I still need help on star quilt border
 

This is the second posting and I desperately need help. I need to have 19 1/2 inches on all sides. No necessarily that much on the top. I will post my color choices and some suggestions of which I don't think any are correct. :(
I want to get this done this week but am at a loss of what to do. Maybe I just won't make it 19 inches because I am thinking that will take away from the top. Help!

The last picture I posted with a shorter border, only 12"

I like #2 on the bed or the 4th picture

I like the 4th picture also. Keeps the top area the focus. Frames it without fighting with the pattern of pieced blocks.

I agree, I like #4 too. Beautiful colors.

I kind of like what you have going in the last picture because it looks like the "frame" is about the size of the top of the mattress. I think having that kind of border really defines the space for the beautiful star blocks. You could easily add an outer border to it to make the finished quilt the size you want. I have noticed that some of the most beautiful borders I've seen on the quilting board have been very simple with some great quilting to help give them "character".

my take, where the points end, use a 4" or so border, or however large the sashing is. maybe some flying geese in the red and gold fabric and make those maybe 6" and then an 8 or so " final boarder of the slate/blue gray fabric. Bind it with the brown or the gold maybe? but that is just me.

I agree that #4 wins the drawing. Your blocks are very beautiful.

What I would do is start taking out what you don't like. For instance, I don't think the first two pictures work in theBORDER. I don't think the next 2 work in the BORDER. But I do like the 3 different widths in the last border. Like someone said previously, it gives room for some beautiful quilting. JMHO

I like the last one. The pink and dark reddish color. I think they look fantastic together. My own opinion. But are you putting in more borders than that? I think those two are enough. I don't quite understand how many borders you are wanting.

Maybe this quilt is not destined to have 20"x4 added to it all around?

With this being the 3rd thread, it appears you are having a difficult time deciding ... and perhaps you will be happier to keep it as a smaller throw?

Or make more blocks to enlarge it and not need so much border?

I agree 4th.

The light solid fabric is what is drawing my eye away from the top. I wouldn't use that light solid color as part of the border. The darker bands with the large dark design fabric looks the best to me. Even just the border being a wide piece of the large dark design fabric looks balanced with the top's light background.

a lot of quilters make their blocks to fit the mattress only and add borders. so don't sweat that. I still like the larger border with the black print. so go with one that has that.

I think you're trying to add way too much border and it'll dwarf the blocks. I'd only add enough border so that the quilt hangs just below the bottom of the mattress and put a bed skirt on the box springs.

Thank You all. I agree that I need to make a smaller border on this quilt. I have removed the light fabric. I also think the flying geese are a good idea. I am not very good at doing that but maybe a 4" rope will do the same thing. This is a quilt my grand daughter asked me to make her. I think in the future I need to stay with kits because I know what they will look like. This has been too stressful for me so for the last two days I made a quilt of valor to donate to take my mind off of it.

The colors that I don't like in the finish are the blue and the black/gold print. I think that instead of just doing strips for 19 inches you might have a better balanced quilt by adding narrow strip(s) then a sashing made up of some sort of block or fyling geese of the remaing colors and finishing with borders and ending with a binding of either black or the maroon or whatever that rose color is. Your blocks are so stunning you don't want to lose them in a large field.

I like the last picture. think it is beautiful joyce j

I think the 19" border moves the top design to far away. Have you thought about making a smaller version of the stars (maybe 6") and putting them offset in the border? My avatar has the stars offset in the border. Then you could put a set of stripes on the top and bottom of the border to get the depth you want.

19 inches does sound like a lot of border. have you thought of adding a pieced row in there?

I agree. 19 inches is a lot of border. I like the light colored strip around the perimeter, it makes the top seam to "float" within the borders. I would increase that border by 2 inches and quilt some kind of beautiful feather design. I think that I would use a pieced border of simple, but not too simple, stars with colored strips above and below them on the top and bottom of the quilt only, about 6inch stars with 2inch strips above and below. (10 inches). I would put 10inch stars in the corners.The last border would be 7 inches of the dark brown fabric. It seems like a very wide border, again a place for beautiful feather quilting,but with such a large quilt I think that it needs an "anchor". I would bind it with the same dark brown.
You have put so much work into your beautiful quilt top, don't just slap on strips and call it quits. Go the extra mile and make a border worthy of the top, not overpowering, just special.

Has anyone really defined #4? I think the last one in row one is the winner. It keeps the top as the focal point, and leaves room for some fancy quilting around the edges.

I like the border on last picture

I agree with a couple of the posts that either flying geese or stars for an outer border would tie this quilt together nicely, putting sashing bands on either side of the pattern. I think the 12" border would work best. From what I can surmise, the top is oblong, not square, & I think the 12" would keep it symmetrical. I definitely would stay away from #1 & #2. Too much distance between the focal point & the border, would be hard to come up with a design for quilting it. I also agree that with all the time & effort you've put into this top, a simple stripped border would be a "cheaters" way out. Put the extra effort into the border as well.

I would make more stars and have narrower borders. But any combos above would work except for the one with the blue.

I like the last border with the increasing width of the strips. I would also add the dark border to the outside of this one.

i like the last picture the best. love you quilt and colors

I agree with Cybrarian. Hope you get enough votes to proceed. Your quilt top is just gorgeous!

To frame the quilt, I'd do a 2" (I assume that's the size of your sashing?) in the same color as the sashing, even if you have to hunt for the fabric. Then to start with, do a piano key border all the way around, using all the colors of the quilt. I'd run to the LQS and find some red and any other color you're out of but used in the center to use in that piano key border, which I'd do at 6". The outer border, I'd use the black and gold and make that 10" (18"). I'd take advantage of that wide final border and do some nice quilting there to frame the entire quilt. If you decide to cut down the size of the border, maybe change the piano key border to 4" and the black/gold to 6" (12" total). Nice quilt!!

I like the 4th border but would use the red fabric with squares on point in one of the available fabrics within that border strip. It seems it'd enhance the border as part of the quilt design. Also, others suggestions of adding stars would work or flying geese.

I like the sashing color on the block hangin over the end as it is dark and will pop your block colors. Others seem too light or wrong color.

i vote for the gray on top the maroon then the dark on the bottom. love your work.

I also vote for #4 - I like the 3 darker colors in narrower strips which don't take away from the beautiful top

I like the last one...with the lite color...

I would try to avoid using anymore of the background fabric. Try the pink for a framing border next the dark brown, then the black /gold. the look will be more elegant. using the light next to the setting triangles is over powering.

I like the last one with the varying widths.
Your quilt top is beautiful.

I like the border on the last picture with the charcoal, white then rose band on the outside very pretty.The white in the border picks up the white in the blocks and also accents the charcoal. The wider rose border sets off the gold background fabric.

I like this idea but am tired of stars. I think I will do a braid with all the different colors. Everyones ideas are great and I really appreciate the knowledge you all have. I will make a less than 19' border at the request of some, because I agree it is too much for the quilt. I will post a picture once it is done.

Me three! This is going to be sooooooooooo beautiful!

I like the last one best, both for the colors and width of strips. It's nice on its own, not competing with the stars on top, but still sets them off..

I tried to take much of the advise given by so many of you. I want to thank you all for your help. I think I have the final colors.
The first border is a burgundy 1 1/2" which is the same width of the sashing. Next the tan 3", then the rope 4", then the tan 6 inches and the binding a burgundy. The final length will be 14 1/2" which is less than the 19" I wanted but I think it will look better.

Does anyone have any suggestions on the width the borders should be?