piano key border for full size quilt
 

Can someone share with me what is the best way to do a scrappy piano key border using left overs from the scrappy quilt. There are no long strips. Just odds and ends of different size widths and lengths. Thank you so much. You ladies and gents are my go to for info on quilts.

When I make piano key borders I try to find the shortest strip and cut the others that size. I have also sewn two strips of the same fabric together to make as long as I need. I press the seams open for those. I use different widths separated also. You can use a square of fabric in the corners or miter the corners.

I do what Jingle does. I tried it once on adding machine paper but it came out too narrow for me and I didn't like picking the paper out. Easier without paper.

Here is a favorite tutorial.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjNN4RrUk3M

Thank you for your suggestions. I have been a bit intimidated by this so am at a standstill. Would like the border to be 5” and wasn’t sure the best way. It now seems doable to me. I’m in my late 70s so want to get some of these projects out of m ufo pile so kids don’t have to deal with them. Lol

I love to do piano key borders and they are really fun to do with the left over fabrics that are in your quilt blocks. I just see the measurements of the smallest piece of fabric and I either add to it with the same fabrics (just as Jingle has suggested) or I sometimes add a white or black square to the ends and use those strips as one piece of the piano key border. Good luck and I know you will do fine.

Another suggestion is to make HST with the left over fabrics. They add a fun interest to the quilt too. Have fun deciding on the design.

For a long set of piano keys, especially if they are scrappy and possibly different widths, I sew them onto a strip of muslin and do foundation piecing. You can cut the muslin border to the exact length you want, then sew down the piano keys. The foundation controls any stretching.

I've made several piano key borders and have always used 2 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch for the size. Just like the look of that size, but they can be any size.

If I've got different widths, I sew them into groups about 8" long and then square up each group of 8 and then sew them together for the length I need. This keeps them straight enough without needing a foundation to keep them from going way off track.

I've done some where I've pieced the shorter pieces so I'd have them all the basic length I wanted, then sewed them together and trimmed them up.