 inches long. Fill in the intersection squares at the end of the strips, when putting together with blue 3-inch squares. Forty-nine pieced blocks, 84 lavender strips, and 36 blue 3-inch squares will finish about 81 by 87 inches if 3-inch strips are added at top and bottom for additional length. You will require 21/2 yards of lavender, 2 yards white, 11/2 yards blue and 2 yards of rose.  

DOUBLE T

Picturing a quilt block is quite a different matter from visualizing a series of blocks set together to form an entire quilt pattern. Double T is rather complete in itself, therefore good for a patchwork pillow, and good size too, as it is twelve inches square. It may set  together with alternate plain squares or is especially attractive with three-inch strips of white or harmonizing color between blocks, either continuing in unbroken lattice work or with three-inch squares of the other color at the corners.

Patterns are made by tracing the ones here given onto cardboard and cutting exactly. These do not allow for seams. Draw on your cloth around cardboard, but cut a seam larger, sewing back to the pencil line.

The quilt sets together with 3-inch strips of white intersecting with 3-inch
squares of print at all corners. If it is five blocks wide by five long plus the
3-inch strips it will finish 72 by 72 inches. A 3-inch strip may be added at
top and bottom for additional length.

Twenty-five pieced blocks, 40 strips 3x12, and 16 3-inch squares will require 4 yards of print material, and 5 yards of white.

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