On the next quilt I am making, I thought it would be fun to have a 4 -5 inch border around the backing. Since I am sure that someone on this board has done this, What are your suggestions, helps and things you have learned while doing it ? I actually bought my first bolt of fabric for this quilt. I am ready to get it done and on my bed. I usually just lay the backing down on the floor, tape it down and lay the batting and the top on it. Never measure for it, just cut off the extra. That is why I am asking this question. Thanks

On my medieval themed quilt I'm thinking of putting a couple of different borders on the back. I don't see why you couldn't.

How do you get the borders to come out where they're supposed to? I usually just trim off the extra, too. Is there a "trick" to measuring accurately so when you layer it it's centered? Thanks, Quiltingfan for the great question.

Sketch out what you want the back to look like. Get a rough idea what size you want the borders to be. You need to figure out if you can do the center in one piece or piece it to a larger size. Once you've got the center figured out, you can add borders to get it to the size you want it. I'd make it about 6" larger both length & width than the top's overall size. Mark the center length and width of both the top and bottom. You can align the centers when you sandwich the quilt.

Hope this helps and not confuses you. I might be able to draw it out later, but have to go - company's coming.

This si the tricky part. The best way i could get it to fit is make a rather wide border. Aslo first spray baste the top to the batting, then cut off all excess batting around the edge of the top, next lay the top with the batting stuck to it face down and center the back over it and carefully spray baste into place. Not as perfect but you will get your border on the back. Maybe some one else has a better method. Anna

face down

If I am fitting it to one of my beds I would square the backing, position the backing on the bed where I want it to wind up then I would measure what width the (?sashing?) borders (plus seam allowance) need to be to bring it out to what I want it to wind up being.
/Regards, Dorothy

I've done this before. I fold my quilt in half and then fold it again to find the center. I also do this with my backing fabric to find the center before borders and then add my borders to the size I want. When I sandwich it, I do the exact same thing to find the center and carefully line up backing with the top. That way the quilt is centered with the backing fabric.

When I took my 1st quilt to my long armer she was glad I had not put a border on the back because if your quilt is not square the border would not be even all the way around.
Do you think she was telling me that it was not square??? LOL She said that is one of the reasons they ask for the extra on the batting and fabric on the back - to square the quilt up. I doubt I will ever have a bigger quilt be square, so I guess no border on the back for me.

Great tip! Thanks for sharing.

great suggestions so far. I think I am learning a lot from everyone here, because I actually understand the suggestions. Happy dance...