Originally Posted by vivsqt

I have taught many quilting classes on this very subject. When you cut your triangles out, did you cut one large square then cut that into quarters, corner to corner. That would give you a straight of grain edge on the outside of the triangles. Your corner triangles are cut from one large square and then cut once in half from corner to corner, which will give you a straight of grain on the outside edges. After piecing your top together always measure down the center of the quilt from top to bottom to get your measurement and across the center from side to side to get your measurement. Sometimes that number is smaller than your outer edge of your quilt. If your quilt edge measurement is not too much larger then try to ease the quilt top into that border measurement to keep your quilt square. Before applying your borders, cut how many border strips are required for your quilt top, sew the strips together as needed for each side of your quilt, then before you cut your strips to size, press them with an iron, then cut your border strips to your measurement. Remember to measure the opposite borders after the first set of borders have been appplied. Meaning some like to put the top and bottom borders on first and some like to put the side borders on first. After the first set of borders have been applied then measure down or across (which ever applies) the center of the quilt to get your next border measurement. Do these steps with each border applied to your quilt top. I hope this makes sense. Good Luck!