sewing border strips together before sewing to top
02-12-2011, 06:52 PM
#12
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Southwest Kansas
Posts: 4,820
Originally Posted by kimscruzer
I have cut strips for the border . I need to sew them together end to end to make them long enough. I was wanting to try and miter the strips together before sewing to the top. Guess I will tinker with it awhile.
02-12-2011, 07:02 PM
#14
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: London, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 1,326
Mitering isn't the terrible thing it's made out to be.
Sew your borders onto the quilt, just stop the seam 1/4" from each end of the quilt.
Once you have all the borders on, start with one corner.
Fold the 90 degree corner in half so the angle is 45 degrees. Your right border should be on top of the top border now. Make sure they line up at the corner.
Take a straight ruler and lay it along the folded edge so it extends beyond the ends of the two borders. Draw a line across the borders from the corner of the quilt to the edge of the border. Stitch exactly on that line, from the edge towards the corner of the quilt, stopping exactly at the corner where the other border seams met. (when you only sewed them to 1/4" from the edge.)
Open and check the angle. Trim the excess and press so that the angle seam is open, and the side seams press towards the borders. The quilt corner in the seam should be flat. Repeat in the other 3 corners.
Sew your borders onto the quilt, just stop the seam 1/4" from each end of the quilt.
Once you have all the borders on, start with one corner.
Fold the 90 degree corner in half so the angle is 45 degrees. Your right border should be on top of the top border now. Make sure they line up at the corner.
Take a straight ruler and lay it along the folded edge so it extends beyond the ends of the two borders. Draw a line across the borders from the corner of the quilt to the edge of the border. Stitch exactly on that line, from the edge towards the corner of the quilt, stopping exactly at the corner where the other border seams met. (when you only sewed them to 1/4" from the edge.)
Open and check the angle. Trim the excess and press so that the angle seam is open, and the side seams press towards the borders. The quilt corner in the seam should be flat. Repeat in the other 3 corners.
02-12-2011, 07:03 PM
#15
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: North-Central Indiana
Posts: 4,909
You should be piecing your fabric strips first (longer than you need), and then measure the center of the quilt across the side you're putting the border on, and then trim the strip before sewing it on. Don't try to cut to size before piecing it.
02-12-2011, 09:27 PM
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Knoxville, TN
Posts: 733
I think you're just using the wrong terminology. A diagonal seam is not mitering it's just a way to join strips together and make the seam less noticeable. Mitering is a whole 'nother subject. To join strips with a diagonal seam, lay them right sides together at a 90 degree angle to each other. they don't have to line up exactly; you can trim the tails later. Then mark the diagonal and sew exactly on that line. Cut the excess, to be a 1/4" seam and press the seam open.
02-13-2011, 10:32 AM
#20
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 12,930
Wow! Beautiful top! Clearly you figured out how to join the border strips!
If you're planning to machine quilt, I recommend heavily starching the backing fabric (especially if it's flannel) before layering. This stabilizes the fabric and prevents puckers. The way I do it is with a 1:1 solution of Sta-Flo liquid laundry starch, painted onto the yardage with a large wallpainting brush, tossed in dryer, then ironed with steam. It's also a good idea to spray starch the top to add stability.
If you're planning to machine quilt, I recommend heavily starching the backing fabric (especially if it's flannel) before layering. This stabilizes the fabric and prevents puckers. The way I do it is with a 1:1 solution of Sta-Flo liquid laundry starch, painted onto the yardage with a large wallpainting brush, tossed in dryer, then ironed with steam. It's also a good idea to spray starch the top to add stability.
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09-12-2011 12:55 PM
