Need some border help please
#21
I have had the problem and what I found was my boarders were not square at the corners. Check to make sure they are square. I have started doing this every time and I have had not ruffling since then.
#22
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 547
I do longarming and teach soldier quilt volunteers. This is the way I teach it, and the method that works best for me. It always produces perfect borders.
Measure lengthwise center, and both sides of quilt. Add together, then divide by 3, to get average border length (this is important). Cut each side border this length. Lay border on top of quilt, smooth gently, and see which piece is larger, quilt or border? Then pin border on quilt, ends first, then center, then remaining. Now to sew, put larger piece on the bottom of machine, by the feed-dogs. (They will ease in the excess fabric very nicely.) Then sew, making sure you don't pull or stretch anything...let the machine do the work. Repeat for top and bottom borders, including the side borders when you measure.
If mitering the corners, use the measurements as the inside border measurements.
Hope this helps :)
Measure lengthwise center, and both sides of quilt. Add together, then divide by 3, to get average border length (this is important). Cut each side border this length. Lay border on top of quilt, smooth gently, and see which piece is larger, quilt or border? Then pin border on quilt, ends first, then center, then remaining. Now to sew, put larger piece on the bottom of machine, by the feed-dogs. (They will ease in the excess fabric very nicely.) Then sew, making sure you don't pull or stretch anything...let the machine do the work. Repeat for top and bottom borders, including the side borders when you measure.
If mitering the corners, use the measurements as the inside border measurements.
Hope this helps :)
#23
Originally Posted by donnajean
I don't see in your steps that you are checking to make sure quilt is squared up. I use the 12" square ruller to check corners & 24" ruler for sides. Does your quilt top lay flat before adding the borders?
Originally Posted by QuiltMania
No matter what I do, I can't get the @#%** borders to lay flat. They always have a bubble somewhere. I'd appreciate it if you folks would look over my process and tell me where I am going wrong. Here's what I've been doing for borders.
1. Press quilt with dry iron.
2. Measure quilt through middle (vertically and horizontally)
3. Add 2x width of that measurement and cut border strips to that length
4. Attach top and bottom borders
5. Attach side borders
1. Press quilt with dry iron.
2. Measure quilt through middle (vertically and horizontally)
3. Add 2x width of that measurement and cut border strips to that length
4. Attach top and bottom borders
5. Attach side borders
#24
Originally Posted by Scissor Queen
Ya know, I never measure and I never have wavy borders. I don't put my quilts together in rows though so they come out squarer to start with. Then when I sew the border on I always sew with the quilt on the bottom. I also fold my border in half and pin from the center to each end.
#25
Originally Posted by sewjean
Originally Posted by Scissor Queen
Ya know, I never measure and I never have wavy borders. I don't put my quilts together in rows though so they come out squarer to start with. Then when I sew the border on I always sew with the quilt on the bottom. I also fold my border in half and pin from the center to each end.
The biggest plus of all is you only have the whole quilt on the machine once.
#26
I never measure....well, I do measure so I know I have enough border, but I don't cut it to "fit" before I sew it on! Just make sure you have enough border, sew with the quilt on the bottom and sew from top to bottom. I never have wavy borders. Oh, I also never pin...I hate pins. I also NEVER stretch the border. I just lay it on and sew away.
#27
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Colfax, LA
Posts: 346
Could be you tensions (bottom & top) aren't even on your machine. Check your manual to remedy this problem. You may want to use a rolling foot, too. Ruffling of the border is probably a problem with one layer (border or pieced top) getting stretched more than the other.
Another hint: spray the edges of your pieced top and iron them flat (again) before applying the spray starched and ironed border.
Another hint: spray the edges of your pieced top and iron them flat (again) before applying the spray starched and ironed border.
#28
When I sew the borders on I go to a slightly larger stitch than for piecing. Because you are sewing long seams sometimes the machine stitching tightens in places because of the way you guide the fabric thru or start & stopping, so when I loosen it by 3 stitches it takes care of that happening. I try to sew without stopping and simply let the machine pull the fabric thru. I have never had a wavy border
#29
Power Poster
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 15,639
I measure down the center and pin the border (cut to that dimension) first on each end, then in the middle, then in half again, then in half again......If there is any discrepancy between the border and the outer side of the top, the difference will be absorbed or adjusted for evenly. If I don't pin, it has a tendency to get wonky. Once the sides are on, I press the seam and repeat the step for the other side.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
terri bb
Pictures
107
10-23-2012 03:02 PM