Originally Posted by
DebbieG
My LAQ told me how to put the borders on to "square up the quilt" I religiously do it that way (measuring through the middle I cut my borders in strips through the width of my material and piece them using the diagonal seam, which allows a little "ease" as I'm stitching on my borders. I cut the borders to that middle of the quilt measurement, then half and quarter mark my borders, half and quarter mark my quilt then match the half and quarter marks up, pin, pin, pin and sew from the middle out.) It literally squares up the quilt...when you fold the quilt all the corners match, the sides are even and it lays flat when laid out. Almost any LAQ would be happy to explain it or demonstrate it until you understand it.
This is how I do it, too, because when I first began quilting, I found instructions online that described this method. And I'm nothing if not a rule follower! ;-) BUT, I do not always piece the borders using a diagonal seam. I really prefer the look of a straight seam and that's what I've been doing for my last five or six quilts. I realize there is less "ease" that way but it hasn't seemed to matter so far.