Border length Way off.
#11
Take a good look at the blocks in the quilt. It might be a case of a few of the blocks being cut a little 'off'--not quite square. 1 1/2 inches is a lot of difference in a baby quilt. I think I would lay it out and go over the whole thing with a ruler, checking to see where the problem originated, before doing anything with the borders.
#12
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Central Iowa
Posts: 2,347
I would remeasure the quilt and the borders to make sure there was no mistake. I have done that and found I had in deed made a mistake. You also could make cornerstones for the corners it would involve cutting the border and then adding the cornerstones it would not look silly.
#16
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Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,857
That is an awful lot to ease in. Do something 'on purpose' to make the borders longer. Cut them in half and add a piece in the middle of each, cut in thirds and add a piece (my favorite for balance) or do something in each corner. The point being, make it look like a design element instead of a mistake - no one will every know!
#17
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 15,639
Measure across the quilt toward each edge and in the middle. Add those three dimensions together and divide by 3. That gives you an average. Then cut your border to that average length. That should be less to have to ease.
Also, make sure to distribute the extra across the entire width (I usually mark both pieces in the center and between again). Then I pin A LOT. Make sure to put the longer piece to the bottom as the feed dogs will help pull in the extra fabric. If you are worried that it won't work, you can always run the seam with a LARGE basting stitch (like 5mm). That way you can take it out EASILY if it doesn't work. And if it does work, you just sew over it again with a regular stitch.
Also, make sure to distribute the extra across the entire width (I usually mark both pieces in the center and between again). Then I pin A LOT. Make sure to put the longer piece to the bottom as the feed dogs will help pull in the extra fabric. If you are worried that it won't work, you can always run the seam with a LARGE basting stitch (like 5mm). That way you can take it out EASILY if it doesn't work. And if it does work, you just sew over it again with a regular stitch.
Last edited by MadQuilter; 01-13-2018 at 10:36 AM.
#18
It sounds like a bias problem that has been pressed wrong to me. Those little buggers grow by themselves if you just look at them wrong. I would go with the color key in the middle of the border too. It may add a little interest too.
#20
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Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Vancouver Island, Beautiful BC
Posts: 2,090
I am curious which pattern did you use? I made a quilt with lots of bias edges, squared the blocks, went on a 2 month trip, came home and the blocks were no longer 8.5 inches. I was not impressed. I sewed it together and although it should have been square, each of the 4 sides was a different length.
By this point done is far more important than square.
By this point done is far more important than square.
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cjtinkle
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12-29-2014 08:53 PM