Yup, I know that tendency well LinJoa. But it most definitely works for you - you quilts are stunning.

When I first started quilting I saw a quilt in a magazine that I just loved and had the LQS order the pattern for me. I had no business doing a pattern like that when I had no idea what I was doing-- but I was too new and inexperienced to know better! It has lots of triangles in the border and went together in a zig zag. I didn't even read the pattern before buying lots of fabric to make a queen sized quilt and started. (It's the Star Struck quilt in my profile if you want to know what I am talking about.) I didn't know I couldn't do it-- so I did it! I was too dumb to know I should be afraid of pieced borders-- so I never was!! Good lesson to learn I guess-- but probably not the easiest way to learn it!!

Piano key borders are great. If you buy a little extra of what you use in the quilt, you can have enough to make it.
What I've also seen on customer quilts is checkerboard borders using fabric from the top.
I think we've all gotten used to the Thimbleberries way of thinking about borders-add as many as you can and it'll make the quilt the right size. I am SO guilty of this myself.
Sandy may have the right idea-think about the borders first. What if you used the focus fabric as part of the border and then also incorporated it into the body of the quilt?
Just a thought,
eileenkny

I need to be able to do the borders first. By the time I get the quilt finished I just want to put a border on and start quilting.

I've decided that I have to start making borders more interesting,too. I spend all this time and effort on the top and then sew on plain borders. I've seen and made quilts that I thought the plain borders detracted from the quilt. I have three books about borders:
The Quilter's Edge, Borders, Bindings and Finishing Touches by
Darlene Zimmerman (my favorite book)
Happy Endings by Mimi Dietrich:Mine was printed in 1987 so I
don't know if it's still around
Borders, Bindings and Edges by Sally Collins. This one seems a little more complicated.

I'm going to try to actually try some instead of just reading about them. Marsha

I've thought about doing a zig-zag border, just haven't created a quilt that called for it, yet

Lissette

Kathy, I did a border like that on one of my first quilts but it was a miniature maybe 20" x 20". I think I used 1" strips. I really like it but I usually do straight strips of fabric. I need to get more creative.

I've done piano keys and small squares in the borders as well.... someday I make get more adventuresome!

Carla

That sounds like fun Kathy. I have never tried anything beyond the fabric strips. I did get brave and bold and mitered one border thought Gloria

I've have always done the traditional borders and I would like to try sewing 3 small 1 -2 inch strips together then cutting them out at a 60% angle then sewing them back together for a different border look,some day!

What kind of borders / setting do you like ???

I never did setting before but the top I just finshed was set on the diagonal using triagles in a zig zag setting. I have used some pretty traditional boarders...3 inch / and 7 inch bands of fabric..... I think I am ready to try something different.

What setting styles or patterns have you used that you like ?????

Any suggestions for a different type of border ????