Trying to plan border(s) and binding
 

This is Bonnie Hunter's Patches and Pinwheels. I had thought to simply bind it with a dark fabric, but my husband suggested a 2"-2 1/2" cream border. If I do this, I think I'd use a scrappy binding. What think you? :)

What a beautiful quilt!!! If you use the cream border, like your husband suggested, I think a scrappy binding would be perfect. At the same time, your idea of a simply binding with a dark color is a good one too.

Lots of help, aren't I??? :) I mainly wanted to tell you it is a beautiful quilt.

Dina

Love this scrappy version!!!

This is a gorgeous scrappy. RE: your question - have you tried "auditioning" the border by laying the fabrics along the edge? That's usually the only way i can decide what to do. Whatever you decide, it's a great quilt.

I would put a border that "holds" the quilt, much like a frame on a picture. The quilt (which is lovely) is very active, lots of colors, patterns. For me, I prefer dark colors as a small (1 or 1-1/2 inches) inner border then a wider outer border which can be busy, such as piano keys. I would bind with the same color as the inner border for continuity and for again holding in the busy border. Just my two cents worth...

It really depends on how big you want the finished product. PenniF's suggestion of auditioning various border ideas is exactly what I would do. I would then take photos of them before deciding. Often, we see things in photos, that we do not see when looking at the actual product.

I like your DH's suggestion.

I don't like have a light color as the binding. Binding is the quickest to bear the wear & tear on a quilt and a light color would just show any dirt. How about black ????

I'll audition some things today--the more I think about it, a narrow dark border as suggested by nycquilter sounds the best. I will probably follow it with the cream (don't want to disregard my husband's suggestion :) ). The binding will definitely be dark--I don't like light bindings in most cases.

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions and kind words. :)

If you have any of the grey fabric that is in the pinwheel design I think that would make a nice border and then bind it in a scrappy motif.