I sew mine together with a diagonal seam, but I've done it both ways.

Like most everything in quilting, it all depends on the look you want and what the quilt is going to be used for.

If it is a quilt that is going to be used and loved, then piecing your border isn't going to matter much. Even if the "print" doesn't match, is that going to make the quilt any less loved??

If you are making a quilt to enter into a show, and want to win a prize, then find out what the judges look for in a quilt and the borders. Do they want to see a continuous border?? If so, then DO NOT PIECE your border, or you will lose points.

I think too many people get stuck on doing things the "right" way. If you are not making quilts to enter into shows, then doing what you want, with the fabric you have IS the "right" way. Do you really care if your borders are a bit wavy if the quilt is going to be used by a toddler and dragged around on the floor? Is the quilt going to be used in a teenagers room, and do they really care if everything is "perfect" on the quilt?? If you are making a quilt that is going to hang on someones wall, then wavy borders may distract from the quilt, and you will want to do them differently.

The question you need to ask yourself, is how much of a difference, in the overall look of the quilt, and what it is going to be used for, will make in the way you do your borders.

I will never cut a border that is not from selvage to selvage because I did one from end to end of fabric and had to run a stitch on the outside to pull in the stretching on the outer edge. I had done this several times without problems but would rather have seams in my borders than having to pull it back in line. Gail

It is not written in stone that you can't piece a border cut on the grain. It takes the same amount of fabric whether you cut the fabric on the grain or WOF. If you are making a 5" border you can get 8 pieces out of a 44 inch width of fabric. Buying a yard and a half of fabric and cutting it on the grain gives you a border long enough for a Queen Size quilt (432 inches) that WON'T stretch as you sew - not to mention your design is all running the same direction. Cutting WOF you sometimes get a wavy border, simply because you pull the fabric as you're stitching it.

OK, here is a web site giving information on straight, cross and bias grain of fabric.

http://www.suite101.com/blog/cdmwrit...nd-fabric-bias

Really good explanations. I myself usually cut WOF, because like many others I cannot afford to buy 3 yards of extra fabric just to cut straight grain borders. I have never had a problem with the nice fabric we have access to stretching in a WOF cut. I don't pull hard, and am careful when pinning and sewing a border on.

Recently I heard a group of quilters lamenting.."Why can't we just go back to making quilts?" I agree. All this agonizing over what is "right" and what is not. Whew!! Let's quilt!!!

No one needs to think they have to ONLY cut straight of grain borders..its expensive and not really necessary..... unless it's a quilt for a judged show. Then, yes. Do it.

I also can't afford to buy 3 yard of fabric for an outer border. However, cutting 5" borders for a queen size (100 x 100) requires you to cut ten WOF strips, since you usually only get 80 inches from two WOF strips. That ten WOF strips equals to 50 inches of fabric or just a smidge under 1-1/2 yards. It's just as easy to take the 1-1/2 yards, cut it on the grain (eight 5" strips), and piece those strips just like you would your WOF strips.

Like I said, same anount of fabric either way. It's your personal choice and whatever you choose is acceptable. However, if you want straight of grain borders, it's no more expensive to cut and piece them than it is to cut and piece WOF strips.

Word of caution crosswise grain of fabric stretches more than lengthwise and is harder to control on a long piece. You might try stitching some test fabric with each grain before you decide to cut. :-)

WOF for me unless there is a pattern that demands the other, but I still will usually piece that in 1 yard pieces.

What does wof stand for is there a place where we could find what all the short cuts people use . Do you know of a quilting site that doesn't use shortcuts thanks

A lot of quilters I know piece the borders. If you do, sew the two pieces together on the bias and the seam will not show as much.

I just did this yesterday, cut WOF then added extra WOF and seamed it diagonally worked fine and the eye doesn't stop at the seam.

BUT I made a huge boo boo when sewing on my binding, joining the beginning and end of my binding ...never made this mistake b4, felt confident, cut and 'snapped it' together .. oh sh*!, the raw edges were on the ouside of the seam! Buggers. Gratefully it was a wide satin binding in a pkg, so it wasn't a standard narrow seam. I had to use a decorative stitch to stitch down and 'hide ?' the raw edges, making a triangle shape in the satin. The raw edges are hidden but not the mistake, darn it.

The quilt is for a 4yo granddaughter who will never know that it isn't supposed to look like that. but I still feel guilty about making this mistake, and pretty duh dumb too.

I'm thinking of writing her name in the triangle in pigma pen but afraid it will bleed/spread on the satin.

warm quilt hugs, sue in CA

If you go to quiltville.com Bonnie Hunter has some good pointers for putting on boarders.

I do not like ruffled looking borders so to eliminate the possibility, I cut straight of grain fabric and have never had a wavy border. I also only use width of fabric for binding because of the little bit of extra stretch. I'm still learning but this is working well for me and gives a more professional look to my finished quilts.

At a quilt show, I was taught a fool proof method for adding borders to avoid having wavy borders. Measure the length (across the middle not on the edges). To that measurement, add 3/4" and that is the length to cut your border. Measure the side to find the halfway point, and mark with a pin, then measure half way between pin and the edge and mark with a pin. Then take your border, measure and mark the same way. Then match the pin points, and ease fabric between, pinning as needed. If you follow this, you will never have a wavy border. Hope this helps!!

I prefer to cut my borders for the sides without piecing. Sometimes I don't have enough fabric and have to piece but usually am not happy with it. if I do piece, I do it on the diagonal like the binding.

WOF is fine, and if you are worried about getting it straight on the length, just rip it. Make a small snip at your measurment and just tear it. it will tear straight

I usually cut WOF unless the print of the fabric has to be in a certain direction. Even if I have to cut length instead of WOF, I only cut a couple of yards at a time. I have never been successful in tearing fabric. It always seems to "ruffle" or stretch the edge of the fabric. Maybe I am not doing it right.

WOF width of fabric

I almost always cut WOF and seam. But I like to stick a block in my seam, if I can. This way it looks like I planned it that way and just didn't seam it... especially on the long side seams.
I never remember to cut the borders first and make them on the length of fabric. They are usually done once the center is pieced. Then I choose the border.
The quilt police haven't caught me yet....

WOF = width of fabric {HUGS}

I agree with WOF needing a diagonal seam to help the eye move over it smoothly.

Count me for another WOF, not as much stretch as LOF.

WOF =WIDTH OF FABRIC,USUALLY 42" YOU GALS AND GUYS ARE THE GREAT ONES FOR ALL YOU CONTRIBUTE. YOU CAN FIND A WEB SIGHT (TYPE IN QUILT BORDERS) THAT WILL INSTRUCT YOU HOW TO CUT AND SEW ON THE DIAGONAL. LIFE IS GOOD SMILE peterparley

I always try to use the length of the fabric even if I have to put seams in it. (seamed on the diagional) It helps keep the quilt square and no wavy borders. I learned this lesson the hard way.

WOF is the width of the fabric ( when the fabric is folded selvage to selvage together, cutting from the selvage to the fold. Straight of the grain is where the selvage runs. I hope this makes sense.

I don't, I cut my borders the length of the fabric at the very first, and yes I do sometimes have to seam them, but I do this because it will never stretch, where WOF will. I cut a generous length to make sure I have enough, then when the time comes to put them on, I measure thru the center of the quilt, to give me the measurement, then cut both pieces that exact length, and ease in the sides to fit the border length. Then repeat this for the other sides. Sometimes I miter and sometimes not. Jan

Try stretching Length, verses WOF, I think you will find it just the opposite. Use your mat to check it out.

My guess would be "Width of Fabric"
Don't you just love it????

WOF is width of fabric.

Haven't you heard??!!! There are NO quilt police!

:lol: WOF is fine, but this is what I have learned to do. I use WOF but I piece it on the bias. That way the seam is not as obvious. Press the seams open and steam well. They will lie flat and almost invisible.

To cut on the straight, this is what I do. I tear (yes, I said tear) the fabric just a little wider than needed. Then I steam press the strip and trim the edges, torn edge and selvege. Straight every time. I don't think there are any "rules" but this is what I have learned works best.

BTW, the least amount of stretch is the LOF. WOF has more give.

I didn't know what WOF was either; I always TEAR the fabric for borders , not length of selvedges but width of fabric -i.e. side to side, so is that wrong?

It's not wrong, but using the length assures less waving and longer pieces. There is less stretch on the lengthwise grain of the fabric (that which follows the selvege).

WOF: width of fabric, tearing is not so good as the crosswise grain which goes from selvedge to selvedge stretches so you end up with wonky edges to begin. If you want the most stable cut use the lengthwise grain. Of course more than half of the patterns out there say cut across the width of fabric. Problem is that its harder to make things line up when piecing or adding borders, or sashing.

I do it both ways - WOF and join with a diagonal seam. Why? Because it actually shows and wears less.