Fine bargain - but what should I do to finish it?
 

I found this scrappy quilt top at St. Vinnie's for $3.50. It is 71 X 81 inches, so I really want to make it bigger. I'll quilt it, but do you think I should add a small border and then get some older fabrics and make some additional blocks to make it bigger? Not sure what I should do. Thank you!

The issue with adding fabrics is that they are not as old: color-wise and in terms of deterioration over time.
That would be my consideration before I added anything.

These colors and patterns really do speak of a specific time in history...

What a great find. Good luck!

i'd add a black border and quilt it the way it is. any new fabrics will look new and stand out. good luck.

Very scrappy quilt and if you add new fabric I feel it would really be much brighter fabrics. If possible, you may find some old fabric in a thrift store or goodwill. Best of luck to you.

How much larger do you want to make it? I am with the others, trying to add more blocks, I think they would stand out unless you have a lot of older fabric that matches the fabric in the quilt. I really like Tartan's suggestion.

What about a border of black/white gingham? It has two sizes of gingham in it, but I like that larger one (1/2" ??)

I was thinking that black might be too harsh. Maybe you could find a brown that would look like it fit in with your fabrics

It's a fairly good size already at 71"x81" ...... big enough to make it usable on a bed as a "quilt".
However, we often now think of quilts as being "bedspreads",
and I am guessing that you are maybe wanting this larger, for that purpose?

My suggestion is like the others, to not try to add to it, for fear of detracting because of the differences in added fabrics. Instead, if you are wanting it as a bedspread type of quilt to show it off ..... Put a plain quilt on the bed as your bedspread, per se. I have often used the plain backside of a quilt for this purpose. Then lay your finished quilt over the top to show it off.

The binding could present the same challenge as adding in fabrics for the body of the quilt. Audition some possibilities. I agree, with others that a solid black may be too harsh. Perhaps a tonal would work, and not necessarily black or dark. Try some other colours and see what looks best. My first instincts are green, blue or a charcoal. Maybe even a darker rose. You might even find a print that would give a variation in colours, and as narrow as binding is, it would not show the print, and just give a nice blendable binding of assorted colours.

Lots of possibilities ... take your time and do what is right for you!

Maybe you already have something in your stash that would