I need help with picking out a border
 

I just finished this yesterday. It is suppose to be surrounded by a light brown 2 inch border then an almost black 3 inch border followed by a 8 inch light brown outter border with oak leaves appliqued all around in last border. Here is the thing my applique skill stink--I don't want fusible because of its stiffness so I am rethinking the borders and not sure what I want. Hubby suggest french braid border but because this was a kit I don't have enough fabric, I do have some that is close in my stash but not exact.

I am so happy with how this part has turned out I don't want to ruin it with a boring border or an appliqued one that all I see are mistakes. This will be on our bed so I will see them often. :-)

So any suggestions? I scoured google last night and found a few but wanted to ask ya'll for opinions. Thanks for your help

What about going with a cool color from inside the diamond like the turquoise or purple

Yes, you need a color to 'cool' down your hot colors. Maybe one of the lighter pinks I see in the lower right hand center as an inside border, or the turquoise, then strips of the colors you've already used. I wouldn't use an applique on that quilt even if I did do applique, which I don't! I can't imagine adding brown fabric to it.
Let us know what you finally decide, and the results.

I would use a bright pink small inner border and a larger purple outer border...I would not use brown in the border. :-)

wow, great quilt. sorry, no suggestions

I would go with one or more narrow borders of the brights and wider borders of the turquoise and purple. Maybe narrow gold, wider turquoise, narrow hot pink, then wider purple.
Or if you choose to introduce the browns you could intersperse them in a multicolor border between the turquoise and purple.

the latest trend is to go without a border - Your quilt is beautiful by itself - I think a border may detract from it - and then you have defined a color point - which is not necessarily what you want to do. If you don't see it - send it to m . . it would have a great home!

I think a thin border of your darkest color and then the gold or whatever color that go with your bedroom colors the best. Your quilt is beautiful and full of gorgeous colors and whatever border you put on it will only enhance it. Since it is for your bedroom go with your favorite colors. Also since this is a kit, a visit to the quilt shop with top in hand will help you decide what fabric would look the best. Please show a picture when you finish the top, would love to see what you decide to do :)

I vote two borders
your lightest first small and then your darkest.

Depending on the colors in your room of course, but I think a narrow border of the dark grey (almost black) to frame the quilt and then one of the softer colors that's in the quilt as a wider border. If you don't have enough of your fabric left maybe you could purchase one that's really close to the same color that you like the best. I personally would probably pick the soft, lighter pink or the yellow for the wider border.

So many choices. Whatever you choose it will come out beautiful!

Beautiful quilt top. How about using the deeper blue or purple as an inner border to frame the top, then a center border pieced in 4-patch strips from your leftovers, then an outer border of the blue or purple. Please post the finished quilt. We all want to see!

I love the quilt so far, but with the wonderful rainbow colors and busy action, so the first border would be a narrow (no more than 2 inches) of a solid dark purple/blue like in the pattern to stop the action and give the eyes a place to rest. Then maybe a bit wider border, maybe the pink in the pattern, the consider a patterned border, like maybe flying geese or piano keys using colors from the quilt then bind with one of the darker colors...it is just beautiful so far, have fun finishing and enjoy using it!

If you're concerned about stiffness of applique - have you tried MistyFuse? it's very light and stays flexible.

I would put an inch wide border of the blackish color to contain the colors in the quilt, then something bright. A piano key border in your scraps and your close colors from your stash might work.

Thank you for the great replies :-) My room is a light purple I like the idea of a dark purple to let the eyes rest and then the flying geese. I will be going to LQS to find close matches thanks again for the help. Enjoy your weekend

I would, if having enough, would go with a small inner border of gold and a wider outer border of the rich blue. When I first saw it I said (out loud) "Oh Man!! It's fantastic!" You did a beautiful job.

i would go with no border unless you want to make the quilt bigger

What size do you want the quilt to be? If this is the correct size then I would just bind it with no borders. probably in dark blue or black. If not big enough then take to LQS and audition borders colors. I do not think it needs a border. It is very pretty as it is!!!!!

I'd use a dark blue or purple. Beautiful quilt whatever you use.

The light brown that the kit suggests just doesn't seem right for this lovely colored center. I would go with a narrow "stop" border of the almost black that you have and then one of the colors and finish with a dark binding. I love your colors!

Your quilt is beautiful and love the bright colors.

And I agree with diane but my darkest would be purple choice.

Beautiful quilt! I agree that brown or tan would not be my choice........but I love the colors in the quilt!

I think a black border would calm and enrich your quilt.

Your quilt is beautiful!! As to the stiff iron on applique, you can get a pellon iron on that you can not even tell it is there. I use it all the time. It sure saves hours of hand applique.

What colors are prevalent in your bedroom? Use the lightest version of that for a narrow borrow (the same width as the squares), and then double that for the outer border (the darker one). Lovely quilt!!

I think I would first look at a narrow black to frame the beautiful colours in the quilt or very unusual how about a white to make it pop even more, don't forget to show us the finished block.

You gal's really are great!! I will be taking the top to the LQS tomorrow to see what I can come up with. I will def be adding dark purple almost black border then I'm not sure lol, but after that decisions-decisions lol. Thank you all again for the great ideas. :-)

Not sure if I can describe this right but here I go. First border approx. 1 to 1-1/2" wide, dark color(darkest color in the quilt as long as it looks good when you audition it). Second border, I would make it out of a single row of the same blocks that are in the quilt(hope that makes sense). Third border, make it a larger size out of another color, probably a darker one, that looks good when you audition it. The second border of blocks will tie beautifully in with your quilt I think. Clear as mud right?! Whatever you do it will be gorgeous!

It's a gorgeous quilt..