A Comprehensive Guide to Piecing the Perfect Quilt Border
Whether you’re working on your first quilt or your fiftieth, piecing the border can seem daunting. There are so many options to consider that it’s easy to get overwhelmed. But with some planning and the right techniques, you can create a beautiful border that finishes your quilt nicely. In this article, I’ll address all the questions a quilter may have when tackling this important final step.
Choosing a Border Fabric
What fabric works best for borders? While many quilters like to use cottons and prints for borders, I’ve found that plain solids make piecing much easier. Solids don’t detract attention from the quilt center and their uniform color allows seams to nest together neatly. I typically choose a fabric that complements but doesn’t compete with the quilt top fabrics. For example, I made a purple and yellow floral quilt recently and chose a medium grey solid border fabric that tied the colors together nicely without being too bright.
From my experience, steer clear of fabrics with large scale prints or busy patterns for borders unless you’re an expert piecer. Small scale prints or tones-on-tones can work well too as long as the print isn’t too distracting. It’s best if the border fabric pulls design elements from the quilt top without being too matchy-matchy. A good border fabric makes the top “pop” without competing for attention.
Determining Border Width
How wide should borders be? There’s no set rule, but most borders range from 2-6 inches finished. Wider borders of 8 inches or more tend to overwhelm smaller quilt tops. I find 3-4 inches gives a polished look without being too dominant. You’ll also want to consider how the quilt will be used – wider borders make a quilt feel cozier on a bed versus narrower ones which are better for wallhangings.
Measure your quilt center and add the desired total border width (2 inches on each side = 4 inch border) to get your finished border measurements. For example, a 60×80 inch quilt center with a 4 inch total border would have finished outer measurements of 72×88 inches.
Cutting Border Fabric
How should border fabric be cut? Most quilters cut border strips the width of the desired finished border, plus 1⁄2 inch seam allowances on both long edges. For example, a 3 inch finished border would be cut at 31⁄2 inches wide. Cut squares or rectangles the appropriate length and join them end to end with diagonal seams to make one long border strip.
To minimize bulk at the seams, I often cut my border strips a scant 1⁄4 inch narrower than the finished width. This “eases” the seams together nicely. Just be sure to trim your borders to the exact finished measurement after piecing and quilting. Proper trimming is key to a polished border!
Piecing Angled Borders
How do you piece borders at the corners? Many quilters miter the borders at a 45 degree angle to finish neatly at the four corners. Here are the basic steps:
- Cut border strips to the required length, adding 1⁄2″ to each end for seam allowances.
- Place two border strips perpendicular to each other with right sides facing and raw edges aligned at one corner.
- Mark a diagonal line from the upper right corner to the lower left corner on the back of one strip.
- Sew directly on the marked line and trim 1⁄4″ outside the line.
- Press seam open or to one side for a cleaner look.
- Repeat for remaining three corners.
This basic mitered corner technique works well but takes practice to get perfectly square. An easier alternative is to use straight border corners and sew in the ditch at each seam intersection for a less bulky finish.
Pinning and Sewing Borders
What’s the best way to pin and sew borders? Proper pinning is crucial when sewing borders. Place pins perpendicular to the seam line about 1-2 inches apart. Pin the raw edges together first, then pin the folded edges. This prevents shifting while sewing.
When sewing, begin in the middle of one border side and sew with a 1⁄4 inch seam to the first corner. Backstitch 1-2 stitches. Remove pins as you come to them. Continue around the quilt, stopping 1⁄4 inch from the beginning stitches. Backstitch again to reinforce the corner.
Trim threads and check that your corners line up exactly before sewing the adjacent border sides. Go slowly around curves or bias edges to prevent puckering. For long borders, it helps to pin and sew in sections rather than trying to attach the whole border at once. Press seams open or to one side as preferred.
Getting Square Corners
How can I ensure square borders and corners? The secret is measuring, measuring, measuring as you work! After sewing each border side, measure the finished width across opposite corners and the length of sides between seams. The measurements should be identical for the border to be perfectly square.
If there’s a discrepancy, gently easing or stretching the border fabric may help tweak it into shape. As a last resort, very carefully remove a few border stitches and resew to straighten things out. Once the border is square, trim threads, press and repeat checks for your next border strip. Taking the time for accurate piecing yields tidy, professional-looking borders.
Borders with Multiple Fabric Strips
How do I piece a border with more than one fabric? You can either piece the border fabrics together before attaching or sew them directly to the quilt as individual strips. For a multi-fabric look, piece strips together end to end using the diagonal seam technique mentioned earlier. Then attach this long border piece as normal.
For stripes, sew fabric strips directly onto the quilt one by one, trimming threads between each. Be sure to press seams to one side for a smooth surface. Adding sashing or cornerstones between fabrics is another option. Just remember – measure, press and trim as you go to keep borders straight and evenly spaced.
With some pre-planning and careful technique, you’ll be able to confidently piece any type of border. Take your time, double check work as you progress and soon beautifully finished borders will be second nature! Let me know if you have any other questions as you work on your quilt project.
Tips for Piecing a Quilt Border
| Border Type | Max Size for Piecing | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Straight set | Unlimited | Easiest type, simply sew border strips end to end |
| Cornerstone | 4-6 inches | Best if pieced corners are less than 6 inches for ease |
| Square-in-a-square | 4 inches | Needs precise sewing for points to match, keep pieces small |
| Mitered | 3-4 inches | Accuracy needed, practice seams first before piecing long strips |
| Backing fabric | 1-2 yards | Allow extra for piecing if needed |
FAQ
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How do you start piecing a quilt border together?
Basically, you want to start by cutting your border strips to the width you need. Then you’ll attach the strips together lengthwise to make one long border piece. You can sew them together by hand or machine. It’s best to leave extra fabric at the ends for trimming later.
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Do I attach the border to the front, back, or something else first?
Normally you’ll attach the border to the quilt top piece initially. Sew the border strip to the edges of the quilt center with right sides facing. But perhaps you want to pin it to the backing fabric first as a test before attaching to the top. There’s more than one way to do it.
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How do I decide how wide to make my border strips?
When choosing the width for your border strips, you’ll want to consider the size of your quilt center and your personal taste. Strips that are 6-8 inches wide are kind of the standard, but you could certainly go narrower or wider if you prefer. Just make sure the proportions look balanced to your eye. The border really sets off the whole quilt design!
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Will my points match up if I piece the borders?
It may take some concentrating, but yes, with careful sewing and measuring you can absolutely get your border points and quilting lines to match up when piecing multiple border strips together. Sew slowly and stop frequently to double check measurements. Taking your time is key to achieving good results. On the other hand, it’s not the end of the world if your points are slightly off either.
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What’s the trick to getting smooth, even borders?
One of the best tips is to press your border strips in half lengthwise before sewing them together so the folds line up perfectly. Alignment is so important for a nice finished look. Also, use a 1/4″ seam instead of a scant 1/4″ – it gives just a bit more fabric overlap which helps borders lay flat. Good pressing as you go along makes such a difference!
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How can I prevent my borders from distorting as I add the corners?
As you add the 90-degree corners to your border pieces it can sometimes cause rippling or pulling. To help prevent this, place pins perpendicular to the folds as you add each corner segment. Make sure to backstitch well at the start and end too. Maybe also give the intersecting areas a little steam with an iron before moving on to the next section. Taking breaks to admire your progress may also relax your hands!
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Any other piecing border tips?
Label each border piece strip as you complete it to keep them in order for reattaching later. Rotating your work in progress can also help spot issues. And consider practice-piecing a small sample first if it’s your first time – no need to risk mistakes on the real deal! I think I’ve bored even myself with all these tips now. Let me know if any other border questions come up while you work your magic!