Piano Key Borders- Any suggestions?
09-07-2013, 08:41 AM
#31
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 215
I do my piano key borders as leaders and enders. I am making a nine patch quilt from 12 different men's shirts with a piano key border. After I cut all the longest strips that I could, I used whatever was left to cut the keys 2 inch by 4 inch. I have them in a box and just keep pulling out 2 at a time to sew together, I then join the 2's to make 4's and 8's etc and so far have managed to keep them fairly random. I think I will have the border finished before I finish all of the nine patches.
09-07-2013, 12:35 PM
#32
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 1,510
Another tip is to foundation piece the strips by sewing to a paper strip. I've used adding machine paper that comes on a roll. If you want a wider border you can cut strips of paper however wide and long you want. It's easy to trim excess fabric from the sides by lining up your ruler with the sides of the paper.
09-08-2013, 03:35 AM
#33
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: New England, USA
Posts: 2,969
I love Piano borders - but my most recent ones were diagonal. I cut my strips WOF - then cut them in half - using a 45. degree cut. Sewed them all together - making sure that the 45 degree cut end was lined up and straight. then sliced off the width I needed.
Here is a photo of the border before cutting and the final quilt :
[ATTACH=CONFIG]434627[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]434628[/ATTACH]
Here is a photo of the border before cutting and the final quilt :
[ATTACH=CONFIG]434627[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]434628[/ATTACH]
09-08-2013, 06:45 AM
#34
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Indiana
Posts: 246
You can use my method for mitering corners with any stripe and easily miter keyboards. If you search for easy mitered borders in the previous postings you will find several of my instructions. This is the title of one: Easy Mitered corners-even with stripes
!
09-08-2013, 08:19 AM
#36
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Atlanta, Ga
Posts: 629
I'm like you and like random piano keys better than orderly colour/fabric switches.
Of course, for some quilts the orderly look is more appropriate.
I press at every step of the process ... with Best Press for the fabric before any cutting is done.
I've done it much like you ... and yes, slow, but yet well worth the efforts.
Here's how I do it ...
I like narrow ... so usually go for 2" or 1-1/2" strips.
For example, If I want 6" finished keys ... I cut the strips into 7-1/2" or 8" pieces.
Then I make piles of one of each fabric.
Then I sew a pile together.
I stay random, though sometimes will set a strip aside (eg. 2 of the same colour) for a different placement.
Sew pairs together, press.
Then pairs of pairs, etc. till the pile is together. Press after each seam.
Once a pile is all together ... a good final pressing and Best Pressing.
Then I trim it down to the perfect size of 6-1/2".
Gives you a nice crisp edge to work with when joining together later.
Then onwards to the next pile(s).
Join the strips from each pile together after the precision cutting!
Meanwhile, keeping in mind how many I need for a side/end ... so I don't get a group together and discover it is longer than needed.
For corners ... mitre them!
It's time consuming ... but not really difficult!
And so much FUN to see them come together.
Here's a look at one of my piano key projects .........
(sorry, I just realized I don't have a photo of this quilt after quilting was completed!)
[ATTACH=CONFIG]434376[/ATTACH]
Of course, for some quilts the orderly look is more appropriate.
I press at every step of the process ... with Best Press for the fabric before any cutting is done.
I've done it much like you ... and yes, slow, but yet well worth the efforts.
Here's how I do it ...
I like narrow ... so usually go for 2" or 1-1/2" strips.
For example, If I want 6" finished keys ... I cut the strips into 7-1/2" or 8" pieces.
Then I make piles of one of each fabric.
Then I sew a pile together.
I stay random, though sometimes will set a strip aside (eg. 2 of the same colour) for a different placement.
Sew pairs together, press.
Then pairs of pairs, etc. till the pile is together. Press after each seam.
Once a pile is all together ... a good final pressing and Best Pressing.
Then I trim it down to the perfect size of 6-1/2".
Gives you a nice crisp edge to work with when joining together later.
Then onwards to the next pile(s).
Join the strips from each pile together after the precision cutting!
Meanwhile, keeping in mind how many I need for a side/end ... so I don't get a group together and discover it is longer than needed.
For corners ... mitre them!
It's time consuming ... but not really difficult!
And so much FUN to see them come together.
Here's a look at one of my piano key projects .........
(sorry, I just realized I don't have a photo of this quilt after quilting was completed!)
[ATTACH=CONFIG]434376[/ATTACH]
09-08-2013, 03:26 PM
#37
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Upstate NY, north of Syracuse Area
Posts: 6,003
I am pretty lazy when it comes to accomplishing a time consuming project. I don't want to take shortcuts in my seams or pressing so I take them in how I make the rows and cut the borders.
I don't cut to length till I am done sewing all the fabric strips together. I like mine scrappy and not in order, colorwise, as a rule. I also prefer to vary the widths, but this method works with same width strips also.
So this is how I do it:
Gather all the strips I want to use and group by length. Sew into strip sets of 4-7 based on length, varying colors in each strip set. When all strips are sewn into sets, press well.
Layer 3-5 strip sets, longer on bottom, and cut to length you want your border. Repeat cutting until no more cuts can be made from those sets. Repeat with remaining strip sets, a few at a time, until all are cut.
Now to sew the border lengths, just randomly grab a cut strip and sew to another one, making sure they are not from the same strip set. If you get two similar too close together, flip one end to end so the colors run the other way; no one will notice they are similar. I try to alter a longer strip with a shorter strip.
Attaching a couple examples; first quilt for my DGS, Seasonal Greens; second a comfort quilt, Cheri's Awareness Quilt.
I don't cut to length till I am done sewing all the fabric strips together. I like mine scrappy and not in order, colorwise, as a rule. I also prefer to vary the widths, but this method works with same width strips also.
So this is how I do it:
Gather all the strips I want to use and group by length. Sew into strip sets of 4-7 based on length, varying colors in each strip set. When all strips are sewn into sets, press well.
Layer 3-5 strip sets, longer on bottom, and cut to length you want your border. Repeat cutting until no more cuts can be made from those sets. Repeat with remaining strip sets, a few at a time, until all are cut.
Now to sew the border lengths, just randomly grab a cut strip and sew to another one, making sure they are not from the same strip set. If you get two similar too close together, flip one end to end so the colors run the other way; no one will notice they are similar. I try to alter a longer strip with a shorter strip.
Attaching a couple examples; first quilt for my DGS, Seasonal Greens; second a comfort quilt, Cheri's Awareness Quilt.
Last edited by wildyard; 09-08-2013 at 03:34 PM.
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