Hello I have posted this before but I for the life of me cannot figure out how to do the border. I tried to do piano key style didn't look good. I just cannot figure out what it needs. the blue is like a sky blue almost looks like clouds in the pattern.

I personally think anything but a plain border will detract from the intricacy of your design. I think it is beautiful. With a plain border, you can do some decorative quilting too!

What color would you use? I thought maybe the light blue but my daughter says it is too plain.

I agree, plain is the way to go. Something that looks like a picture frame. Big and beefy. Love the design!!!

I would use one of the medium brown prints that has the pink accents. The quilt looka great!

do you need a border---may be a narrow brown+same binding---love the quilt

Beautiful top. No help with the border.

That's so pretty! I'd use a brown tonal for the border. Something with texture like Kaufman Fusions, Wilmington Essentials, or a marble. It's plain enough not to take away from the center, but not too plain. I think it would blend nicely.

Let us know what you select!

I would probably go with your light color in the quilt for a small border and then finish with a wider border of a dark. Good luck. Beautiful quilt.

This also would be my suggestion ( what jemma said). Awesome quilt!

Plain border!

Disclaimer: I like bright colours.

I often use the "squint" test. Stand back from the quilt a bit and squint at it. One of the colours or tones will sort of jump out at you more than the others. I see the orange tones when I squint at the picture of your quilt.

In the third picture, in the bottom left log cabin, there is a lovely orange and yellow batik. I'd make a narrow border of that and then a wider border of the brown with the orange and purple polka dots. Then a plain dark brown binding.

JMHO!


BTW, the squint test works really well when arranging lights on a Christmas tree - just squint at it and the holes where you need more lights can be easily seen.

In my opinion... No border; just bind it.

In my opinion... No border; just bind it. (Not sure how I posted the same message twice!?! Looks like the coffee has kicked in.)

I love the colors in your quilt! The different browns are so beautiful. I love working with all the browns and pinks that are available. I am not very good with border choices, but usually what I do is put it on the floor and lay different fabrics along each side. No matter what the choice is for the border I like a small dark border first to frame the quilt and then decide on the border.

Good Luck...this is a beautiful quilt!

Something plain and dark would be perfect. It could have a mottled texture to it.
Anything pieced would detract from the middle.

I agree with everyone here. A Plain border would be the way to go. One of the browns medium most likely. The quilt is too beautiful to have the border take away from it.

Do you have any more of the light? I'd just put a 2" or so light border (let the light areas of the quilt just sort of melt into it) then do a scrappy binding with the browns.

Bernatex makes a fabric they call 'Atmosphere.' It comes in a brown that would be very pretty as a border for this. It's got swirls of different browns in it.
http://www.benartex.com/?page=galler...g_c=1&idp=7473

I used it for the border of the Jesus quilt posted on this thread: http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-75293-1.htm

what about WHITE? my 2nd choice would be one of the pinks or peaches--looks like you have enough brown! it's beautiful!

I'd use a dark brown 1" wide frame to contain all that lovely color, then a 4.5 inch border of your favorite brown from the quilt. Trying to border it in the light blue would wash it out, IMO.

I was going say to say a quiet print for the wide one, but I used a huge print and a coral binding for my busy Fandango quilt and it was wonderful. Yes, I did use a brown first sashing to contain the colors. I hate to post a picture - it looks pink when it is coral. I didn't get a finished picture. I'll have to have my daughter take one.

That's what I do, just "audition" the different colors on the side until you find what you like. I'm thinking it doesn't need one, I think it is pretty the way it is. Just bind in.

So Pretty.

what a beautiful quilt

I have used (with similar colors) a chocolate brown by Benartex designed by susan winget(from the selvedge) When I went to get more of it we could not find it, the shop owner finally found it with her Christmas fabrics --it looks like frost on the window. I had various greens, reds and beige plus browns and it worked well. It was chosen by someone else for a gift quilt -- I never would have thought of it.

It is so beautiful, but I am a beginner and would not know what to suggest.

Any of the browns would work as long as the pattern is small. Or, use solid brown, then you might be able to use one of the other fabrics for a wider outside border.
Definitely dark solid or small pattern for the first border though.

I like the brown polka dot material for the inner border and a darker brown for the outer border would be pretty!!!

What about the brown polka dot material for the inner border and a darker brown for the outer border?

I also think a plain border will finish this one up nicely, possibly a dark rich chocolate brown. It is very pretty!

First I would do a small 1 inch border in the sky blue then the next border won't fight so much with the quilt. You quilt is beautiful.

How about auditioning a thin black/dark border (say 1/4" - 1/2" in width) and then audition that fabric you have bought from ebay and finish it off with another black/dark border? It may work quilt well as that fabric has the colours in your quilt though I agree that there needs to be some 'break up' of the colours (does this make sense?). You may find that wider dark borders work better? Best of luck choosing the fabrics for your border.

I totally agree with the folks who are advising a less "busy" border. I would use a minimal print in brown or darker orange if it were mine. I think lighter colors and more prints would really detract from the beauty of the quilt.

I see a lot of browns, and I think something in the brown family for a border would work best.

Thinking the same thing :o)

ditto on the med brown

I would use brown. Lots of brown in this quilt. It's beautiful.

I also think that I would just bind this one with NO border! I usually add a border to mine, but I think this one speaks for itself and is gorgeous as is! So...unless you need it to be larger, in which case I would go with a brown tonal after adding a light narrow strip or light flange or piping....so as not to detract from the center....

I think if it were me I'd go with one of the dk browns you have used in the quilt itself....that way it wont take anything away from the quilt and will look fantastic.

I agree. Plain dark brown binding would look great. Beautiful quilt.