The other day on another thread someone mentioned that when the WOF isn't the same length as the quilt top, they piece on the diagonial instead of just putting two pieces together and making a straight seam.

Is there an advantage to this method?????

Depending on the fabric used your seam may be less obvious if on the diagonal.

When looking at the finished quilt the diagonal seam is almost invisible. It seems your eye will be drawn to the staight cut.

Personally I don't like diagonal seams in the borders. If you have a 6 inch wide border every one of those seams wastes 6 inches of fabric. I think it's also easier to match a pattern with a straight seam. I don't think the diagonal seams are any less visible either since they're so much longer than a straight seam.

I don't think you lose 6 inches..It's like an optical illusion. what you lose on one side you gain on the other. the only time you lose inches is when you have to match a pattern in the fabric. try it with paper..you'll see what I mean. Anne

You cut a triangle off of each piece. Put those two triangles together and you'll have a 6 inch square if your border is six inches.

One time several of us were putting together our guild opportunity quilt. I measured the quilt and figured how much yardage we needed for the borders. One of our other members ran over to the quilt shop and got the fabric. She cut and started the borders. She had to go back to the quilt store twice for more fabric! I double and tripled checked my figures and knew I was right. Then I found out she was using diagonal seams to join the borders!! Yes, you lose a square the same width as your fabric every time you do a diagonal seam.

Personal preference, but I don't like diagonal seams. They don't seem to be as sturdy.

I wasn't considering the pieces (corners). I thought you meant the length.

[quote=mom-6]Depending on the fabric used your seam may be less obvious if on the diagonal.
what she said :-D
good luck
katz

It is only wasted if you throw it away or never use it. I have always ended up using those scraps in other projects or elsewhere in the same project. A triangle that big has loads of uses.