Getting Back in the Groove

Wow! I thought I would be posting this days ago. I have chronic pain issues, and sometimes I just have a string of bad days, and that was my week, bad day after bad day. I just did the bare minimum around here, plus some busy work that I could handle with how I was feeling. Sewing was not in the cards. Thankfully that string of bad days is done, and I am feeling a bit better.

I finally got the center of Orca Bay together today. Now I need to make decisions about the borders. I'd like the quilt to be a bit bigger, so I will just add a couple more borders. I want to use the bear fabric that started this whole colorway as the outer border. I have lots of it, so it will be the backing as well.

I really like how it came out in this colorway. I have seen others I like better, but I am happy with my choices.
My plan is to use the thin inner border fabric twice, on each side of the pieced border. This rusty brown^ was my initial choice. I wanted it in the main part of the quilt, but it blurred the lines between brown and rust, so I didn't use it. It is a possibility for this.

This second choice is a cream fabric with rust colored splatters on it. I really like how it looks with the border fabric, not quite as sure about how it looks with the center. This was a thrift store find.


This rusty colored Michael Miller fabric I picked up at a thrift store too. Two yards for 99 cents! It might be too pink/salmony for this.

Using Bonnie's plan but with my colors, my inner border should be brown. I have this pine cone fabric that is used in the center of the quilt multiple times. It's another thrift store fabric :-)

Finally I tried a solid brown. I thought it might give your eye a rest. I like how the dark brown brings out the bears in the border. I love bears!

I will probably cut the bear borders tomorrow, but I need to decide which inner borders I want. I will sleep on it and see how I feel about it in the morning.

One thing I do know, I need to get this quilt top finished before my new sewing machine gets here! I bought a Bernina Aurora 440QE!!!!!!! Bernina has discontinued this model, and replaced it with the new 500 series machines. I knew if I wanted to get an Aurora with a warranty, I needed to get one while I could still find one. The shop near my house had two, one was already reserved, both floor models so deeply discounted. I went and paid for it yesterday, but I can't pick it up until their technician makes sure it is cleaned and perfect. I get all the classes they give to new Bernina owners, I get a 20% discount on supplies while I am in the classes, and my first cleaning/tune-up on the Aurora in a year or so is free too! I need a new machine, and I decided there was never going to be the perfect time to buy one. I got a great deal on my dream DSM, so I am one happy quilter! I was a little disappointed to not be able to bring it home yesterday, but it may all work out for the best. I ordered my new acrylic insert for my sewing cabinet it will go into, and they both may be coming home at the same time!

I had decided a while ago that the Aurora was the machine I really wanted, and this was really my last chance for one with a warranty. I could have gotten one on ebay, but most of those are going for more than what I paid for this one, and I don't know that the warranty would have been valid if I purchased a used machine on ebay. Bernina guarantees they will carry parts for 20 years after the last machine of that model is made, and I know they often carry them much longer than that. I figure if this machine lasts 20 years with how much I sew, I will have more than gotten my money out of it.