Carla Halvorson Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 Can anyone give me tips/techniques for a piano key border? I've never done it before and would like to try it out on my current quilt that I'm making. Thanks!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 I measure my border to see how long it is and decide how far apart I want my lines of stitching, usually in the 3" - 4" range. Then I use my channel locks and way I go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carla Halvorson Posted March 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 When you move down from "key to key", do you double over one of the keys to keep a continuous movement?? Or do you just run down the keys, then do a straight line down the entire border? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 The quilt I am working on now...I am doing a double line of stitching over the line. So I start on the edge, stitch toward the body of the quilt, then stitch back out to the edge over the same line. Then travel along the outside edge and do the next line of stitching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 I just did one and I did them 1/2" apart with 1/8" echo...not recomended! LOL Came out gorgeous but really time consuming! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darlene Epp Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 A great way to get the spacing exact, without math , is to take a length of adding machine paper the length of the border. Fold it in half, then fold one section in half again, and again, until you have the spacing the size you want it. Repeat on the other side of center. Pin it just above the border and use the creases to mark your intervals. Even if the borders aren't exactly the same, you'll get a very even appearance. When stitching the border, I start at the outside edge, go to the inside edge, ditch to the next "key" and out to the outside edge, across to the next "key" and over to the inside, ditch to the next one, etc. This way you only double stitch "in the ditch". If you're stitching next to applique, I would do the same thing; double ditch next to the applique, which I assume you would have already outlined. If you let the machine just "follow the rails", you don't even need a ruler or channel locks; just another BIG advantage of the horizontal wheels! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katydids Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 I always SID the border 1st and I baste the side of the quilt. So I may start on the outside using the channel lock stitch in toward the inner border that was SID, then go down the sid to the next part and out to the side, then down to the next, in to the border down the sid, then out to the side. In other words, in down, out down, in down, out down. Makes sense, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katydids Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 ok, so Darlene and I were posting at the same time. Of course she explained it better than I did, but I meant the same thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countrystitcher Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 Okay, so how do you handle the corners. Do you make a diagonal line and end the keys at it? Sharon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darlene Epp Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 Corners? It really depends on the piecing of the quilt. Some have pieced blocks in the corners, or mitered corners. If they're "dead ended", I wouldn't do a diagonal line, but would just do the full border in piano keys to the seam line. Then start the other border going the opposite direction. If they're mitered. I'd do the same thing, only taking the line up to the miter. So you'd end up with 90 degree angles in the corners. And Patty, yes we said the same thing; you just used less words, something I'm not known for! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KerryM Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 Great tip Darlene, never thought of adding machine tape! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carla Halvorson Posted March 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 Thanks everyone for the great tips! I don't have my LA yet, so I'm going to attempt this on my Grace. I think it should be ok because I don't need a lot of stitching room, which is my major complaint with the Grace, I only have about 6-8 inches of working room. I'm going to look at Millies at the end of this month in Colorado Springs (that's the closest dealer to me here in Denver). I'm still debating on which machine I'm going to get, but it's still going to be about a year before I'm ready anyway!! Thanks again for your help!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busybee Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 I like the look of the 1"apart lines in the piano keys. Some times I do corners with a fan out from the point or corner of the inside of quilt top or inter bordor. Does that make sense? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheryll Posted March 14, 2009 Report Share Posted March 14, 2009 Love to see a picture of how this looks on a quilt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.