What is the purpose of adding borders to a quilt?
Quilt borders serve both aesthetic and practical purposes. Aesthetically, they enhance the quilt's overall design, draw attention to the central pattern, and create balance, allowing creative expression through various designs. Practically, borders protect the quilt's edges, which are most susceptible to wear and tear, there by adding durability and strength to the finished piece. They also contribute to a crisp, professional, and finished appearance for the quilt.
Why is the "slap and sew"method for borders discouraged?
The "slap and sew" method, which involves simply cutting a fabric stip and sewing it along the quilt edge, and then trimming the excess is highly discouraged. This technique commonly leads to "wavy borders" that do not lay flat or appear professional once the quilt is completed. It fails to account for the natural stretching and shifting of fabric, as well as any inconsistencies in the quilt top, resulting in an uneven and less refined final product.
What is the correct way to measure and cut fabric for quilt borders?
To ensure borders lay flat and square, avoid the "slap and sew" method. Instead, measure your quilt properly before cutting border fabric. For horizontal borders, take three measurements across the center, the top and the bottom of the quilt. Add them together and divide by 3 to get the average precise length for your fabric strips. Repeat this process for the vertical side borders, measuring the center, along the right side, and along the left side. Cutting fabric to this average length ensures borders fit snugly and lay flat, accommodating any slight imperfections in your quilt top.
Why is pressing and pinning crucial when preparing and attaching quilt borders?
Thoroughly pressing the quilt top before adding borders is essential. This means pressing the fabric straight down with an iron, rather than sliding it, which can distort the fabric. Proper pressing flattens the quilt top, corrects inconsistent block sizes or bias cuts, and ensurese seams are correctly oriented, preventing fabric buildup and promoting flat, square borders.
Pinning is equally vital and should not be skipped, even after accurate measurements. Fabric can stretch or shift during sewing, leading to puckering. Pinning at regular intervals, starting at the ends and middle and filling in between ensures the border fabric is evenly distributed and aligned. More pins generally lead to smoother, more precise borders and sharper corners.
What does "squaring up a quilt" mean, and when should it be done?
"Squaring up a quilt" is the process of trimming each corner to a perfect 90-degree angle and ensuring all sides are straight. This is typically done in two key stages:
- Before adding borders: Squaring up the quilt top before attaching borders is crucial to prevent unevenness or "bubbles" when the quilt is later quilted.
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After quilting and before binding: Once the quilt sandwich (top, batting, and backing) is completely quilted, it should be squared up to trim away excess batting and backing fabric, preparing it for binding and ensuring crisp, beautiful corners for the finished quilt. While some creative designs may intentionally feature non-square edges, for traditional quilts, this step is vital for a professional Finish.
What tools are recommended for squaring up a quilt?
To effectively square up a quilt, a few essential tools and a proper workspace are recommended. You'll need a large, flat work surface (like a clean table) to lay out the quilt to lay out the quilt sandwich or quilt top. A large cutting mat is indispensable, and old, worn-out mats can be useful as underlayers for very large quilts. The primary cutting tools include large acrylic rulers (a large square ruler is ideal, but two long rectangular rulers can be used to achieve a 90-degree angle) and a sharp rotary cutter.
What specific considerations are important when squaring up a quilt with points along the edges?
When squaring up a quilt that features design elements with points along it's outer edges, such as star patterns, it's crucial to take special care to avoid trimming off these points. The key is to ensure you leave sufficient seam allowance, typically a generous quarter-inch, beyond the points. Some quilters prioritize preserving these design elements over a achieving a perfectly square quilt top. In such cases, it's often advisable to start trimming from the points rather than a corner to ensure they are not "nipped," aiming to leave a small gap of background fabric to protect the integrity of the design.
What is the correct method for joining fabric strips to create longer borders or quilt backing, and why?
When joining fabric strips to create longer boarders or quilt backing, it is crucial to use a straight seam, seen on the straight of grain. This method ensures stability and prevents stretching. It is strongly advised not to sew border strips together on the diagonal, as this introduces a stretching point that can result in wavy borders. Similarly, the quilt backing must be sewn on the straight of grain. This can be obtained by making a small snip and then tearing the fabric. It will only tear across the straight of grain. This also can be obtained by using the selvedge as the seam edge, making sure the selvedge is well within the seam and trimmed away, then pressed open. This attention to detail ensures the backing lays flat and straight.
Sources: The below sources collectively offer comprehensive guidance on preparing and attaching quilt borders, alongside the crucial technique of squaring up a quilt for a professional finish.
- How to Correctly Add Quilt Borders! - Nancy's Notions
- How to Square Up a Quilt - Bryan House Quilts
- Mastering Quilt Borders and Squaring Techniques - unknown author
- Mastering Quilt Borders: Techniques and Purpose - Beth Cooper
- Mastering Quilt Borders: Techniques and Tips: Why are quilt borders important? - Beth Cooper
- Mastering Quilt Borders: Techniques for Professional Finish - Beth Cooper
- How to Prepare Quilt Borders - Blog Post - August 21, 2020 - Patterns and Tutorials by Susan
- Sewing the Boarders to your Quilt - Longarm University