Thread: wavy boarders...

I just finished a top and the boarders were so wavy,I have made maybe 50 quilts. I have never had this to happen, I used 2 colors in this top but different shades and fabric patterns( all batiks) the biggest boarder was finished 4 and 1/2 inches and was 1/2 square triangles pieced together and 2 other boarders were cut 2 and 1/2 inches. All was measured and sewn, quilt top on the top one side, sewing down and the boarder on top on the other side sewing up. and the next boarder was sewn in the other direction, as I was taught. Once again, I have never had any trouble with wavy boarders ,what could have caused this? I have only worked with batiks 2 times. Does this usually happen with this type of fabric ,what did I do wrong?

How did you measure to determine the length of each BORDER strip? Three places on the top:...top, bottom and center....cutting each BORDER the average of those three numbers, if there was a discrepancy.......dealing with three borders sewing each one individually is tricky......too bad you can't sew the border strips together, then sew to top mitering the corners..... Got to get those waves out now..will just look worse if quilted with all that fullness....

Geri B, Sorry about the spelling, long late evenings. yes I measure top, bottom and middle and ease any difference in. I was only 1/4 inch off all 3 measurements. I could not sew the borders together because of the design I want to have with the 1/2 square triangles. Like I said I had never had this happen before. Thank you so much for your help.

If I am doing more than one border, I always sew the borders together and then attach the boder unit in one step. Sewing borders on one by one, I always ended up with some waves.

If I use 2 or more borders I always sew them together first & mitre the corners. Take the 3 measurements - top, bottom & middle - take the average of the 3 lengths & then I subtract 1/4". Haven't had a wavy border since I started doing it this way.

Maybe it's in the 1/2 square triangles (just a guess). I'm a batiks exclusive gal and haven't had a problem with them (yet). I love Tartan's idea of sewing all the borders together as one unit and then putting them on the quilt. Great idea.

Originally Posted by toverly

Maybe it's in the 1/2 square triangles (just a guess). I'm a batiks exclusive gal and haven't had a problem with them (yet). I love Tartan's idea of sewing all the borders together as one unit and then putting them on the quilt. Great idea.

I did use 1/2 square triangles for one border, there is a good chance I turned these around or up side down to get the design I wanted. I like working with batiks and didn't want this to make me shy away from them.