How wide should my border be?
05-03-2018, 01:37 PM
#1
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Location: North Carolina
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How wide should my border be?
Just pulled out my long finished (I thought) Allietare flimsy to prepare for quilting and realized I'd stopped at the narrow inner border. I've already tossed the instructions so don't know how wide that last outer border was supposed to be. Can anyone tell me? Don't know if its okay to even ask since the instructions are now in book form. I was thinking six or eight inches. Thanks for any help. Trying to finish up all my ufo's and not have to keep hauling them around when we move!
05-03-2018, 01:59 PM
#3
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Location: Ontario, Canada
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Originally Posted by Boston1954
I always let my eyes tell me how wide to make the borders. Are you needing it a certain size, or are you just wanting to frame up the main body of the top?
WishfulThinking ... remember? there are no rules!!!
What is "right" for you and your quilt .... is all that matters.
What Boston1954 or myself or others think is appealing may be gawd-awful to your.
As Boston asked, is there a size you want the finished quilt to be?? ...
... then that may help determine the border size.
Sometimes mine is determined by how much fabric I have left.
Sometimes a quilt does not need a border.
More so, I audition some possibilities and then pick what speaks to me as being "right".
Just because you have used a designer's pattern, does not mean you MUST border it up the way that they planned. Take a look at others completions online for inspiration. Yes, Mr. Google can help you with that!
So go with your ♥ and you will get what you want.
Last edited by QuiltE; 05-03-2018 at 02:02 PM.
05-03-2018, 02:51 PM
#4
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Thanks for your replies! I'm not interested in a particular size. I really just want to get this thing finished and out of my life! I don't particularly care for it. But it does need another border to look finished and while I know I can do whatever I want, I've been known to make a mistake or two when left to my own devices, so thats why I was asking for help. Thanks again!
05-03-2018, 03:33 PM
#5
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I understand your rationale.
However, consider this ... I have no idea what the quilt is like!
Plus even the same quilt made with different fabrics, can have a totally different look.
Consider what you didn't like from your past experiences ...
... and use that to help you with this one.
Experience really is a great teacher.
Like I suggested earlier ... ask Mr. Google.
He is a pretty good helper!
However, consider this ... I have no idea what the quilt is like!
Plus even the same quilt made with different fabrics, can have a totally different look.
Consider what you didn't like from your past experiences ...
... and use that to help you with this one.
Experience really is a great teacher.
Like I suggested earlier ... ask Mr. Google.
He is a pretty good helper!
05-04-2018, 03:34 AM
#10
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Central NJ
Posts: 5,570
I don't know what the quilt looks like either but generally speaking, I try my outer borders at about 1/2 of the block size. For example if the blocks are 6" finished I would see what a 3" finished border looked like with the quilt. Fold up some test fabric and lay along the quilt edge and see if that appeals to you. That ratio is generally most appealing to me.
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