Asking for design/color help pls
 

I am making this quilt for an older toddler who likes trains. Love the train fabric but have not been happy with my design... Still gotta finish, so... I think I need a very small black border next, but after that I have no idea. It needs another border. Size does not matter. Any thoughts will be appreciated.

I like the idea of a black border or binding to tie it all together. Do you really feel you need more than just that?

It's a nice bright and fun quilt for a child who is attracted to trains.

To me ... my first audition would be to follow the same style as already used with the smaller blocks.

That is, black then a narrow colour strip then black again.
I would try for the blacks to be slightly wider than you have used for the smaller blocks..
Perhaps the 1st outside black, would be the same width as the 2nd of the smaller blocks.
Then the 2nd outside black, the same proportion wider as with the two blacks in the smaller blocks.

For the colour strip, I would audition, both the light green of your background and a scrappy mix of all the other border colours.

Good Luck!

i think a black border or binding will finish it off

I might do a Black border, then the Green (sashing color) border. Bind with Black. Think of your blocks and mirror them.

I would like a very narrow black border and then go with one of the bright colors

i think black would be nice pretty quilt!!

Black would be fine, but I would add narrow borders of red, green, and purple with black binding. (not yellow because it would not be a strong enough color, IMHO) Make a stack of the colors, slightly offset so they all show, put the quilt on top then stand back and see what YOU think.

PS I think this is a wonderful quilt.

I'd use a black narrow border (what I call a "stopper border - as in, it stops the action of the center) first, then a piano key border of all the colors you've used, finished with a primary color binding.

Jan in VA

i vote for the black border

I'm with Jan. A very narrow black border, then a piano key in the brights or 2 1/2" X 5" cuts of the brights sewn together end to end, then bound in black or red. Sewing the strips end to end wouldn't make it much larger, but would add a lot of color.

I like Jan in VA's idea, and I'd definitely go for a black border.

I would do a thin black border and then a red border to finish. I can never get enough red!!:)

This is a cute project - love it! Of all the great suggestions I like Jan in VA's idea the best. I can visualize the finished product and it pleases my need for balance. I think it will work because your blocks are bold enough not to be challenged by the color splash of a a piano key border.

I agree with QuiltE. Or Jan in VA. Both great ideas.

I think you definitely need the black border to stop the eye. My first thought for an additional border was to use the bright colors in strips the length of the inner skinny colored side (example, the lower green block, you have an outer green, a black then an inner green and inner black). I would randomly string them together. Whatever size width would depend on how much larger you want the quilt, but I would probably go no larger than the outer colored band. Then bind with black. I think this will provide a great frame to set off all the trucks.

Thanks for the great suggestions. I'm going to audition them and then decide. Will post photo of the final results.

I'm with QuiltE on repeating the border choice for the blocks on the overall quilt. It looks great already.

What a cute quilt! I'm also "all aboard" with the narrow black stop border. After that, I really like the suggestion of a train track, perhaps on a light green border with black binding.

I like Jan's idea also -- the piano key border would make the quilt more informal and kid-friendly. A railroad track border is also a great idea!

I love the Railroad Track Border idea because it is for an older toddler who loves trains.
We as quilters and adults think of making the quilt pleasing to our eye with balanced colors...but a child, they just want to have fun playing and snuggling with their quilt. Any choice you make, the quilt will be loved and enjoyed!

If it is large enough I would just bind it in black. It looks really good to me like it is and a simple black binding would end it off.

Update - Train quilt
 

I loved the idea of the piano key border, but when I made 6-9 inches and added it to the design wall, it just didn't work for me. This is what I decided on. I will probably bind it in black but wait to see when i reach that stage.

Again thanks for all the ideas.