A lot of time and care is taken when choosing fabrics and colours to make your patchwork quilt or wall hanging. Then your skill and creativity is put to use creating your project.

 

Patchwork borders are an important element in the completed quilt, wall hanging or other project. The fabric used in your border can be used to emphasise a feature in your quilt so it will stand out and give the effect you want. Borders can be used to create a frame for a wall hanging, increase the size of your patchwork quilt, providing definition for your appliqué or piecing of your quilt.

 

You can add one of more borders to your quilt to achieve your required result. There are also a variety of styles of borders which can be used on your quilt. Horizontal borders are those where the side borders are attached first and then the top and bottom borders added last. Vertical Borders are where the top and bottom borders are attached first and then the side borders. Mitred Borders are cut at an angle and resemble the frame in a picture. Corner Square Borders are those where a feature square is placed in each corner of the quilt.

 

Taking care in attaching the borders to the patchwork article is just as important as choosing the fabrics, colour and style of the border. The end result will be so much nicer and the actual quilting of the article so much easier if the borders are flat and square. By not taking the proper care it is very easy to end up with borders which can ripple and flare out at the ends.

 

 

Iron your fabric before cutting this will make your measurements more accurate.

 

Measure your quilt, even if the pattern gives you the lengths to cut it is always wise to measure your own quilt. The measurement can be effected by your seam allowances or stretching of the fabric during piecing or appliqué work and therefore is likely to vary slightly from the pattern measurements.

 

Measure through the centre of the quilt horizontally and vertically, also measure approximately half way between the centre and the edge of the quilt. Write the measurements down and average out any discrepancy to get the correct length of the border. Take care to be accurate and avoid measuring the edge of the quilt as this could have stretched due to the appliqué and piecing of your quilt.

 

Only cut two borders at a time, decide which border style you wish to use and cut the two appropriate borders, for example if your have decided on the Horizontal Border cut the two side borders first.

 

Attach the Border to your quilt. Fold the border in half and mark the halfway point with a pin (place the pin vertically through the fabric), fold the border again and mark the quarter points with vertical pins.

 

Mark the points in your quilt top in a same way as you did for the border. Place the border on the edge of the quilt top with the right sides together, match the pins and then pin the border to the quilt. By using this technique you can spread any discrepancy between the border and the quilt over the whole length or width of your quilt. Sew the border and quilt top together using a ¼ inch seam, while sewing have the wrong side of the quilt top facing you, you can then make sure the seams are turned in the direction which you have ironed them.

 

Repeat these steps to add the remaining borders, measuring across the quilt top and the added borders to get your correct measurements.

 

You can add as many borders as you like using this technique and your quilt should stay square and flat.

 

Horizontal and Vertical Borders are treated in the same way; the only difference is which borders you attach first.

 

Corner Square Borders, the feature squares should be the same size as the desired border width.

 

Measure the top, bottom and side borders using the technique stated above but add a ¼ inch seam allowance to each edge.

 

Attach either the top and bottom borders OR the side borders to your quilt, then attach the corner squares to each end of the remaining borders. Stitch the borders with the attached corners to you quilt.

 

Mitred Borders measure your quilt using the technique stated above and then add a minimum of 8 inches to the top, bottom and side measurements.

 

Pin the borders to the quilt top (using the technique described above) with the right sides together using a ¼ seam, mark the point ¼ inch from each corner of the quilt top. Sew the Borders to the quilt top being careful not to sew in the seam allowance you have marked with the pin. Push the seam allowances towards the quilt and then iron the borders flat.

 

Working with one corner at a time, fold the adjoining borders with the right sides together and align them so the outer edges are together. The fold is the guide to create a 45 degree angle onto the border fabric. Iron along the fold you have created, pin the border fabrics together and sew along the fold line, start where the quilt and border fabrics meet to the outside edge of the mitre. Trim the seams to ¼ inch. Iron the seams open. Repeat the steps above for each corner.