nantucketsue

I have finished all the hand quilting and have a border varying between 6 - 6.75" wide, where I plan to quilt swags all around with a heavier perle cotton. I figure it will be easier to handle and space them once the binding is in place, as the quilt will be squared up. Does anyone have any opinions/suggestions on this?

Vistacruise

I have done that many times for the reasons you note: it is easier to space/align my border patterns after I've squared the finished quilt. The only issue I've ever had is making the pattern go too close to the edge and having it go into the back side of the binding. I called it a design feature, but I wish I hadn't done it.

quilting cat

Hand quilting after binding does not pose the same "shifting" problems that machine quilting might. Shouldn't be any problem.

P-BurgKay

When I hand quilt, I thread baste my quilt in my old fashion quilting frames, before I pin my quilt into the frames, I add a waste piece of fabric all around the quilt, about 4 inches in width, and that is what I pin to. After my quilt is all basted, I take it out of the frame, and quilt the borders first, then I put my binding on, and hand stitch the binding down. I then proceed to hand quilt in my 14 inch quilting hoop, relaxed in my easy chair. I do not have the extra backing and batting to deal with this way, and my quilt is very secure, as I baste across the quilt about every 2 1/2 to 3 inches apart. I hope this is clear, the way I have described. I have done it for years this way, my mother always told me it couldn't be done this way, but I do it all the time, I have done between 200 and 300 quilts this way, and at least 30 to 40 have been king sized.

JANNY

I have put binding on before doing the borders several times and had no problems. I have hand quilted the entire quilt after putting binding on also. I wondered if I was doing a no no by doing the binding first, but apparently it doesn't matter, just works best for you.

AZ Jane

Sounds like an excellent plan!!

117becca

i don't do it because things shift, shrink up, and move - even when I've basted it well. I have often taken my frixion pen and drawn a line on the border indicating where my sewing line will be for the binding. That gives me a visual to know where to center my border stencil/quilting.

nantucketsue

I would guess this works because the frame holds the quilt rigid while you baste. The actual hand quilting will take up any slack there might be. I will have to get my son to make me a quilt frame. Thank you for the tip.