Yellow brick road flimsy done
 

Is made this as a retirement gift for my coworker, he put up with me for 8 years, and a quilt is all he has to show for ;)
I chose the border for it first, and now I am considering taking it off. what do you think? Something just does not jive here ,

I agree. I am not crazy about the boarder.
I am wondering if your darkest colour would make your quilt pop more.

To me the fabric is fine but it seems too wide to my eye. Try folding it thinner and see.

I think it looks good. And remember, every quilt looks even better when it's quilted and bound.

my opinion only .... but the border is too busy. I agree that a darker border would make the quilt "pop". After saying all that, I'm sure he will enjoy it whatever you decide to do. Happy Retirement to him!

I think I would do a darker solid border, but I am sure he will like whatever you give him.

I think it looks fine as it is If you want more color, maybe a darker brown border would add something. Audition it, though before adding it.

I agree with you, the border doesn't look right. I think it doesn't look like it belongs because there's no pieces inside the quilt that it matches and because the border's pattern also seems more busy than the other patterns in the quilt. I think it's lacking continuity because of these reasons even though the colors are right.
I really struggle with color and pattern choices in fabrics. My wife described some fabrics I was watching on Ebay as "interesting". I don't think she meant it in a good way.:shock:
Rodney

I'm not wild about it either. It may have been OK for a narrow stop border, but I like the burnt orange you've used. If you have enough of the print in the lower right corner, I'd audition that, otherwise, I would go with a mottled brown.
I really love the rest of the quilt. Very manly. Well worth 'putting up with you' for 8 years!

I am on the picket fence with this post. I don't think the border fabric is the best that could have been chosen since you didn't use it in the quilt but heck, I don't think it looks really that bad and is worth taking apart?? You made this with love for this guy and he is going to appreciate it either way. Good Luck in deciding.

I agree it needs a darker border otherwise it is beautiful.

Handsome quilt for a guy, I think I'd go with the green in the quilt for a border, then bind again with the orange border fabric. MHO

I think the green color would look nice.

The border is not horrible but just missing something what if you cut it to half the current width then added your beautiful green as a third border I think that would pull it all together.

I would definitely get the green out into the border area. If you don't have enough to make a full border, perhaps bind it in the green. It's what is jarring to me, not the border (IMHO)

Just IMHO what jars is that there is none of the border fabric in the main quilt. Do you have enough of one of the fabrics in the quilt to use as a border?

Same border,,,just narrower?

The more I look at the quilt, the more I like the border. It is a very pretty quilt and will work nicely for a man. Once it is quilted and the binding is on, I think you will be happy with it, as you should be. You might audition one of the solids for binding, but the border fabric would work nicely, also. Part of my thinking about this has to do with a quilt I recently finished for 16 YO DGS. The border I used had the colors of the quilt blocks and the overall feel of the quilt but I had not used it in the main part of the quilt. I also hesitated about the border but then just went with it and once it was quilted and binding was done, it looked great. I also used it for the binding, as I didn't want to add another element. Good Luck with your decision!

Perhaps bind it in the dark green. Maybe add a few leaves or such in colors you'd like to be a bit more prominent...add the leaves overlapping into the border to break things up....just a thought.
The top is also nice as it is~~ surely he will be most appreciative of your efforts......

I agree with the majority...it's just a bit busy and not related to the quilt. Pick a more solid fabric from the quilt of your choice or what you have on hand, and change it out! He'll be just tickled with it- nice job!

I would remove border and put a narrow dark brown on or none.

I really like it! I would bind it with that reddish solid in the quilt, and be good to go!

i agree the border is too busy. I would go with green.

I agree. I bet the green would look good as a border but not as wide as what is there now.

The border works for me. It's dark enough that it "feels" right.

I was thinking your dark green next to the thinner border then you can use what you have as an outer border. JMHO

My BFF says when I say that something is "interesting", it means I don't like it. My guess is, that is your wife's way of being polite (it was mine).

I like the border.

Possibly repeat the wonderful green tone...?

I like the color of the border, but maybe it might look better if you had a tone on tone that read as a solid, but still gave the quilt some dimension. Great quilt.

The green in your quilt would make a perfect border, but not too wide. Love the quilt.

I am not a fan of the border either. It's just my opinion though.

I like it fine. Maybe if the skinny border were dark brown that would show it off. PS I know almost nothing about quilting and less about matching colors or doing anything with colors LOL, but that's how I see it. I'd be delighted to have it whatever border you choose.

What if you left the print as a 2nd border a bit larger than the burnt orange & tried 1 of the "solid" fabrics as a 3rd border the width of #1 & 2? Just a thought.

Can you put some thing more masculine in the borders? hammer and nail print, etc?

This is what I thought when I first saw it. I like the medium size print and color. Good luck with whatever you decide and be sure to post it when you finish.

I do like the border as shown; the color and the scale of the print agree with the fabrics of the body of the quilt. If you'd like a bit more dramatic look you could trim this border by about half, more or less, and add a wider border of the dark green. I would not like the dark green instead of the print, however, as it would be nearly up against too many of the green blocks near the edge. I'm looking forward to seeing your final choices.

I agree with you. The border almost makes it seem girly. I'd prefer some solid colors in multiple borders.

I really couldn't make up my mind and kept going back to look at the picture. After reading all the input, I find your idea/suggestion is the best all around; no tear out/redo and the red would work to pop out the shades in the border print that do match the tone in the blocks. I would quilt the border in 'piano keys' to break the floral and connect geometrically with the main portion. No, it may not be what you imagined but that does not mean it does not work! Quilts, like life, do not always turn out as planned and end up -----
better!