Border Thoughts
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 123
Border Thoughts
Usually I make my borders with one long strip of fabric, but with fabric so expensive now a days I really don't want to buy fabric with enough yardage length for making the border one piece.
There are no quilt police, but what are your thoughts in making a border (same fabric) in multiple pieces. With a wide border would you do it with mitered joins or straight joins. I also thought about putting in a 2 1/2" piece of one of the block fabrics in in the center where a seam would need to be, but evenly on each side. Or, just joining the border fabric together to make it long enough. Mostly, it would just be one join on each of the 4 sides.
There are no quilt police, but what are your thoughts in making a border (same fabric) in multiple pieces. With a wide border would you do it with mitered joins or straight joins. I also thought about putting in a 2 1/2" piece of one of the block fabrics in in the center where a seam would need to be, but evenly on each side. Or, just joining the border fabric together to make it long enough. Mostly, it would just be one join on each of the 4 sides.
#3
I think it’s fine to make do with what is in our stash. So if that means joining a border, why not.
I would do a mitered join. You can always plan your quilting to go over the join if you are
concerned about it showing.
I would do a mitered join. You can always plan your quilting to go over the join if you are
concerned about it showing.
#4
I’ve had to piece borders before. Seems like mostly, once you quilt it, the joins don’t really show up very much. I do press the seam at the join open so it lays flatter, but that’s just my preference. If the fabric is a print, the join shows up even less. Good luck!
#6
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Twin Cities, MN
Posts: 2,530
I have pieced borders many times. If there is a pattern to the border, I do a pattern match, so that is usually almost invisible. Many times, once quilted, it is almost impossible to see the seam. I just did a floral border last night, and didn't miter the corners. Sitting 10 feet away, and looking at it hanging up, I cannot see the joining seams from top to side.
#8
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 2,867
I prefer a straight join. The time I tried a miter on a wider border, it was harder to get it to lay perfectly flat. I don't think a well pressed seam shows very much after it's quilted. I actually like a border cut crosswise better than one cut lengthwise. The little bit of 'give' in the crosswise helps 'fudge' discrepancies in the lengths of the sides of the quilt so it stays square (or rectangle).
#9
I piece borders all the time when I am making larger quilts. Then I press the seams open, like other do here. I frequently do NOT miter the corners and the quilts always come out just the way I want it to.