Ran short-need help matching pattern

Well sure. Take one of your pieces and smooth it out flat on your cutting table, right side up. Take the other piece and press under about ½" under to allow for stitching a seam. Move the 2nd piece across the one already on the cutting table until they are just perfect. You may have to reverse directions; that is, if it's just not looking right for you, maybe you need to turn the end around - or stand on the other side of the table to get all of the b'flies swooping in the same direction. Very carefully, make sure nothing moves before you go to the SM. Gently turn the top piece back and pin, tape or glue it so it stays exactly where you've placed it. Use the pressed-crease for your seam line. Any questions? Polly

There are several ways you can go with this. You can try to match it perfectly... best way I know is to turn under the raw edge of one piece and then scoot it into a position to where it matches the other piece. You may need to adjust the fold- how to explain this? It could happen if you turn the raw edge under 1/4 in. you may need to waste 12 in. of the other border piece to get the match but if you turn under the edge 2 in. you may get a match with only a 3 in. overlap- depending on what matches what- I hope that made some sense??? Then I would use an applique stitch by hand or machine to sew the two pieces together. Trying to turn the two pieces right sides together and stitch it would risk coming 'un-matched', but if you 'must' to do it that way, use a long basting stitch until you have your perfect match and then use a normal piecing stitch.

Another thought is to cut both ends of the border prices on the diagonal and insert another different fabric from the quilt into the diagonal seam- if you can't match it then contrast it. That's always a better choice than a kinda/halfway matched seam.

Third would be to just sew it together without matching and then applique a butterfly or two or a flower and butterfly over the seam to camouflage it. You could use an applique butterfly pattern to make one or fussy cut one from the print- either using a fusible on the back or cutting a seam allowance around the butterfly and turning the edge under.

One trick I used on my horse-pital quilt is to insert a label into the seam- no matching needed there!

Good luck! Let us know how it goes!

I had to match up a print for a border, over the entire 10 foot length. First I carefully folded and pressed one piece along the meeting point line, folding wrong sides together. Then I laid the un-pressed piece right side up. Then laid the pressed piece over it so I could match the pieces by simply sliding the top one. I picked one of the repeating parts of the print, matched it up and pinned them together in the seam allowance. Repeated until it was pinned along the whole length. I was still worried about the pieces slipping while sewing so I used a glue stick to stick the whole seam line together in the seam allowance. I let the glue dry then sewed the seam. The results were well worth the effort, and the Elmer's glue stick glue will wash out in the first wash after the quilt is finished. Debra in VA See my quilts at

that was a clever idea adding the contrast strip, Leslie. i also thot make each side half butterfly fabric and half contrast with a diagonal join(opposite angles on each side maybe?), if that makes sense. tis still early, not had breakfast yet and only on first cuppa so it might not, even if i can see it in my head, lol. cant wait to see what you decide on. got pix of that top yet? now what to get for breakfast, hmmmm. jeanne

And, then, when it's quilted, you won't even be able to 'feel' the join. Thanks for letting us know your result. Glad you got the solution to work. . In message , A SHEARER writes

If you want it to really stay put, use a lengthof tape right over the fold -I recommend micropore medical tape, or masking tape in a pinch, or whatever will not leave any residue. Then unfold that piece and stitch 1 thread away from the crease as Polly says. The tape will fold back on itself and not get caught in the seam. Remember to remove it before you press! Roberta in D

"Polly Esther" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news: snipped-for-privacy@corp.supernews.com...

Rather than drive yourself nuts trying to match the pattern, why not just join it anyoldhow and applique something over the join? Which is what I did on one of the DDs quilts I'm doing at the mo - you almost can't see the join.