About Pieced Borders
 

I see them and look in awe. I think I want to do one someday, but I wonder if you worry about them matching at the ends, or corners. Do you just put it together, or plan greatly so that it comes out even?

You need to plan -- if your quilt top isn't divisible by the size of your block then you can add a "spacer" border so it all fits together. I'm sure someone will be able to explain it a whole lot better than I can.

and a hint to help it fit from Bonnie Hunter's lecture last week: if the blocks are straight set, use a straight set border. if the blocks are on point, use an on point border. early in my quilting life, i put a seminole border on a straight set quilt... ugh! had a devil of a time making it fit.

There's a wonderful book: "The Border Workbook" by Janet Kime in it there are lots of borders with instructions on how to make them fit your quilt.
http://www.amazon.com/Border-Workboo...order+workbook
The original version of the book was mostly black & white, but you can get a used inexpensive copy:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listi...qid=1411412970

If you are into Craftsy there is a good class on borders which talks about how to plan and fit pieced borders. I found it very informative.

I plan so the borders will match. When I fail, (pretty often), I put a spacer block with a cool applique in the corner so it looks like I want it that way. :D

Pat Speth has a book out for nickel quilts and boarders. Lot of great ideas how to pick a pieced border to match the quilt

I purchased this class and I agree with bjchad-- it was very, very informative. I have to admit that I haven't actually done any of the pieced borders yet, but she explains the "floater" border concept to get everything to fit.

Since Jan there has been a thread right here on QB. Each month several different blocks were offered. They tell you how to make sure they fit your quilt size. Elisabrat's Medallion Style Quilt Along! Hope this works as a link for you. My top quilt is finished and I'm quite pleased with it. I just need to sandwich and finish before Christmas. Hope this helps.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/blocks-...36801-167.html maybe this will help. Sorry not sure how to do that.

For me it depends on the quilt. I do a lot of scrappy quilts, and for scrappy quilts I usually throw in at least one scrappy-pieced border (if I have borders at all). Those I usually just make extra long and then chop down to size.

If it's a non-scrappy or a very controlled scrappy, I measure out and either adjust the block size to fit, or I'll divide the border into halves or quarters or thirds and use specifically-sized "key" blocks in between each segment to make it all work out.

Mostly I just sorta fly by the seat of my pants and figure it out as I go, though. My quilts are pretty casual so that works for me. :) MOST of my quilts have no borders at all.

I agree with Nammie, you need to have a plan. That is why I love EQ. But then you must constantly check that your seams are all correct, otherwise then you will have to add a spacer. I try to match the spacer with the corner block, that way it doesn't like like a mistake.

I have done this a few ways. I like medallion quilts!

The easy way is to make the border, measure it, than calculate the size of the 'filler' border you need to make it fit, then put the filler border in first.

Another way is to 'float' the blocks with surrounding sashing or just sashing between the blocks so that they come to the right length to match the border. That is trickier because you have to play with the filler sashing size between the blocks to get the math right, but it can work when the sashing in the color of the outer bit of the block and it can be tweaked so the length of border is correct. And it may require a clever corner block or a plain filler block.

The worst way in my opinion is to try to change the size of the blocks in the border so they add up. That can be too much tweaking.

A clever thing to do is in the Stars for a New Day by Sue Garman where she floats the outer border of stars. To me, that is lovely.

I guess the net net from my view, is WING IT! :)

Lately I made a pieced border of pinwheels made from the triangles I trimmed off of the snowball blocks in the body of the quilt. I did not have enough pinwheels to go all the way around, so I divided them between opposite corners, then I finished the rest of the length of each side with a matching fabric border. I've noticed other quilts done this way too, so I hope the quilt police do not come after me. I've decided that it is a great way to go with pieced borders. It doesn't have to come out even and I can just trim to fit at the non-pieced end.

I respectfully disagree with Bonnie. I think opposites can add lots of visual interest. Case in point: one of my Drunkard's Path quilts. The center blocks are straight; the border is on point. As you can see, there IS a gap.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/attachm...d=492914&stc=1

I have several choices here. I can add strips of the white polka dot to the border to make it fit, which would be very easy. But I auditioned several options - a single solid strip of green, two solid strips, one pink one yellow, some of the coordinating stripe.... on and on. This is what I ended up going with:

http://www.quiltingboard.com/attachm...d=492915&stc=1

Another Drunkard's Path example: in this one I just added a plain black strip to both sides of the block border to make it fit.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/attachm...d=492916&stc=1

I am a daredevil, I take a chance and then if it doesn't fit I "fix" it by adding a corner post or a spacer. Works for me as I am math challenged and I am always wrong in my calculations and that is why I love applique!

Peckish, those Drunkard's Paths are awesome!

Thank you so much for sharing the link. I have already ordered the book. I want to learn to do something other than plain borders, but I am a bit new at this and have been afraid to try something I was not confident about.

I LOVE your quilt. It is so vibrant and alive!

Thanks for all the links .. Thanks for the information ladies

Here's a tutorial I did for figuring out the size of the "coping strips" needed. It might be helpful.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/tutoria...s-t137638.html

Looks helpful. Thanks.