Best Way to Add Borders to Quilts
04-10-2013, 02:22 PM
#51
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Southern, Utah
Posts: 1,233
I've not used a measuring tape in a long time while measuring for borders. Actually I do the same thing Bonnie Hunter does. She has a tip for borders on her blog under the tips tab. (I don't have wavy borders at all). Her blog is Quiltville Quips and Snips.
04-10-2013, 06:22 PM
#52
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: PA
Posts: 2,879
I agree with knismith, well said. However, I suggest to my quilt students that if the quilt is a rectangle, add the side borders first, then the top and bottom. If you do the top and bottom first, you end up with very long side pieces. Doing the sides first creates an impression of the quilt looking a bit more square. (It's sort of like why tall, thin girls don't wear vertical stripes, and why we chubby girls don't wear horizontal stripes.) Also, depending on the amount of border fabric you have, it may be more practical not to have to try to cut very long pieces for the long sides if you do them last. So, sides first.
04-10-2013, 08:41 PM
#55
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Round Rock,Texas
Posts: 6,135
another reason for wavy borders is too much fabric. I don't have that problem when I measure through the quilt center and then cut the border fabric. Every time I try to just sew the borders on and trim the excess, its a disaster and then I have to frog stitch(rip it,rip it, etc..)
04-11-2013, 03:41 AM
#57
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 8
I also do as you do to sew my border fabric on. Also if have a 2 pieces of material to stitch and one is a little longer than the other I put the one that is just a little too long on the bottom and the feed dogs will take up the slack as you strech the fabric just a tad. Easier than cutting another piece. This only works if one piece is only a little too long.
04-11-2013, 04:07 AM
#58
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: FL
Posts: 16,574
When I add a border to a quilt, I just cut a strip of fabric longer than the quilt, sew it to the quilt and then cut off the excess. I know many people measure the quilt in a couple different places, take the average, and cut the border to that specification. Does it matter which way you do it? Is one a better method? (I don't want to say right or wrong!) Would love advice on which method produces a better quilt. Thanks
04-11-2013, 05:17 AM
#59
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Oregon
Posts: 1,904
I'm not sure I understand why the measuring /squaring makes a differences in the waves of the quilts boarders> ?? I measure the length and width ,then cut my boarders, always add extra to make sure they are long enough, easier to trim than add to.
04-11-2013, 05:49 AM
#60
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 203
It is wise to measure and then cut them both the same measurement, just in case one side is longer than the other, this will assure that the quilt ends up square. All instructions say to do the long sides first, then te top and bottom.
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