Originally Posted by
Gabrielle's Mimi
I agree with knismith, well said. However, I suggest to my quilt students that if the quilt is a rectangle, add the side borders first, then the top and bottom. If you do the top and bottom first, you end up with very long side pieces. Doing the sides first creates an impression of the quilt looking a bit more square. (It's sort of like why tall, thin girls don't wear vertical stripes, and why we chubby girls don't wear horizontal stripes.) Also, depending on the amount of border fabric you have, it may be more practical not to have to try to cut very long pieces for the long sides if you do them last. So, sides first.
I add sides first, but THIS is why I do it. I think, particularly for a quilt that is longer than wide, it makes it look like it has a "cap" on it, rather than looking like an "empty bottle". I think the top and bottom borders "finish it", if you understand that reasoning. Same result - different reason !
