Need help figuring out borders, please

Hello Ed.Maybe you havent added on the 1/2" to all your cut squares/rectangles. You do need to add it on to all of them.HTH .

There is a calculator on here.

Your math is correct, Ed. Perhaps the measuring was not accurate? Or, more likely, the seam allowance is not exactly 1/4 inch when sewn.

Borders are complicated, due to those two issues.

To check the measuring question, be sure that the side you have measured is the side being sewn. There are those who suggest doing three measurements, each edge and then the center, taking the average of those measurements and using that as the official length.

To check the seam width, do some test stitching on pieces with a known size, iron as usual and measure again.

Good luck!

Ed from AZ wrote:

Ed, it sounds like there is a "problem" somewhere, probably in the measuring. Possibly in the sewing on of the borders. First, I hope you are measuring in the middle of the quilt, not the edges. Note: I don't use a tape measure to measure my borders, I actually measure the cut border width to the quilt. I, personally, have some problems when "translating" from the tape to fabric. So what follows is what I would do. Cut my border widths for the long sides at the length I "think" I need, plus a couple inches. Piece in the squares, in the middle of the short sides, and evenly space from the middle on the longer sides, if they aren't precisely 1/3;2/3 that is okay, as long as they match. Press borders and top well. Fold quilt in half. Depending on size I may fold it in quarters, lengthwise and crosswise. Fold borders in half. I do both "same" borders at the same time, but fold them separately. Carefully line up the folds of the border with the fold of the top at the middle. carefully smooth to cut edge. Don't stretch anything. Mark edge of quilt on borders. You can cut the ends now if you like. But... if you aren't positive about everything, you can wait and cut the excess off after sewing, except for the sides that are going to have cornerstones, and I have been known to sew those borders to the quilt, almost to the edge and then add the cornerstones, but that is a real pain. (If there are to be cornerstones on the borders, I repeat now for the other direction. If no cornerstones, wait to do the other sides after putting the first pair of borders on the quilt.) Keep border folded to mark centers and fold each side in to mark quarter points. Fold each quarter and mark "eighth points" if you need to. Now fold correct edge of quilt and mark same points. Carefully pin border at these match points.... center out in each direction, matching end mark on the border to the edge of the quilt. Then sew with the border on top. If the edge of the quilt is a bit "longer" than the border, sewing with it against the feeddogs will help it ease in. Also, since it probably has more pieces, it is more likely to stretch from the pressure foot pressure. Press to the border, and trim ends of borders if you didn't trim them earlier. Using this method avoids a lot of "stuff" that can cause problems. Hope it helps.

Pati, in Phx

Ed from AZ wrote:

Thanks to all who replied.

Estelle - Thank you for the calculator page!!!

Pati - I'm trying to follow your directions for the long side. Let me see if I have this:

-- Find the 1/3 and 2/3 spots for the squares on one side and sew the squares on.

-- Fold the top in half and sew the squares to the other side in the same spots.

-- Piece in the border strips in between the squares.

-- Put cornerstone squares on last.

Does it make a difference whether the long side or the short side is done first?

(PS - We were up in Phx a few weeks ago, and visited the QUilted Apple and Cotton Fields. Wonder if we might have met?)

Ed

Ed,

Math is not my strong suit, but it seems that you are missing 1/4 inch from your strip on the short end. They would have 1/4 inch seam on both ends, the end that joins the corner block and the end that joins the center block, right? In any event, I think the method suggested by Pati C. is the best for finishing these borders.

Judie

Ed from AZ wrote:

Oops, I think I confused you. Sew the squares into the border strip so you have a long pieced border. If they have to match a particular place on the edge of the top, sew, then measure with each seam. Fold quilt and border strip to find centers/quarters/etc. pin entire border on before sewing one long seam. Make sure the squares are in the same place for each border strip. When you have your pieced border, minus the corners check it against the middle of the quilt, don't forget the seam allowance. Sew on the cornerstones and apply the borders.

As for Cottonfields and The Apple, haven't been to either for quite a while. sigh. On a serious fabric budget. (Besides I get a better discount at the shop where I teach.)

Next time you are heading up/down let me know and perhaps we can plan a meet up. (I forget where you said you were here in AZ. :( )

Pati, > Thanks to all who replied.

Thanks again, Pati. I think I've got it now. I'll shout back if we sew ourselves into a corner!!

Ed

PS - We're > Oops, I think I confused you. Sew the squares into the border strip