My daughter and family moved from MA to FL two years ago. My grandson misses it here in Marblehead, MA so much I decided to make him a quilt with images of M'head. Now I've got the photos transferred to fabric and I'm ready to put it all together, but I'm stumped as to what color to use for sashing and border. The blocks are 8"x10" so I'm going to need a fairly wide sashing and border to make the quilt big enough. My grandson is 8. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Since your pictures are oriented both ways what about adding borders to your blocks to make them all 12X12" finished in one of his favourite colours and then adding sashing in a theme fabric of somehting he enjoys (it could be anything-sports, animals, food, etc) and then using your border fabric again to border it and bind with theme fabric. This is just an idea to help make it so that your sashing is broken up and doesn't seem to over power the pictures. Whatever you come up with he is going to love his quilt.

You might use the school colors. Our town identifies very much with its school colors.

Or maybe something to resemble streets.

I agrees with mamabear... But.. Make them into square blocks and use the same color for the sashing. I think a marbled light blue or a batik in a blue would be super! Something a little darker than the sky in your pics.

I can't offer any suggestions but wanted to say *How Pretty*! Love what you have done and I know your DGS is going to love it.

I might go with the slate gray and the brick colors that I believe would make the photo's pop as the focus.

I agree with Mama Bear, bring your pictures up to 12x12 with one color and then use anoter color for your sashing.Otherwise your sashing will be over powering.Just be careful and not use to much coloring that is in the back-ground of your pictures.Whatever you decide, he will love because it will be special made by his grandma.A small print with cars would work for some of your sashing or as an added border.What boy doesn't like cars.

How about a sashing that has stars for the corners?

How about sashing that isn't just strips of fabric? Use filler blocks of stars, flying geese, checkerboards, etc and leave out the plain strips of fabric. You don't even have to make each "block" the same size as long as it's all multiples of the same number. It'll make for a far more interesting quilt.

i really like the way you have it displayed...why not put it together that way? it looks great and if you needed it larger you could add a narrow dark then another wider border.

make some pieced blocks to go inbetween, besides sashing. maybe flying geese.

Thank you all for your wonderful suggestions! I am mulling them all over in my mind. I really appreciate your input.

This is just my opinion, but why don't you "frame" each square like a picture frame----in black----then put a sky blue, or road printed, or stars, etc sashing. I think each of your pictures need a frame.

that is really neat

I like this idea a lot, or treat it like its a scrapbook page only on fabric. You could use black corners on all the pictures (like in a snowball block) making it look like old fashioned photo mounts.

you could use cars and trains and planes use different around each picture the border and binding I would cut the strips 6-8 inch pieces join them for 1 long strip for borders & binding

Very nice. I would add borders to each block, in a dark blue batik, making all the blocks the same size. Then use a lighter blue and green marble for sashing to join all of them all. No matter how you join them it will be a lovely quilt, full of memories and made with love.

Dark blue for both would be nice for a boy. Very nice idea for him, he will love it ! Looking forward to seeing it finished.

There's a fabric line called Stonehenge by Northcott. They have lots of colors to choose from and the fabric has a "marble" like look to it. Check your LQS.This is one of my favorites.

I like milkbone's idea From a MA transplant

Very nice as you have laid them out. I would sash in dark blue.

I'd lay it out like you have it, but put white rick rack around the edges, then place on black or blue fabric to make it look like old-time photographs. (Place the photo on top of the rick-rack so only the top half of it shows beyond the edge of the photo.)

I like the idea of framing each picture if it isn't sewn together already. I'm thinking a smaller inside border and then a print of trees or landscape for the outer border. just a thought. Marty

The colors that stands out to me are the beautiful blue of the sky and the ocean. Or the brick color of the buildings and the fall folage or possibly a comination of both.

Please post a picture when you are done. I think it will be a wonderful quilt.

I think a dark bright blue would look good. Maybe a royal or navy.

Try Navy Blue, or black, and you will be astounded at how the pictures stand out! I would refrain from using any "colors" for sashing, as there is enough color in the pictures, but having the school colors on the boarder would be beautiful!

An 8 year old boy - Hmm - sash with Patriots or Red Sox fabric?

I think those pictures would look awesome in an "Attic Windows" quilt. I am in the process of making an attic windows quilt with wolves in the windows for a 11 year old boy who loves wolves....just a thought.

How about a narrow, bold-colored sashing outlining each photo, then medium sashing which makes each block a square, as already suggested, a medium-width pieced border, and a wider print border? He will love it no matter what you choose. Such a thoughtful, loving gift.

Flying geese would be great! I love the quilt and I know your DGS will too! Great job!

If you put all the "portrait" blocks on the same row. It will make it a lot easier to strip it.

I like that Idea!

I have made several photo quilts and have used a fabric that looks like wood grain. Making a frame aroung each photo.

I agree with the idea of making them all 12" using borders of a solid fabric - the same fabric for all - navy maybe or the wood grain GloBug suggested.
Sash with grey solid.
Border with either navy or grey, or both thereby having 2 borders - one narrower than the other, outer border being the wider of the 2..
I would not use any patterned fabric - they would detract from your pictures.
Great job; he'll love it.

Love this idea! Think it will set off the pictures, they do need a frame.

The idea of a meandering path comes to my mind too. Starting with the town welcome sign, your grandson could walk his fingers, or drive his cars, to each of the landmarks. Your avatar could serve as an inspiration. If you were to make a quasi landscape quilt, then the background colors of the photos may merge with the background of the fabric, which would be fine, as long as you didn't loose the landmark.

As I put myself in the place of the boy, lying on such a quilt, I get drowsy with memories. (Then, again, I'm getting into the nostalgic years.) I can also picture an excited boy using the quilt to show his friends where he once lived. You have the start of a wonderful quilt, and have been fed with many great ideas. Looking forward to the end product.

Carol

wonderful pictures

I just love this site. Everybody is so helpful. I love the idea of framing each picture. You could even do a collage where the pics are closer together. If you needed it larger you could put cornerstone pics and a wide border. At the top of the quilt you could write Marblehead, MA or your grandsons name with fabric paint or fabric markers.

Aww shucks, those pictures make me miss New England toooo ! If I only had a picture quilt of Cape Cod. waaaaaaaahhh.

I see a lot of brick in the pics, maybe you would want to pick some of that up in the sashing