Hot tips? No, just quilt tips…

This page contains tips and techniques from
Gallery classes and other sources

The following page is printed with the permission

of Linda Grinnell from the Gallery Quilt Company.

Attaching Plain Borders

When adding plain borders to a quilt it is so easy to cut a long strip, sew it on, and then cut off the excess length of the strip.  This may save you some time measuring, cutting and pinning.  After you get the border on, you may have a wavy or ill fitting border.  A border that is not fitted properly will cause tucks when the quilt is sandwiched and quilted. I am all for shortcuts and fast ways to piece quilts, but not when I have to sacrifice the look of the frame on my quilt!  Taking the extra time to apply the border properly will result in a nice, flat, square quilt.

To apply a border properly, it needs to be cut to size.  First measure the quilt from side to side through the center , then top to bottom, through the center.  This will give you the actual length and width of the quilt top. Measuring through the center allows you to be sure the sides are equal after the border is added.  Borders with cornerstones should be cut to the length and width of quilt top using these measurements, and then the corners added with the third and fourth border strips.  Second step is to pin border to quilt top.  Fold the border in half to find center, and mark, then in half again to find quarters and mark again.  Do the same with the quilt top.  Pin border to quilt top matching these marks. If you are attaching vertical or horizontal borders, add either the side or top and bottom borders first, then measure again to find length of the two remaining borders.
Note:   If there is a noticeable difference in size from one side of the quilt to the other, measure both sides of the quilt and through the center in the same direction, average these three measurements.  This will square up your top nicely when the borders are added.
This does take some extra work, but I think you will be well pleased with the results.