To Border or Not to Border
03-02-2026, 09:24 AM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2023
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 238
To Border or Not to Border
That is the question.
I don’t have a fabric jumping out to me to use as a border that I have enough of. I have one very busy Disney films print on white that’s directional and I might have enough. I have some of each background color (blue, green, yellow solids) left that might be enough for a couple narrow borders. Nothing from stash is really screaming to participate and I’m not buying anything.
Would this be drastically improved with borders? I’m already good with the size as is. I’m just not sure about the visual aspects.
I don’t have a fabric jumping out to me to use as a border that I have enough of. I have one very busy Disney films print on white that’s directional and I might have enough. I have some of each background color (blue, green, yellow solids) left that might be enough for a couple narrow borders. Nothing from stash is really screaming to participate and I’m not buying anything.
Would this be drastically improved with borders? I’m already good with the size as is. I’m just not sure about the visual aspects.
03-02-2026, 10:00 AM
#5
Power Poster
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 18,340
Oh what FUN your quilt is! 
Borders? You've got a lot going on in the centre of the quilt, and to me, unless you find an absolutely "right" border fabric, it could draw away from the showpiece of each block in the quilt. That being said, if I were shopping for a border fabric, I would look for a multicolour thin stripe featuring the black and other colours. However, the chances of finding the "right" one, are probably very slim.
Sooooo ... If you're good to go with it as is ... then star binding it!
For me, I'd go with the same black as your sashings ... IF you have enough.
IMHO the black would frame it all up nicely ...
and not distract from the JOY in each of the blocks!
Borders? You've got a lot going on in the centre of the quilt, and to me, unless you find an absolutely "right" border fabric, it could draw away from the showpiece of each block in the quilt. That being said, if I were shopping for a border fabric, I would look for a multicolour thin stripe featuring the black and other colours. However, the chances of finding the "right" one, are probably very slim.
Sooooo ... If you're good to go with it as is ... then star binding it!
For me, I'd go with the same black as your sashings ... IF you have enough.
IMHO the black would frame it all up nicely ...
and not distract from the JOY in each of the blocks!
Last edited by QuiltE; 03-02-2026 at 10:05 AM.
03-02-2026, 11:33 AM
#7
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: British Columbia
Posts: 2,640
I agree that it looks finished as is. However, I am a border person and it almost looks like you've auditioned fabric beneath. What about piecing a border with fabric from the mice cut to just bigger than block size so there are no cornerstones? Or, as suggested, black, or even the directional print with the "down" side towards the quilt on all sides. If you have plenty of that, it could be a wider border and become a real part of the Disney theme.
03-02-2026, 12:12 PM
#8
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2023
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 238
The fabric peeking out is untrimmed backing, this was made QAYG and I didn’t trim yet. Sashing is (very) dark blue and I do have enough to bind with it.
After work I will measure up that one print and see if I have enough, if so audition it and add a picture.
I appreciate the feedback, I was worried that my temptation to bind it and be done was only influenced by my desire to finish and that it would be incomplete feeling without a border, so I’m happy to know most feel it could go either way. I’ll let the suitability of what I have on hand decide.
After work I will measure up that one print and see if I have enough, if so audition it and add a picture.
I appreciate the feedback, I was worried that my temptation to bind it and be done was only influenced by my desire to finish and that it would be incomplete feeling without a border, so I’m happy to know most feel it could go either way. I’ll let the suitability of what I have on hand decide.
03-02-2026, 12:17 PM
#9
Power Poster
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 18,340
@QuiltingPandaBear ... sorry, that I called your navy, black. If you have lots of that navy, you could use it as a border as well. Then what I would suggest a flange binding, with a pop of colour for the flange, and the navy for the binding part. Would frame it all up nicely, and not have the navy just kind of hanging there.
