quiltingnd

What is the easiest way to quilt piano keys or like 1 inch straight lines into a border. It has to be an easier way than what I'm doing?! I hope.

Tartan

I have puzzled on how to do them also. I usually end up SITD up one line, SITD along the quilt and SITD down the next line to the quilt edge and then stitch along the edge where it will be under the binding and repeat. The other option is to quilt a motif in each key and do your traveling along the outside of the quilt.

quiltingnd

I don't actually have a piano key border. I wanted to quilt piano key type design in a border.

Tartan

If it just a design, you might want to try ribbon candy or rail road track quilting designs. They are both designs that loop back and forth across a space.

PaperPrincess

My technique is even uglier. I go along the outside edge, across the border, then right back down the same stitch line then up the edge to the next key. I always use 60 or 70 wt thread for these. I HATE stitching them, but if you have a slightly full border, it's the easiest way to get it under control. I also like the way they look on an unpieced border, like you are doing, with uneven key widths. Like a 3", then two one inch ones, then another 3". Have to plan this so they come out even.

coffeecozy

My internet is so slow today that I can't grab a link for you but if you Google tutorial piano key quilting I think you will find some good videos. Jamie Whalen I believe was one of them. I plan to use them on a quilt that I'm working on but haven't got that far yet so please share if you find a great solution.

0tis

I have never attempted the piano key border design (straight lines) because it would take forever - I am so glad you asked that question - I love the look but afraid I would stop long before I finished. Hope you find a good solution.

bjchad

Painters tape is good for that sort of thing. Lay down parallel rows of tape in the width you want the keys to be and then remove every other one. Do about 6 to 8 inches worth at once and then walk the pieces along the border as you add the quilting. Quilt along the edge of the tape. See below
Quilt along edges of the tape then move strip 1 to space 6, strip 2 to space 7 and so on.

[] [] [] [] []

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

quiltingnd

Gonna have to look up rail road tracks. I used the ribbon candy (for the first time) in another border on this quilt.

quiltingnd

Do you quilt one line then cut the thread and then do the next and cut the thread?

I ended up marking my border and then doing a line and then quilting in the ditch to the next line and doing that they whole way around. Kept me from stopping and starting which is what I was trying to avoid.