Any ideas....????
 

I’ve just made this quilt for a baby boy and looking at it I find the borders look a little bland. I’m not great with appliqués but I thought about putting a red balloon with embroidered string on each side, towards top left and maybe abt the middle in the right. What do you think and have you got any other suggestions??? The binding will be a nice royal blue. Thanks for your input 😃

some beautiful quilting will do the job to I think ( if you don't like to applique);-)

Besides not doing much appliqués, I don't do any fancy quilting either :D just stitch in the ditch or similar. Want to stitch on the seams with a fancy stitch like a type of herringbone ;) but thanks anyway for the input <3

Love the bright colors. I think no matter how you quilt it, this quilt will be loved. BrendaK

The colors and bright and happy. I don't think it needs anything except quilted and bound. The child will love it.

I wonder if you could add red cornerstones? It would involve some unsewing, but shouldn't be difficult to fit those into the corners. Other than that, your quilting on the yellow could be balloons - just a version of meandering would do the job.

The balloons would be fun but I think the quilting will make the difference in your ( bland borders) they really are not bland- they just need to be quilted— finished. Very cute quilt.

I like the borders but if you don't... Try adding some herringbone fancy stitches to them - use any color thread that's in the pieces or all the different colors. Make 3 to 5 lines of stitches -make them wavy (they could even crisscross and it would be really cute.

I think it's adorable the way it is! I think just some quilting will be enough.

I like the idea of something in the borders.

I think it is nice the way it is.

I usually do piano key quilting on plain borders. It adds a lot of visual impact for little work.

I was thinking cornerstones, too. Rather than undoing the border, you could just applique squares in the corners.

I think red balloons would look adorable. I'm picturing a large balloon in the corner, big enough that it goes into the green strip, not just in the yellow, but that might not be what you had in mind. The balloon string could run down the side or to the middle like the little elephant is holding it.

I love the balloon idea. I've seen similar added to borders and they started at the top left and came down about half way or a little more. Then the right side started in the middle or up a bit and came down to the bottom. I also would maybe make 3 balloons 2 on one side of the string and 1 on the other. kind of like flowers growing only balloons. If you machine applique the balloons you could also machine sew the string. This a very cute quilt and doesn't need much on the border.

If you do crosshatch quilting in the yellow border it would make a big impact and is easy to do to :-)

I think it is perfect as is. The bright blocks and borders really look great on it.

Some interesting quilting shapes in the light border with a darker thread can jazz that up. It is looking really cute so far. He will love it.

Serpentine stitch would look cute ! Love the bright colors. What quilt pattern did you use?

I think it looks great.. but its your quilt. I wonder what type of binding you are going to use? that could dress the edge of the quilt up some and make a pop. (like maybe the green polk a dot fabric used in the body of the quilt??)

It's really cute. I agree that quilting in the borders would do the trick. It doesn't need to be fancy. Perhaps a variegated thread would add some interest, too. Nice job!

I love it just the way it is! As others have suggested, the quilting will add to it's beauty. Often, I've thought a border on one of my quilts was kind of bland, but when I add a nice contrasting binding, it perks right up.

It's a really cute quilt and a great way to use up small but not too small pieces of fabric. The little boy will love this quilt all the way to tatters! And that is a good thing.

Do a big red balloon that goes across the two borders towards the top and use some rick rack for the string. On the other side do another balloon with rick rack string about half way down. Use raw edge applique to make it a bit easier. Cute quilt. Brenda

I like it just the way it is. I bet it will be well loved.

It doesn't need anything else. I think appliques on the borders would actually pull the eye away from the cute fussy cut pieces in the middle area. It's cute as is and the baby will enjoy it for a long time. If you really want to add something, how about one balloon with the child's name on it in the yellow patch on the lower left? My eye is drawn to that area, for some reason.

You could do crosshatch quilting. It's as easy as STID if you use thick painter's tape as your guide. http://tallgrassprairiestudio.blogsp...-and-tips.html

If you think it needs more, try quilting with variegated thread, using a different stitch. That would add color in small quantities. Show us what you decide to do.

That was the base of my quilt, I just added a bit to it :)
I appreciated all the good input from my fellow quilters and am still not sure what I'll end up doing but will post a picture when it's finished.

Finished baby quilt
 

Thanks for all your good ideas as to how I could finish this baby quilt on the borders, this is what I ended up doing :)

It's cute the way it is and will be loved!

I'm not happy with the heart on the right side....too small and the embroidered name is too small too....will unstich the whole heart and make a new one, slightly larger ;)