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Quote:

Originally Posted by Naturalmama

I want to put a narrow strip around the quilt before I add the larger border. So far it measures 49" x 41" and I used 5" charm squares (so the squares are now 4.5"). How wide should I make this inner border? And the outer border - I was thinking of making it the same width as a charm - sound ok?

Also, I was thinking of finishing it like another quilt I saw - not stitch in the ditch, but stitching just a bit next to the seams on either side. (So each square would be outlined in stitching). Would I need to use a walking foot for this? I have a generic one but I have no idea if it actually works or even how to use it. :oops:

I would make the inner border about2" - 1 1/2" finished and make the outer border a bit larger than the blocks, say 6". It looks more interesting to have the measurements varied, just like it looks more interesting to have pattern size varied. And yes, a walking foot will make your stitching more even. If you have lost the directions for your foot, you can either look online, or your LQS should be able to help you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Naturalmama

I wish I could sit in a room with all of you! :)

Me too! :-D

Another idea for quilting would be to sew diagonally from corner to corner making x's through the squares. You can start at one corner of the quilt and sew to the other end. You'll be able to quilt with fewer starts and stops. On some it even gives a look of lots of smaller triangles in the piecing. I don't have a walking foot and have had good luck, but the two I did had a backing with a lot of body in it and very little stretch.

For doing straight quilting a walking foot will help the fabric feed evenly. Otherwise it will pucker! Yes, start from the center and work out for best results. My last quilt was a king size and I did borders in 1", 3" and 6" to make it the size I wanted. The gradual increase looked great. Then the binding was 2.5" before sewing on and folding over. I think it finishes to about 1/2 to 3/4 when done. Have fun and post a picture of your finished quilt!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Holice

it depends on what width will balance. A 2" sounds about right for me

And yes, a walking foot will give you better results.

I don't like to go any narrower than a 2 inch inner border, not all that confident in my skills, and I feel the narrower it is, the more obvious my crooked stitching will be.

Any size you want to. Most of us use either 1 1/2 inch strips for a 1 inch(narrow) border, and some 2 1/2 inch for a 2 inch (just a bit wider) border, but its all up to you. lay your fabric under the edge and audition both to see which you like

I like making the outer border half or less of the squares and the inner border half of the outer border. Only works well with smaller blocks though. Diane C.

I would use a 1.5" which 1/3 the with of your squares, the border should be 3 that width, You are framing the quilt top so the inner strip is like a mat around a picture and the border is the frame.

I don't have an answer for you, but reading your thread I have learned quite a bit. That is why I love this QB! :P

Joanns sells 1/4 inch masking tape to use in outline quilting. Makes that outline stitch nice and easy to get straight.