Light 'n Dark for 2.5" with special border

I am not reworking my “Light ‘n Dark” pattern as the idea of alternating light/dark squares is really “nothing” new and it works the same no matter what size you start with. I have already written a 2” “Light ‘n Dark” pattern. While I did this one with 16 patch blocks using 2.5” blocks and/or strips - the idea is the exactly the same.

The Light ‘n Dark quilt I made from 2” strips

Then, frankly, because I was growing bored with making these light/dark blocks, I decided to stop and add borders, this time making the piano key border graduated as to shade. And you know what? I like it! Here’s the one I made that was from 2” strips - I simply stopped and didn’t add borders!

However, today someone was at my house and they saw the quilt hanging there and she said it was “so pretty”! (in Polish of course) Now, to my “sort of jaded viewers” this one is almost ho-hum, (right???!!!) but in person, it is pretty nice. Really. The outer border really turned this one around for me.

As I bound it, I found various pieces from my strips bags that were lights, darks and mediums. I prepared a section of each for the binding and then as I was sitting at the machine, I added the medium piece where I felt like it was best added and did the same with the darkest section and finger pressed it before continuing sewing. What I mean is that I made the binding “as I went” - whereas usually I make a whole binding before sitting down to the machine to put it on.

That way I could decide where to break the section from light to medium and medium to dark. This meant I didn’t have a dark border going around the lightest parts and a light border around the darkest parts - it was supposed to work together - this time, I was not going for contrast. I know, actually, most of the time I love for my binding to contrast. it’s just a personal quirk, I suppose!

I quilted it with circles, mostly. All over.

In the end, I’d give this one an 8/10 - which means I’m pleased with it. There’s nothing very complicated about it, though, so that’s about as high as I can give it! :) And since these are my own ratings, there doesn’t actually have to be a hard and fast “reason” for such a score. It’s just “how I feel like it deserves”. It’s all pretty subjective!

As to my 2.5” strips- it really doesn’t seem like I’ve used many. I did get an idea for my 2.5” Coins quilt, though - so I’ll probably do that as my next 2.5” quilt.

If you are wondering, I did work up a page for all of these quilts using the larger strips - so if you are needing ideas as to how use up those extra, leftover 2.5” strips and squares, feel free to check it out here. I’m hoping to add to this page year after year as I come up with ideas and have time to finish quilts.

Here are just the borders - left and right and top and bottom!

As usual - the quilt roll!

Here it is from a distance. Enjoy!

And that’s it!

Have a great day wherever you are reading this! I was able to get this one done because we are having a streak of cooler weather. I’m trying to focus on quilting right now!

---

Be sure to check out what my sis has for you in the store!

---

---