Borders: Yes or No on a BQ2
 

I just finished piecing a BQ2 by Maple Island Quilts. The pattern calls for large blocks of your focus fabric, surrounded by a "frame" on two sides. I plan to bind it in the print used for the "2 inch wide strip D". The pattern does not call for a border of any kind, but I prefer to have a smooth piece of fabric at the edge for finishing. Will the original designers or the quilt police get me if I use a 2 inch wide strip, just like "D", which will match the binding and sort of "disappear"?
I plan to work on it again Monday. Thanks for your input.

Your quilt, your decision.

I made a bq 2 and used the large block fabric for the border. I will try to load it so you can see what it looks like, but for some reason, I have not been able to put pictures on this board.

No quilt police here.:) ​Do what looks good to you.

I have made many BQ2 quilt tops for friends and charity. I never have put a border on any of them. This is one of my favorite patterns. Here is one top I still have. I used a variety of colors for the accent strip to bring out all the colors in the parrots. You have to be carefully when using a directional print but the challenge is half the fun !!

OK I have to ask, what's "BQ2"?

BQ2 is the name of a quilt pattern designed by Debbie Bowles from Maple Island Quilts. It can be found about half way down this page:

http://www.mapleislandquilts.com/quiltpatterns.asp

Yes, I understand about the directional fabric........NOW. :( My little seam ripper has had quite a few busy days getting this quilt pieced. Just when I thought I was right...... I was wrong! Anyway, it looks better to me, when the fabric all reads the same direction, therefore....lots of ripping.

I believe it stands for Big Quilt as in using larger 18" blocks. It seems that each style gets a number, BQ1, BQ2, BQ3....etc.

I put 3 borders on my BQ2, and was pleased with the result. My big blocks were some orphan GFG blocks that I hand appliqued on dark brown squares.