You know, I think I have had more fun with this little quilt than I have in a long time. Of course, maybe the fact that last Monday I taught my last class of the semester may have something to do with it. (At church this past week, I was flanked by two K-12 teachers from two different districts, and they knew practically to-the-minute how long before school let out for the summer.)
Here they are without the borders.
The suggestion I’d seen for a border was a piano key border, so I whacked up a bunch of 6″ wide, random-width strips and put them together. I just couldn’t figure out why I didn’t like it. I thought it was the fact that there were a lot of light-colored pieces in there. So I ripped all the borders apart (which is why I have a photo of only one border–on the bottom) and took out the lights. Still didn’t like it.
I had this older piece of blue fabric laying on the board so I could cut it up for darker “keys” for the piano key border, and pinned it up to the quilt and liked it! Not quite enough, so I pieced in some random pieces to hint at the idea of a piano key border, and went with it.
Tutorial for the big baskets is *here.* Tutorial for the baby baskets is in the next post.
OccasionalPiece--Quilt! 
You basket quilt is really great. Why don’t you try a border similar to the sashings that you did on your beautiful lollipop trees quilt. That might look nice if you used the leftovers from the basket fabrics.
I’m trying to ignore the fact that you are on summer break! Love this quilt and its funky relaxed border! Perfectly fun!
Elizabeth, I absolutely adore this quilt!!!
And the injection of various piano keys on that border is brilliant – makes it work. Very modern, wonky and hip — just the way you should feel, now that classes are over.
I really like the random (surprise!) piano keys. Adds interest and takes nothing away from the cute and colorful baskets.
I really REALLY love this quilt. Tempted to drop everything and make one.
I love the border!
How fun. I think the piano key border was too busy and the baskets with their backgrounds are busy. The blue border lets the viewer see the baskets. I like the little bits of inserts one the border.
Have a good break and quilt away!
I just finished making the baskets for Carla and remembered how much fun I had making a similar quilt several years ago for my grand daughter. Now I am pretty sure that I need one for myself! Yours is awesome! You nailed the border!
It is everything I hope mine to be ; ) Darling
I agree that the border you selected is perfect. The baskets are darling too.
Enjoy your summer and have fun with the added time for creativity.
absolutely awesome!!! I love your mix of fabrics and prints. I love that you had fun making it.
Charming! My eye went to the border right away, though my first thought was that the print was of wine glasses. Less than 30 working days before retirement so my brain has been affected… Looking forward to trying my hand at these. Happy Summer!
What a wonderful quilt! You and your Bee’s are so talented. I have been helping some of my quilt group in Rome make Grandmother’s Flower Garden flowers. These ladies are so talented even with their limited tools and fabrics. It was amazing to me to see the quilt patterns in the Turin Egyptian Museum on the mummies. We got to see The Shroud of Turin yesterday too. Thanks for being my new quilting friend in the states. Hope we can meet someday. Leslie
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Like it mucho, E. Broken hand is putting mine on hold for six weeks or so. Also limiting comment,
Perfect border, Elizabeth. The piano key one was too busy. Enjoyed seeing it at Guild.
This is a very sweet quilt. I like what you did with the borders.