Barb2018

I've made garments and am familiar with the concept of staystitching an edge to prevent a piece of fabric from distorting or stretching. Does anyone know if doing this on a quilt border strip will prevent the edge from stretching or becoming wavy? I've just done it on some borders I cut on the crosswise grain and I'm planning on cutting them to the exact size I need but would like any info as sometimes I don't measure them and just cut them off at the edges. Thanks, and Happy Saturday!

Jane Quilter

staystitching is a stabilizing technique for curves in garment sewing. It helps but does not "prevent" anything, esp squareness or stretching. In quiltmaking, I would cut boarders on the straight of grain and measure accurately. You can stay stitch around the edge, using a walking foot, but the binding and/or final measurement has to be taken though the middle of the quilt and the edges eased or stretched to maintain that measurement and thus the squaresness of the quilt which may be pulled out of squareness by the density of quilting among other factors.

PaperPrincess

You often stay stitch the perimeter of a quilt that has a lot of pieces in the border or the border is not cut on the grain but this is often done after the border is attached. As far as avoiding wavy borders, the best thing you can do is measure your quilt, cut the border to size & apply. Cutting it long, then sewing it on & whacking off the excess is not a good practice. Many people measure the quilt in the center, and both edges, then average the 3 measurements to get the border size.

marjben

0

I’m not doubting you, but wonder why. Will you please explain?

quiltingshorttimer

marjben--when you just sew long and whack off excess, you are not getting a square quilt. By measuring (either using the middle two measures or by measuring sides and middle and averaging) you are basically forcing the quilt into a uniform shape, which in turn allows your quilts to lay flat.
When you take those measurements you are able to see if there is a problem with the "squareness" of the quilt--whether there is a need for trimming or re-sewing to take in excess. then your borders can be attached so that the corners are square. I was taught a quick way to see if there are major problems before you take your 3 measurements is to fold the top (without borders) into quarters--if the corners don't meet when folded carefully, you have problems! Also I was taught that difference in measurements of 2 sides & middle should not differ more than a 1/4" from your average--which can easily be eased in. Hope that makes sense (although I have to admit when making table toppers, etc I have been known to "whack off excess" on borders!)

marjben

quiltingshorttimer - thanks so much for explaining it to me, that makes perfect sense.

Rhonda K

One of my first classes taught us to stay-stitch borders and quilts.

I always stay-stitch borders and quilt edges using a 2.0 length. Then press the edges again and sew together. I also pin at half-way points and then at 4 or 5 inch segments along the border. It doesn't add much time or effort to the project. I also square up corners after adding borders if needed.

For me stay-stitching locks down the fabric and prevents possible stretching. Generally quilts are within a 1/4 inch when ready to quilt.

It's not for everyone, but it works for me.

Teen

Just sharing......I always square my quilt before I put on borders to avoid the wavy mess. I don't have a problem, typically, with making borders long and cutting excess but I make that determination with each quilt on whether I need to measure or if I can whack off excess. With wide (4"+) borders, as a rule, I measure and cut to exactness.

I staystictch only on the areas that have a seam so that my longarmer doesn't pull stitches when placing on frame. She tells me it's not necessary since she bastes it but I do it anyway because it still pulls on those seams and I've had to hand stitch a couple of seams after quilting. I'm all about prevention. Lol! Stay stitching does nothing to prevent wavy borders...

Barb in Louisiana

The only time I stay stitch is if I have a lot of seams on the very outside of a quilt before quilting. These don't have extra borders to stabilize the blocks.

For borders, I measure the border length, then cut, then fold that in half and then fold again so that the border is in quarters. I mark the same measurements on my quilt top and pin at those points before sewing. I, also, keep a slight pressure on the fabrics making sure that they pull equally. And...I cut my borders on grain if I can. I have more problems with WOF borders. They are too stretchy for me.

edited to add:
If I am waiting on border fabric for a top that has a lot of seams on the outside or if the fabric frayed badly, I will stay stitch at 2.0 stitch length, to keep anything from loosening with me handling it while I am waiting. Some fabrics I have sewed with frayed so badly, that I have done a secondary, wavy line at the 1/8 inch mark to stop the fraying. It's funny how you find that out after you have sewn too many blocks to want to change them all out.

Barb2018

Thanks, that's my thinking.