Piano Keys border Tutorial

My sister and I have combined to make this piano key border such as the one she put on her music quilt.

I asked Rachael to write up the steps she took to make this border.

-First thing she did was to go and take a picture of the keyboard-

1.       Cut 6.5” long and 1.5” wide white pieces equivalent to as many inches as my quilt. I believe it was 63” long and 45” wide at that point, so I cut 63x2 and 45x2 pieces of 1.5"x 6.5" white strips for my piano keys. I undoubtedly cut a few extras, as I didn’t want to run out.

2.       Sewed 65 pieces of white 1.5" x 6.5” pieces together, creating one continuous keyboard for each of the two sides..

3.       Sewed 45 pieces of white 1.5"x6” pieces together, creating one continuous keyboard for each of the top and bottom.

4.       Spent forever and 25 years pressing each of the seams open. I finger pressed before using the hot iron.

5.       I drew a line using washable yellow Crayola marker on my continuous stretch of white keys to give me a spot where I could butt up my piano keys, which was going to sew (Applique) on to the top of the white strip of keys. I measured up 2.5" from one edge and drew. This was arbitrary, but I was trying to get the look of a keyboard.) I was aiming for about a 4" black key.

6.       I had purchased some 5/8” wide grosgrain, 100% cotton black ribbon to use as the piano keys themselves. I cut bunches and bunches of them about 5.5" long.. Becky said originally I had to iron up the bottom edge. After seeing how I was going to burn myself or else otherwise be unsuccessful, I opted for finger pressing as I sewed.

7.       Checking to be 100% sure that my keyboard looked like a real piano, I started sewing black ribbon pieces onto the white keys, centering the ribbon in the middle of two white keys just as on a real keyboard. I used black thread and sewed just as close as I could to the edge of the black ribbon.

8.       I put on two 2 black keys, then left one blank, and three black keys.

9.       I did this all the way down my strip of 65 white strips and 45 white strips (x2)

Fold the ends of the keys UNDER so there are no raw edges. Line the ends up with the yellow line you drew.

Close up of the black stitching on the black ribbon. 

10.       Then I prepared my 6.5” black cornerstones. I located some musical instruments and learned to applique onto solid bl

11.       Then, I sewed one applique to one end of my white keyboard and measured out how long my quilt was, subtracting for the other end cornerstone piece I had created. I sewed that cornerstone on, and pressed it flat. Then I carefully pinned the piano keys to the edge of the quilt, so it wouldn’t stretch or flair or do funny things.

12.       Then, I stitched the piano keys to the body of the quilt along the long sides. Put the keys next to the body of the quilt.

13       Then I stay stitched around the edges to keep the keys from separating while I worked with the binding.

My sis left a little leftover piece for me.to add to my scraps. This is it.  Thought you'd like to see the back.

The critical measurements are -

• each white key is cut 1.5"x6.5". You will need as many as your quilt is long since they finish at 1". So if your quilt is 66" long, you will need 66 white keys.
• each black key is cut about 5.5" long and used 5/8" wide cotton ribbon
• Measure up 2.5" from the edge of the white keys that are sewn together in a strip and draw a line with an erasable or water soluble marker to give you a line to help keep the edges of your black keys even as you sew.

And yes! The Crayola washable markers came out in the first wash.

So now you know! I hope you enjoy making your own true piano key border!