I usually add borders to my quilts. I don't know about you, but by the time I have the interior finished, I'm mentally ready to be finished and on to the next project! The proper way to measure for a border strip is to measure the quilts center to find the length needed for the strip. Measuring this way will ensure that the quilt is brought back into 'square' if the sides are slightly different in lengths. Even a very small difference on each side will prevent the quilt from laying flat and square, and give your long arm quilter a few intense moments.
If I'm adding two borders, this means a lot of measuring and cutting at the cutting table. I measure the quilt's center with a tape measure top to bottom...move to the cutting table and cut the borders for the sides. Sew them on and repeat the measuring and cutting, etc. I've discovered a little bit of a shortcut that cuts at a couple of steps out of the process!
First of all, let me show you a really great shortcut for the initial cutting of the borders!
Enter my Accuquilt Go! Cutter and the 2 1/2" strip die (oh yeah, this will cut my binding, too)! I've just added Accuquilt products to my quilt shop, A Stitch in Time, and I'm in love! There are tons of different dies available and the basic strip cutters are must haves!
So, on to applying the borders. After I've sewn the strips together as needed for a ball park length, I simply lay the quilt on the floor (if it's too big for my work table), and lay the first two border strips across the center of the quilt. Next, I slip a rotary mat underneath the edge of the quilt so that I can cut my borders at the perfect length right there! Skip the measuring tape, skip moving to the cutting table to cut the strips, skip forgetting what the measurement was and re-measuring...twice...just cut them and sew them on! Press them and lay the quilt back down and place border strips across the opposite center for the next two borders. I'm cutting the first two strips in the picture below.
Voila! Borders made easy! Thanks for visiting! God bless.
