cathyquilty

What do you guys do when you put borders on .....do you make it all one long piece or do you piece it together? I have bought as much as 3 yards to make sure I didn't piece the border . Is it okay to piece them?

Barb in Louisiana

Both ways work. It comes down to a personal preference. I will precut my long strips for the borders before I start cutting any material for blocks so that I don't have seams, if I can. But if I have to, because I am sewing from a kit, then I don't sweat the small stuff, and just have seams in the borders. I don't know about anyone else, but I do try not to have the seams in the center of the border. I try to offset them and stagger them around the quilt.

cathyquilty

If you piece them do you do it end to end or cut the fabric on a angle ?

DogHouseMom

Cathy ... If I have the yardarge I try not to piece it. But it also depends on how wide the border is going to be. I'm not going to buy 108" of fabric for a 2" inner border If I have a wide border and it's a big bold print and piecing will be obvious, I'll either buy enough yardage or try to match the print.


If I have to piece it, I prefer to do it on the diagonal.

Barb in Louisiana

I usually stitch them straight across. Actually, I will stitch binding on the diagonal but not borders. It never occurred to me to do the borders as a diagonal. I may have to try that.

I do use a lot of prints, so the seam isn't as visible as if you are using a solid fabric. Before quilting and washing, the seams can be very visible. After the quilting process and washing, most times, I can't even see where I seamed the border, even if it is a solid.

NJ Quilter

I have pieced many a border and always just a straight seam. Unless it's a very directional fabric I don't think it much matters. The last couple of baby quilts I've done had very directional fabric (what was I thinking???) and it worked out just peachy. Baby certainly didn't notice and Mom loved it.

Tartan

It depends on the quilt. If the border fabrics are a light solid, I try not to piece them as I think it is to obvious. In a busy border fabric you can hardly notice a join especially if you quilt along the seam line. I sometimes place a block into the border or add a design to diguise a join. Sometimes I miter the corners, sometimes I do a straight corner and sometimes I add corner blocks. You will need to decide what is right with your quilt pattern.

ManiacQuilter2

I agree with Barb. If I am doing a queen, I cut the borders from the length of fabric first. But you have to be careful not to stretch the fabric and I carefully measure and pin it to the quilt.

Boston1954

I prefer to make it one piece if possible. However, having said that, I've made many that are pieced and they have turned out just fine.

citruscountyquilter

I piece my borders and cut and sew them on the diagonal. Usually you don't even notice the seam done this way. I'm very stingy with fabric so seldom have enough to not piece them.