Thread: ??? About piecing a border?

My ? is should I do a diagonal pieceing or just straight across the border? The border needs to be 92 inches and I have 72 inches straight of grain.

I have never pieced a border before except when I was using multiple fabrics such as piano keys. I have always used straight of grain. This time I have put myself in a situation where I have enough fabric just not enough to use one piece straight of grain. It is a print but looks like a solid and I can probably match the print.

I do not want to buy more fabric, even if I could find it, because I already have enough. (Did I just say that!).

On borders I've always done straight across....I do diagonal on bindings though. I don't try to hard to match the print because one it is pressed and quilted, it is often very hard for me to find!

If I have to piece a border, I determine a quilting design that will end up with a line of stitching right in the seam. It really makes it so you cannot readily see the join. If the quilting design is going to be straight across, then I do a straight join. If I want to do a diagonal quilting design then diagonal join.
Sometimes I put an element from the quilt top into the border so the design comes out to the quilt edge in a couple of spots that totally disguise a border join.

I've done diagonal piecing on borders, in fact my first quilt pattern called for diagonal piecing. The border was a print and you could not see the join at all.

I prefer a diagonal seam unless the design is one that I can match. Then I do a straight seam.

FOr show quilts I use a diagonal seam, for regular bed quilts, I use a straight across seam. Since I don't make show quilts, it has been an easy call. Bindings on the other hand are always diagonal. tim in san jose

I always do continuous bias binding so those are diagonal seams. Thanks for the info I am learning a lot. Keep it coming.