Piano Key Boarders

[SonjaHammond]

The quilt I am working on has a 12 inch boarder. It has fullness that would not submit to Bonnies steam system. I am thinking of doing Piano Keys on it. But I am afraid that it is to large. What do yal think?

[Quilting Heidi]

Sonja,

I think 12" is pretty big for piano keys. I think I would do an all-over meander instead. You could move the fullness when it is in your way.

[Bonnie]

Sonja....I\'ve actually done over 18 inches with piano keys....and I have also cross hatched them....either one I liked, but you do have to be careful to make them all the same size when they are that big even a 1/4 inch to large or to small really shows.

[chickenscratch]

You might try diagonal lines instead, if you\'re worried about the piano keys. That last quilt I did had that huge border, and I did piano keys on it.

[jkerekes]

Hi Sonja,

You could try wiggling piano keys, or you could try piano keys with fillers. I\'ve done some pretty big borders with piano keys and filled in the piano keys with a vine, a branch or even a wiggling line(straight, wiggly, straight:)), a fern, a fiddlehead, etc. Adding that stuff depends on the style of the quilt and the fabric of course. You could also try varying the width of your piano keys. A one inch, quarter inch, one inch, quarter inch pattern can be very effective for fullness reduction and can also be stunning---but it is more time consuming.

Good luck.

Jill Kerekes

[SonjaHammond]

Thanks everyone for your help. This is an antique quilt with all the background made of muslin. I am trying to keep the quilting patterns representative of the time period it was made.(1935-1945).

[SherryRogers]

You can always use one side of the piano keys as a spine for feathers.

[SonjaHammond]

Sherry:

That sounds very interesting. I don\'t think I would have ever thought of that. I am going to do some drawing and see what I get.

Thanks everyone,