Help: boring quilt top ideas?
 

Hi y'all. I've been lurking, but this is my first time posting because I need some help :o.

I have this quilt top that friend found and gave me that I'd like to finish off into a baby quilt. The problem is it just seems boring to me and I'm not quite sure what to do with it without clashing with what's there. It's quite small so I need to put a big border on it. You can see on the right the original light blue border, but I'm not thrilled with it and it's not in great condition. Any ideas how I can spruce up this quilt and give it a more cute, modern feel? I want to give it to a friend who is expecting. In case the picture isn't clear the fabric is blue and pink gingham pattern and there's another row of blocks on the left, it's just draped over something and the picture is sideways.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]511426[/ATTACH]

Here is something radical...fold the top so the inside corners of the X's touch and move the seams in both directions so you are creating a checkerboard. I have not spent time getting out my drafting paper to see if this is impossible, but off the top of my head it seems doable? Then a bold border with something possibly flowery or childlike and then a binding. If the blocks are off a bit you can likely fudge it enough to make this work and then some baby inspired quilting will hide the rest?

You could give it a blue and a pink border and the back it with a really sweet nursery print. If you have some checked gingham it makes a nice binding when you use it cut on the bias.

It is hard to finish off a quilt top when you don't have any additional fabric. I would go in search online and in fabric stores looking for a pink and blue fabric for the border and backing which might just jazz it up. Remember, you are making it for her so just help her pick out what she likes. You can try putting an applique of an animal on it such as an elephant. Look in the photo section of this board and see if you see something that can jazz up this quilt for the baby.

First I would remove the outside muddy blue fabric and give it a press from the back with a light hand. Then I would use a crisp white border instead of the blue that is on it. I would find a darling print with pink and blue on white background and that should unify it all together.

Being a LA quilter I always love to see tops like this because the fabrics that read solid are outstanding canvas for some really lively fun quilting.

I think I would take off the existing border and but on a very wide white border on one side, then applique the word BABY on it. I would put narrower white borders on the other three sides and use a lively baby print for the backing.

Yes, even before I read all the responses, my first thought was to add white for a modern and cute look.

My first thought was to applique something in dark blue on the large pink squares. Perhaps teddy bears or rocking horses. But doing some fancy quilting in a deep blue color on those squares would also perk this up. White border would work well.

My 1st thought was to do some applique on it as well. Something to bring in a few other colors that you could tie into the borders.