Quilt borders define the frame for the quilt. Borders are visual balance elements, they protect the quilt edges, and they finish the design. But incorrectly attaching the borders is a widespread issue among quilters. They mostly get puckers, tucks, or wavy edges, which change the quilt's original appearance. To achieve clean, professional results, it is necessary to learn to accurately measure and compute the border length.
Why Improper Borders Cause Problems
Borders that are too long or short can create multiple issues:
- Quilts with excess fabric may puff or wave after quilting, creating uneven surfaces
- Borders that are too tight can pull on corners, causing puckers or tucks.
- Uneven or stretched edges compromise the overall structure, especially for quilts with multiple scrappy blocks, foundation paper-piecing units, or pre-cut layouts such as charm packs, layer cakes, and jelly rolls.
Many quilters have shared examples where a border that wasn’t measured correctly caused the quilt top to ripple, even after meticulous piecing. Quilting often presents these issues even when the piecing looks fine from a distance.
The Right Way to Measure Borders
If you want to avoid these problems, apply these experts' methods:
Measure From the Center
- Instead of measuring only the outer edge of the quilt, measure across the center.
- Quilts usually stretch or distort slightly when piecing; measuring through the center will account for this variation.
Calculate Border Length Accurately
- Add a bit of extra length to the measurement to account for seam allowances and small measurement differences.
- Cut your border strips using this total before attaching, making sure that the fit is comfortable but not stretched.
Avoid Stretched Edges
- Do not ever stretch the edges of the border to make the quilt fit.
- Allow the quilt to be fed under the presser foot to control the fabric smoothly.
Bias-cut borders provide flexibility for curves, while straight-grain borders ensure the standard quilt edges remain stable.
Tips to Maintain Accuracy
- Warping can be alleviated by thoroughly pressing the quilt top before attaching the borders.
- The border edge should have plenty of pins or clips used on it.
- Strips should be cut after measurements have been checked twice; this is particularly important when using pre-cuts like charm packs or layer cakes.
- Multiple measuring points should be taken along the edge and averaged to account for slight skewing.
The above-mentioned minuscule precautions will ensure no frustration later on and also that the quilt top does not get distorted during quilting.
Conclusion
Borders are more than a simple decorative feature; they are there to keep your quilt flat, ensure proper alignment, and provide high-quality support. Accurately measuring through the center, determining the length of the strip, and ensuring the edges do not stretch, because it will be important for a professional finish. Taking care of the small details like this, it is easier to make precise scrappy blocks, foundation paper-piecing units, and pre-cut layouts. Your binding, whether it is bias or straight, will also be neatly finished when attached.
Fabrics by the Creek has a great selection of high-quality fabrics, panels, and pre-cuts that not only match your borders but also your next quilting project, making your quilts look professional and polished.