Some say put your sides on first, then the top and bottom...or top and bottom first then the sides...what is a confused quilter to do and why??? Why does it matter??I keep thinking if you pull the quilt to your chin while it is covering you, which way would be less stressfull? Or does that have anything to do w/it at all??Please tell! Skeat

*This would be quilt of blocks..then a solid (lets say) 6" border all the way around...if it even matters:))

I put sides on first, then top & bottom. It seems to me to look better that way.

This, like all quilting things, is a personal choice.. No right or wrong way to do it.

Putting the sides on first tends to make the quilt look more proportioned as the seam at the top and bottom break up the long lines of the sides.

However, there is another consideration.. if you are cutting your borders from a single lenght of fabric, rather than piecing from cuts across the width of the fabric, You will need more yardage if you put the sides on last as you will need the full length of the quilt.. Where as if you put the sides on first, you dont need the extra of the top and bottom borders included.

I do sides first, too. No particular reason, but I got into the habit when I used to do breadboard ends a lot. I like that look.

Yes, I am with Katrine on that too. I put sides on first, just seems logical to me. Actually can´t see it matters which way you do it.

Have been told by those in high places that you put your border on after it is quilted.

Elle

Hmmm Elle, I have never heard that one.. How high?...lol

Then how do you quilt the border when you do the rest of the quilt?? Are they "high" ON something??? :lol: :lol:

I put the sides on first, not that I guess it matters...

I put my sides on first save on fabric. I ue to do my top and botoms first. But I had to add on to the sides.

There is one more option... I usually tend to mitter my borders.

Maria

The borders can be added after the main quilt is quilted if you leave enough batting and backing to go under it, and you plan to do a different quilting pattern to your border. I don't do that. Can you imagine trying to mitter a border with the bulk of an already quilted quilt?

Sides first, top and bottom last. Looks more balanced to me (even though most of my quilts are square! :roll: ) Kind of like columns between the roof and the floor... :oops:

I always do the sides first too, for the reason Judy stated about the amount of fabric. Even if I am using cornerstone blocks I do the sides first.

Sides on first for me. Reason- the books I've been using tell me to do it that way. :-)

If I am doing a square quilt I've gone around like you would a log cabin. I usually do sides then top & bottom also though.

It's a matter of preference....but I put sides on first. It's more eye appealing to me for the top and bottom border to extend to the edge of the quilt.

It's a matter of preference....but I put sides on first. It's more eye appealing to me for the top and bottom border to extend to the edge of the quilt. I've cut those darn borders a few times and ended up with borders too short...then I can always use those for the top and bottom and still have enough fabric.

Are you thinking of the binding? That goes on after quilting.

If I'm doing square corners on my borders, then I put the longer sides on first, whether it be the top and bottom, or the sides.

If I'm mitering corners, which is my preference, I just put two opposites on, then the other two, because there is NO way to tell in the end.

The square corners definitely look different.

Kara

Hmmmmm well I kinda meant those that have been quilting for 100 years or so.......and always know best, you know what I mean . LOL LOL

I think (now mind you, I'm not even close to being an expert) that the reason most people put the sides on first is that the quilts themselves are usually rectangular in shape, with the "long" edges being the sides. So if you put the sides on first (unless you are mitering), you will use less material than if you put the top and bottom on (length + width of border instead of just the length)

Did I explain my thought clearly enough? :oops:

Yes, you did, Lee, and that's probably true. But if I am making a horizontal wall hanging, no matter what the size, I still put the sides on first, for I want the top and bottom border pieces to go edge to edge. For me, it's all visual.

Guess I'm the lazy one. I do a side, any side, then the next side, and then the next side working around the quilt ending where I started. However, I use more care when I am making a "better" quilt and then I usually mitre.

Suz

Sides first, then the pieces don't have to be quite so long on the sides of the quilt. Unless I'm mitering, then actually I probably sew the sides on first out of habit.

I do top and bottom first usually. Depends on the size of the quilt, and the look I want. The less joins the better is my motto. :lol:

Sides first for me also. Always have done it this way, except one time, and I just didn't like the way it looked. So I am sticking to sides first.
Personal opinion :D.