Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Borders! Borders! Borders!

Borders, they are one of those things that can add so much or take away from a quilt. They seem so easy and yet there is a trick to them. You might think you can just cut your fabric to appropriate width and length, then just sew it on, right? Not so fast! If you want a square quilt that lays nicely, you may not want to use that method.

Each time you add a new piece of fabric to your quilt, no matter whether it's your first block or the middle of your quilt, you need to treat it as adding fabric to another block. In essence your 'quilt middle' is just one large quilt block. So here are some tips on how to go about it.

1. Measure! Measure! Measure!
The first thing you need to do is measure your quilt. Be sure to measure the top, middle and bottom of your quilt on the longest side. If your quilt is a square, just choose a side. Which side isn't as important.





2. Take the Average...
Now that I have the three measurements take the average. So add them up and divide by three to get the average length of the one side of your quilt. Then you cut your strip the length of that average. For example, say your quilt measures 34 + 34.25 + 34.5 = 102.75. Then you divide 102.75 by 3 and get 34.25, that's what you would cut your border. 

3. Pin from the Middle...
Once you have your fabric cut to the proper length, place it on the side of your quilt you're adding to. Then  find the middle of the boarder and the middle of that side of your quilt. Begin pinning from the center out. You will repeat this process for each boarder you're adding. This will keep your quilt top nice and square, give your top a much nicer look, and make it much easier to quilt. Especially if you're sending it out to be quilted!



By doing this three step process, you'll ensure your borders are added while keeping your quilt as square as possible. Another benefit is your quilt won't be "doing the wave", as Annie says!


You can learn all these helpful tips and more by taking a Parish Academy Class. Stop by the shop or check us out online and see what's coming up!

Have a great day and may your bobbins always be full!

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