Quilt Borders Ideas – Inspiring Quilt Border Designs and Patterns for Your Next Quilting Project

Amazing Borders to Enhance Your Quilts

Whether you’re new to quilting or an experienced quilter, borders can take your quilt designs to the next level. In this article, we’ll explore different border styles and techniques you can use to beautifully frame your quilt blocks and add that perfect finishing touch.

Why Add Borders?

Borders serve several important purposes in quilting. First and foremost, they help finish the raw edges of your quilt top and backing fabrics. This prevents fraying and gives the quilt a polished look. Borders also balance the design by framing the central quilt blocks or pattern. They provide an opportunity to introduce new fabrics, colors or motifs that tie the entire quilt together in a cohesive way.

From my experience quilting, borders are crucial for adjusting the overall size and proportions of your quilt as well. You can make a quilt look taller, wider or more squarely balanced with strategic border choices. Borders allow you to customize the quilt dimensions to best suit the intended recipient or space.

Popular Border Styles

Here are some of the most versatile and visually striking border styles to consider:

1. Straight, or Square Borders: The simplest yet always elegant option. Keep fabrics, prints or colors consistent for a cohesive frame. Or alternate fabrics for visual interest.
2. Mitered Borders: Give the illusion of extension by cutting corner triangles at a diagonal. Takes practice but is very rewarding. Great for showing off a single uninterrupted print.
3. Pieced Borders: Get creative piecing together scraps, blocks or intricate patterns. Endless possibilities to highlight multiple fabrics.
4. Foundation Paper Pieced Borders: Challenge yourself by foundation paper piecing tiny motifs or repeating units for extra drama. Looks stunning but requires patience.

Tips for Successful Borders

Now that you’ve selected your style, follow these tips to ensure beautiful, long-lasting borders:

1. Draft a full-scale border template on graph paper first to get accurate cutting lines. This prevents errors.
2. Stay consistent with 1/4″ seam allowances to maintain crisp points and corners. Press seams open or to one side as preferred.
3. Pin, pin, pin! Borders require extra attention to sewing accurately. Use lots of pins for mitered corners especially.
4. Layer, baste and quilt your borders just like the center of the quilt for dimension and durability. Binding finishes it all beautifully.

Creative Border Inspiration

Here are some stunning borders I’ve seen that might spark your imagination:

– A pieced border of snaking bluejay silhouettes that flows around the entire quilt like a border within the border. Super cool!

– Mitered corner borders of solid colors intersecting in bright triangles, sort of like a geometric flag design. Striking colorblocking effect!

– Foundation paper pieced border of tiny running horses, no larger than a fingernail. The level of skill and patience was just bonkers.

– A narrow border punctuated every few inches by a quilted floral sprig popping out. Kind of a hybrid strap border concept.

So in summary, don’t be afraid to experiment with borders, guys! They can totally take a quilt to the next level and express your unique flair. Keep your options open and let that creativity flow. Your quilts will thank you for it!

Quilt Border Options and Characteristics

FAQ

1. What are some commonly used border styles for quilts?

   The most popular border styles for quilts are plain, also known as a straight border. Another basic one is scalloped, using a decorative scallop-shaped trim. You can also make mitered borders by cutting diagonal corners to make a pointed design.

   

2. How wide should quilt borders be?

   Generally, quilt borders work nicely being somewhere between 2 to 6 inches wide. Any narrower may not frame the quilt properly. Wider than 6 inches can take attention away from the beautiful quilt center. A classic rule is for borders to be 1/9 the width of the total quilt.

3. When should I add borders?

   Most quilters sew the borders onto the quilt after completing the center of the quilt top. This allows you to measure the actual dimensions before cutting border fabric. Nevertheless, some like to plan the borders as they build the center for a seamless look. There’s flexibility, but finishing the centerpart first is most common.

4. What if my borders are the wrong size?

   It happens to basically everyone at some point. If a border strip is too short, you can sometimes add a thin sliver to extend it. But if it’s too long, then you’ll need to re-cut the border strips or piece them with another fabric. Luckily borders are usually the easy pieces to fix if the measurements get screwed up.

5. Can borders be pieced or mixed?

   Certainly! You can add interest by piecing together different fabrics for the border, using a mix of prints and colors. Some quilters have even made whole borders out of mini quilt squares. Going beyond a plain single border fabric allows you to really highlight the center with a stunning framed edge.

   

6. Do quilt edges need special finishing?

   It’s recommended to finish the raw quilt edges to prevent fraying over time. Common options are to fold the edges under and hand-stitch, add binding all the way around the quilt, or use a specialty edge-finishing foot on your sewing machine. A finished edge takes the quilt to a polished, professional-level look.

7. What types of quilts benefit most from borders?

   Some quilt styles that look particularly amazing framed by borders include medallion quilts, T-shirt quilts with narrow salvaged strips, and scrappy improv quilts. Well-chosen borders can actually make a good sew-and-go project seem stunning. Borders can also balance smaller scale quilt blocks or tie together prints from mismatched fabrics.