Basketman

I am hopefully seeing the light at the end of the tunnel in doing a most complex New York Beauty inspired quilt by Jacqueline DeJonge, I have expanded the 60 inch center with multiple borders to bring it to the edge of a king sized bed. It seems square, as it measures corner to corner within 1/6th of an inch and so I am about to do the drop sides ( hopefully correct term) and will miter the corners. The sides are all black as is the edges of the center, but with all that dark I want to break it up a bit. I have made 4 additional New York Beaty blocks that I want to inset into the corners for a visual accent and to bring the busy colorful center to the edge of the quilt. Do I finish the corners, then lay the block over the corners...chalk the edges...add a seam allowance, cut away the mitered corner and then sew in the colorful block or am I looking at this the wrong way an I need some help? If I am off base... can anyone advise me where to look for the solutions as I am more a visual learner?

Tartan

I would do the mitered corners and turn under the edge of your circles and press with an iron. I would then pin the circles over the corners and either hand or machine applique them in place because I suck at setting in curves and wouldn't want to ruin the top.
If I am remembering your amazing top though, you did a great job setting in your pieces.
If you decide to set in the circles, then yes you need to add seam allowances to both the quilt and the piece to go into it.

Basketman

I have made it easier ( I hope) the block is a square...so should I center it into the corner...draw a fine chalk line around the block after I have folded/ironed in a 1/4", then give myself an additional 1/4" seam allowance , cut away the corner and just sew the block in place? That seems the most logical to me but then again I am not that experienced and I would hate to mess it up now!

Tartan

So the NYB circle is already in a square form? If so yes, I would iron under the seam allowance on my block, pin it in place and mark a faint chalk line on the corner of the quilt where you want to sew it in....and that is where I would differ.
My inset skills are lacking so I would hand stitch it in place on the seam line to make sure everything is laying nice and flat before attempting to remove any of the background. If everything looked good you could then flip over the top and trim the background down to the 1/4 inch seam allowance and stitch the square in but you are going to have to contend with the dreaded Y seam in each corner.

As I mentioned, my method of choice would be to applique it onto the miter corner and trim away the background after everything looked good.

Basketman

Many thanks!

DogHouseMom

You haven't placed the mitered borders yet?

If not ... I wouldn't bother!

Your NYB block is square so the edges will line up with the edges of your quilt. Put your borders on the right and left side of the quilt. Re-measure and cut your top and bottom borders to the size of the quilt + R+L borders, LESS the width of the blocks (+ seam allowance).

So if your quilt top measures 100" and your corner NYB blocks are 12" square (before setting into quilt), then cut your border 112.5" long. When you pin the border to sew it, find the center of the quilt and the center of your border and place a few pins at the center. Then move to the end of the quilt and pin where the block should match the edge of the quilt - repeat on the other end. Continue to pin in between the pinned center and the pinned corner block easing in any excess fabric.

lakekids

I agree with DogHouseMom. Why go to the trouble of mitering the border only to cover the miters with a block?

feline fanatic

Why set in seams and do a miter if you are putting cornerstones in your border? If your borders are not on yet and you want them as wide as your NYB cornerblock is square, ie your NYB cornerstone block measures 12 1/2" then your border also needs to be that wide. BUT if you you only want your border 6" and your NYB corner block is going to cut INTO your quilt body, then yes you need to set it in and cut away part of the quilt. If that is the case, then I would do as Tartan suggested and applique the block on over the completed quilt. It is the best way to ensure your finished top comes out square. However, I still would not bother with mitering the corners to do that. Just do regular straight edge. The corner will be covered up by the applique whether mitered or straight. However if you do miter and applique you will reduce seam allowance bulk in one side of the corner.

Geri B

I only do mitered cornered borders if the fabric is a linear print, otherwise straight sides, why make work for yourself that isn't necessary......so do as directed above......add those blocks at the straight edge of both directions..to create your corners......I'm sure there must be a tute out there somewhere to demo this.........

maviskw

I agree with the last 3 or 4 posters. Make the corner blocks as if they were corner-stones. Then add them to the last borders before you sew them on.