Quiltin'Lady

Hi all,

I've finally made my first "convergence" quilt and now I need some help deciding on what fabric to use for the binding. Should I use the same fabric as the outer border (attempting to stay in the same color families), find a coordinating solid color, or...??

I start work at a wonderful new job on Wednesday, doing just the kind of stuff I love doing, in a lovely office that looks across the Bay to San Francisco (on the 19th floor of the Kaiser Bldg on Lakeshore, for those of you who know Oakland). The only not-so-nice thing about it are the grey walls throughout the suite. :( It's all very modern and trendy, I'm sure, but much too dreary for my taste.

Hence this very colorful quilt, which will hang on the wall above my desk, next to the wall of windows [did I mention that I look out over the Bay? :lol: :thumbup: ]

So, binding suggestions, anyone?

And while you're thinking about that, maybe you could give me some good quilting ideas, too? I'm just a newbie to FMQ, so it can't be too fancy...

Many thanks!

erstan947

I'm no help but wanted to say this is such a nice color spot but yet tranquil. Good work:)

RUSewing

What about using the fabric that makes the narrow border around the blocks? Just my two cents.

sewingbysusan

I might repeat the pink inner border fabric, or the darkest color in the quilt for the binding. Not sure what I would quilt either, but I usually like a contrast. If the block pattern is very square and geometric, then I do something wavey or swirly. Love your color choices and I'm sure whatever you pick will be great.

btiny36

I would use the darker blue/turqoise color...JMHO

mimom

what about a very light color, I see the lighter fabric on the top right area of the quilt and wonder if a light binding will help bring that around to the opposite side of the quilt

Quiltin'Lady

Good idea -- and a technique I've often used. Unfortunately, this pink is a really BRIGHT pink. I had started out with a 1" border and cut it back to a quarter-inch once I got it on. I'm just afraid that it might overpower the other colors if I had any more of it...

Quiltin'Lady

I don't think the pink will work (see above), but I like the idea of the darkest color. I don't have any more of the blue-green in the lower left corner, but maybe a purple -- to pick out the bits of it in the LR corner of the quilt or what's in the border. I like this idea! :thumbup:

I also like your idea for wavey/swirly quilting... Gonna have to work on that idea... :wink:

joeyoz

I would use the same one you sued in the first little border. The pink. That would frame it all in. Love the quilt. Love Batiks. :D :D

Quiltin'Lady

Ohhh.... What an excellent idea! I've got more of that fabric, too. You don't think it would be too much of a contrast to the rest of the (mostly) dark quilt/borders??