joobee Posted September 3, 2012 Report Share Posted September 3, 2012 I am trying and trying to be more precise with my quilting. I am to the borders and have a small problem. The center length of my quilt measured 70 inches. I cut my border 70 inches, even with applying a little extra pull on the quilt edge I still have 1/2" too long left on my first border. Should I chalk it up to maybe my center stretched a little when I measured it or rip it out and force it on. I have done that before and my quilt edge was too big on one side and had to be folded under when machine quilted. (lucky for me it was a busy pattern edge and my quilter folded it perfectly, it really didn't show) I just do not want to wind up with wavey edges by forcing too much fabric onto my quilt edge. (note: it seems to lay just fine now) Should I trim off the 1/2" or force it on? tia judy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janette Posted September 3, 2012 Report Share Posted September 3, 2012 Personally when I attach my borders I rarely measure my quilt top, I add the borders and trim to fit. If my quilt centre isn't square before adding borders, it wont't be square after either (although I aim it to be and mostly it is) and if I ease in extra fabric I will have a full and wavy border making it difficult to quilt. I prefer to have a flat quilt that is slightly out of square rather than squared but with wavy borders. I attach my borders while at my ironing board, and iron the border to my quilt top making sure that both the top and my border are as flat as they can be and therefore of the same size, then I pin that small section and move along to the next section, making sure that when I iron the next section that there are no ripples in either my border or my quilt top. Of course there will be plenty of people who will say this is the "wrong" way, but it works fine for me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted September 4, 2012 Report Share Posted September 4, 2012 when applying borders...measure through the center of the quilt top, then cut both side (or top) borders to that measurement. then, starting with the center of the border, pin it to the center of the quilt top. then, pin the edges and halfway from edge to center and continue in this manner until you have pinned the whole border on. i always sew with the fullness on the bottom so that it tends to get worked in. if you follow this method, then the quilt tends to be square without fullness in the border. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aleksich Posted September 4, 2012 Report Share Posted September 4, 2012 I apply borders like Janette, I don't get waving borders;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted September 4, 2012 Report Share Posted September 4, 2012 Doing the measuring through the quilt and averaging to find the dimensions for the border will result in a SQUARE quilt with stretch on one side and easing (fullness) on the other. Applying borders a side at a time and sewing to fit will result in a FLAT quilt-- but perhaps not square. Sometimes when we're lucky, we end up with a FLAT/SQUARE quilt. They are rare!! My preference to quilt on the longarm? The flat one. The one that looks best after quilting? The flat one. If it's in a show, the judges will ding you for either circumstance. But pleats/tucks/puffiness that result from trying to control fullness in the blocks or wavy borders are much more apparent to a judge than a quilt that's flat and an inch out of square. JMHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queenie123 Posted September 4, 2012 Report Share Posted September 4, 2012 Originally posted by ffq-lar Doing the measuring through the quilt and averaging to find the dimensions for the border will result in a SQUARE quilt with stretch on one side and easing (fullness) on the other. Applying borders a side at a time and sewing to fit will result in a FLAT quilt-- but perhaps not square. Sometimes when we're lucky, we end up with a FLAT/SQUARE quilt. They are rare!! My preference to quilt on the longarm? The flat one. The one that looks best after quilting? The flat one. If it's in a show, the judges will ding you for either circumstance. But pleats/tucks/puffiness that result from trying to control fullness in the blocks or wavy borders are much more apparent to a judge than a quilt that's flat and an inch out of square. JMHO. Yep,as a newbie to longarming this is also my preferred method ,whew ,on the dsm I was use to making everything bigger and squaring in the end but now I have to do it all correctly the first time just to be able to pin on leaders ,its still taking me time to get use to it but thus far all my quilts have come out perfectly square ,I also baste the sides after I have quilted them prior to advancing and I know its wrong but it justs works for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted September 4, 2012 Report Share Posted September 4, 2012 I guess the difference for me is that I primarily quilt only for myself. My quilts are usually square and flat. Linda...you make a good point. Flat is better than square from a longarming standpoint. Thanks for pointing that out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted September 4, 2012 Report Share Posted September 4, 2012 This is always an intersting topic to me. Ther are many ooptions and yest Linda is right, you either can pick a square quilt or a flat one. Personally I try my best to go for both . Usually I'm pretty close and might have to ease in 1/2" if that but I know that isn't always the case. In that case using Janette's method would keep the quilt flat. I find that most of the customer quilts I have issues with have multiple borders and where they are attached to one another is where the problems come in. Instead of making sure the border is cut square on the end they often have an angle on them and that angel just gets bigger and bigger with border added. So my advice is to square your corners after attaching each border. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustee Posted September 4, 2012 Report Share Posted September 4, 2012 I use Kristina's methodof attaching borders. My quilts for the most part lay flat and come out square. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busy Quilting Posted September 4, 2012 Report Share Posted September 4, 2012 A square border start with the first block being Square! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jclark Posted September 25, 2012 Report Share Posted September 25, 2012 Interesting post--my quilt retreat buddies are always asking me questions such as this one--now I can tell them they can apply borders either way--or should I keep my mouth shut and just hope I get square/flat quilts?? I've always told them to measure through the center then apply borders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg_marsh Posted September 25, 2012 Report Share Posted September 25, 2012 Another note to add to the topic. The type of batting you use will make a difference as to how the quilt hangs. If you are lucky enough to have a square quilt after quilting and prior to binding - in the end a batting such as 80/20 will hang much flatter than battings such as QD Puff or wool - just the nature of the beast. If I want to have a very flat hanging quilt, I select the batting accordingly - if I want a warm cuddle quilt - definitely Puff or wool. The final aspect of this is blocking - if you block, your chances of square & flat go way up no matter what batting you use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaR Posted September 25, 2012 Report Share Posted September 25, 2012 I do what Jqanette does. But. I always square each block as I sew them togeather. I have been known to "ease" a bit in, but I don't stretch them. I most always have a flat square quilt, AND, when I don't it is when I don't feel good, and I forgot to square the blocks. I think all replies are good, they just don't work for me. If it a customers quilt, I'd gently mention the humps and bumps, and how to avoid them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaC Posted September 26, 2012 Report Share Posted September 26, 2012 Some folks have trouble with "sewing to fit borders" because of the weight of the quilt and their sewing area; and whether they have the border or the quilt on the feed dogs. I have seen as much as 6" extra border fabric sewn into the border. Your feed dogs can sew in extra fullness; so I would say whatever is working for you stick with; or if something is not working for you then try another method. I also attach borders how Kristina does with great success; and as Lyn says accuracy is your best friend. If you don't piece with accuracy and blocks are not square you will not end up with a flat top no matter what you do. I rarely have much of a difference in my measurements and if I did; I would check seams and see if there is something that may need an adjustment and fix it before I border it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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