Which comes first...
#31
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: kansas
Posts: 6,407
Assuming you don't miter corners, putting the side borders on first does tend to save some yardage. But either way works and you can do which ever you like best. But whichever way you choose, the key thing is to measure top,middle, bottom and average (or square the top) and make that the length of the borders (do the same going the other direction, too). That way your borders will be square and not "wave" when the long armer works on it.
#32
Power Poster
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Lowell, MA
Posts: 14,083
Putting the side borders on first makes the best use of your fabric, then do the top and bottom. Although there are no quilt police who will arrest you if you do the top and bottom first; just be sure to measure through the middle of the quilt, length and width so that your border won't go wonky.
#33
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Texas
Posts: 2,369
When I first began to make quilts I read -- somewhere, either online or in a book -- to do the sides first, simply because it looks better. It frames the quilt better when the top and bottom borders "sit" on top of the side borders.
#35
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 135
I prefer to do the sides first, mostly because I don't like pieced borders, and this saves on a little bit of fabric length.
I'm confused about your statement "Is it easier for a beginner to do the sides first and extend them past the top and bottom border". If you do the sides first, the top and bottom will extend over the sides.
I think it's more important to measure your borders carefully, so that you don't get wavy borders. If you friend hasn't discussed this with you, come back and ask!
Good Luck with you quilting journey. It's a wonderful trip.
I'm confused about your statement "Is it easier for a beginner to do the sides first and extend them past the top and bottom border". If you do the sides first, the top and bottom will extend over the sides.
I think it's more important to measure your borders carefully, so that you don't get wavy borders. If you friend hasn't discussed this with you, come back and ask!
Good Luck with you quilting journey. It's a wonderful trip.
#37
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 135
Thanks for the replies!! I prefer the look of the sides being on first. It makes my eye follow the pattern differently than the too and bottom being placed first. I love this board!! I have learned so much. I have several tops almost finished and ready to prepare for the longarmer. So if anyone has any great links to getting a quilt top ready to send to be quilted please send them my way!!
#38
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Jozefow, Poland
Posts: 4,474
Long horizontal (put sides on first):
[ATTACH=CONFIG]502901[/ATTACH]
long vertical (put top and bottom on first):
[ATTACH=CONFIG]502903[/ATTACH]
Neither is actually harder to sew than the other. In fact, on occasion, I have gotten mixed up and done the long vertical when I wanted to do the long horizontal (the first one) just because it is somewhat easy to do if the quilt is similar in size.
But in truth, if the border is a print, it is hard to see where the seams are and the end just looks like this:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]502904[/ATTACH]
Last edited by justflyingin; 12-17-2014 at 10:10 PM.
#40
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 559
I usually do sides first Then top and bottom. Also, I like to use straight of grain running length of quilt on sides and the opposite on tops and bottoms. My thinking is that it may prevent unwanted fullness in the borders. Does that make sense to anyone? There have been times when I didn't have enough fabric to do this but I prefer to do it this way.
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