Binding idea request
 

This quilt belongs to a friend of mine. It's OLD. She had it quilted not long ago. The narrow yellow borders and the wide green border was added by the quilter. She asked if I would put on a binding to finish it. Not a problem. However, I'm a little stumped as to what color/colored design would look best to add to an old quilt.
One idea is the white/green flowers image shown....but I think the white might be to modern for an old quilt. The green is a pretty close match to the border that was added.
Oh...and the yellow backing was added by the quilter (which wasn't old fabric either)

Any ideas would be appreciated.
Thanks,

Tracy

It's a great quilt! I inherited a scrappy lemoyne star quilt top from my Mom, who inherited it from her Mom 40 years ago. My Grandmother probably made it around 1940, so it was old, too. The green in the quilt looks like the same color, and it was the background fabric, so there was a lot of it. It was a challenge finding a fabric that worked well with that green for backing and binding. I finally found a pastel green/blue/off-white plaid that worked perfectly.

I'm "color challenged" so my advice on whether the green flowers will work or not is pretty much useless. (My DH had final say on the binding for my Grandmothers quilt.) I think I would ask if there is any more of the backing fabric or the green border fabric available, and, if so, use one of them for the binding.

I would go either with the same green as the border or the yellow on the smaller border.

Exactly what I was thinking too. If you can't match the yellow print of the narrow border, use a yellow solid that compliments it. I lean toward using the same green as the wide border though to not detract from the quilt.

Green fabric used on the border is not available. I need to use something else. I'm a little hesitant on using the same yellow on the backing to use as the border. And...the 2 yellows on the inner border are unavailable too (they are not solid, but a faint print to them)

I like the yellow best! Beautifully done!

I would go with the yellow as in the small border

I suggest taking it to the fabric store with you and try to fine a small yellow print that either matches the backing and borders or compliments them. Yellow would really set off the quilt in my humble opinion.

Maybe fabric that has a yellow and green stripe, or a print that has alot of yellow and green but some other colors in the quilt body.

I think I would go with a yellow that looks good with the small yellow inner border. I also think a green and yellow stripe if you can find one would be a great choice. If you have a shop nearby that carries 30's fabrics (Aunt Gracie type) you might take it in there and see what you can find.

Cathyvv: isn't it remarkable that a quilt made in the 40's is considered old and valuable,whilst as a human about that age,I don't think of myself as old! The grandkids consider me very old, and valuable,depending on the cookie type! LOL!

Watch it. Could you not call it old but perhaps mature? I was born in 1940 but do not call me old! Just kidding-- it is a lovely quilt and you are very lucky to have it.

yep, yellow is what i see. it looks great.

I'm thinking a soft yellow as well. Lovely quilt!

My thoughts too.

A very nice old quilt. I would use the same fabric or close to it, that was used for the backing. A solid yellow binding would be in keeping with the style of the quilt. Very nice.
peace

How about a really soft pastel pink? My grandmother used a lot of pink with that color green and you have pink in the quilt.

I would use the yellow in the narrow border, very pretty!

I also like the idea of using yellow. A stripe in the diagonal is very attractive too. Good luck!

There is so much of the green already that I would go with something else for the binding. Also the green of the fabric you pictured is a different tone than found elsewhere in the quilt. I like the suggestion of the pink since there is a fair amount in the body of the quilt and using it in the binding would accent it nicely.

Thanks for all the suggestions. Now I have a different problem with the binding that I need suggestions for...if you please.

The quilt was quilted by someone else. They added the green border as you see in the picture.
However...the quilting goes to within 1" on two sides and to within 2" on the other 2 sides.
Also...the yellow strips were added by the quilter and nothing in really straight.

So....my question is this:
What's the best way to attach the binding (using French fold method):
1. Trim the entire border to 6" then add the binding?
2. Use a washable marker to draw a line 6" from the yellow border all the way around, then attach the binding and cut off excess AFTER the binding is attached?
3. I'm open for other suggestions.

Thanks,
Tracy

p.s. I'll show the finished product with the binding fabric I chose AFTER I get the binding on.

You may think I'm crazy, but I'd do a red binding. There's lots of red in the blocks. I think it would make the whole quilt pop.

Well I finished it.
I took the quilt to JoAnn's, layed it over the cart and went up & down the isles.
I wanted a fabric that looked aged and I think I found just the right one.
Here's the result :)

First the binding fabric I chose. Second how the binding works with the yellow's. Third, the final quilt
To bad the person who quilted it didn't use the same dark yellow all around instead of 2 different yellow prints. I think that would have been best.
Oh well.

Tracy