Is There a "Rule" for Border Widths?
 

Not sure I have ever seen this question asked or answered so here goes:

I am making a wall hanging that will have 8" blocks set four across and five down (total of 20 blocks). I want a narrow "stop" border and was thinking 2" for it. Then I want my outer border to be 4" or 6"?

I guess my question really is: should the borders equal the width of the block for balance or should I make them a different width?

Thanks in advance! You all always have such great answers to my sometimes not so great questions!

No rules :) What I usually do is place border fabrics and quilt top on the floor and position them to audition the amount of border I want showing. I always position showing a full corner and as much as the top and one side as possible to get the full effect. Then I'll keep moving the border fabric to different widths until I get what I want.

I do the same thing to audition different fabric. Sometimes auditioning different fabric and different border widths can take me a full day and I get lots of exercise bending and re-positioning. I need a design wall!!

Do what you like. Sometimes I use the Golden Ratio, which would have your second border finish at 3.25", but really that's up to you. The Golden Ratio is 1.618 x [size of finished inner border]; it is supposedly very pleasing to look at. But if you want to go with 4" or 6" borders, I'm sure those will also look very nice. The neat thing about wider borders is that when they are solid fabrics, I can do really fun quilting designs. :)

i use the scientific method of eyeballing it to see what looks good. LOL!!

If i know what kind of a design I'm going to quilt, the width of the border will be based on that.

I also use the scientific eyeball-audition method. My stop borders finish somewhere between .5 and 1.5 inches. The outside border varies widely. Sometimes I want a full motif in the border fabric print. Sometimes I'm aiming for a specific size. Sometimes I just think it looks right!

Scientific "eyeballing" works for me And several ladies in my quilt/sew group do the same.

Thanks for your prompt replies. Will "audition" my borders to see what works best.

I would probably do a 1.5 or 2" (finished) inner border as well for that size block. Generally I have found that the next border works best at double that size (3 or 4" finished). If you're adding a third border, probably double the width of second border. That just looks balanced to me. But 'eyeball' method works about as well! Good luck.

Well, I decide on border width based on what I want the quilt to finish at. Or what I need to stretch it to. Some people don't like to "grow" a quilt w/borders but for me it is often easier, especially if I have only a certain number of blocks, like from a swap or something like that.

Where did the "golden ratio" come from, I have never heard of it but it sounds interesting.

I like borders that are about half the block size, or twice the sashing width,. . . or make the quilt come out the size I want!

I play around till it just looks and feels right. And I do think it's probably very close to the Golden Ratio (which I've heard of but haven't applied consciously). I take pictures of the quilt as I audition borders; often the camera helps me "see" what I haven't seen. I also stand back as far as I can, and (if I have time) will let my choice "rest" for a day in my sewing room while I peek in several times a day to make sure I'm satisfied. If I'm stumped, I'll send the pictures to quilty friends for feedback. Just kinda trust the ole gut. It's never failed.

I'm quoting Bree from another thread on the subject, since she explained it so eloquently.

You can do a Google search for "Golden Ratio in Quilting" or "Fibibacci Sequence in Quilting" for more information.

Or, Donald Duck will explain it to you, which would be much more entertaining! :D

Donald Duck in Mathmagicland

Peckish meant fibonacci

here is a link to a search https://www.google.com/webhp?sourcei...ting%20borders -- lots of info available

thanks for the Donald Duck link... it's a half hour, so will watch it later

I try to figure the outside border at roughly 2/3 of the block size but never related to the narrow stop border except to make sure it is at least 3x as wide and maybe 5x as wide. But overall the outside border, I find, looks better if it is proportional to the whole quilt - in other words my 82" quilt would take a wider border, even if it's got the same block size, as a 56" quilt.

Of course this all depends on what fabric I've got left and how much of it! :o

that is what determines a lot of my border widths too!

The sizes you have thought of would work well for me. I like to use a size that can be associated with the block size. eg: for a 5" block - a 2 1/2" border, for 6" block - 3" or 2". But that's just me!

I like a "stop" border, too and that could be 1" for any size blocks.

Dad gummit, I hate it when I'm typing on my phone and don't catch the fat-finger errors.... :p

When I started quilting (eons ago) the books I read said that the total of all the borders should be half to two thirds the size of the blocks. I start there and audition different widths.

Giggles! I love the Donald Duck theory! I have seen some pics of antique quilts that have very wide borders and others that have none. Hmm, those quilt makers were not formally trained by the --cians, or ----ists, just used what they had on hand or to make the size wanted/needed. I, personally, have done all ways. Never once did a theory question enter my mind at that moment. In actuality, I imagine everything we do is based on some theory.

There are several books on "the finishing touch" which discuss this very thing.

It is your wall hanging, so, you make the rules! What is the most pleasant to your eye? Audition a couple different looks on the opposite sides. Leave it up and whenever you enter the room, which side grabs your eye? This is the side you will always prefer. This works for color and for width. There are no quilt police (other than at shows!), so you make it the way that makes you smile and feel good.

I realize I am a day(or 2) late. I attended a quilting school and this is what I learned. The size of the block determines the size of your border. Thus 8 inch block would look better with a 4 inch border. Sashings should be 2 inches or less but more than an inch. Do I go by this? No! I just happen to like 4 or 4.5 inch borders. The teacher was a retired garment industry employee from NY.

it often depends on how much fabric i have left...... :-) but i also consider the outer border to be the 'frame' of the quilt so i don't want it to dominate. mine (for a full or queen size--haven't done a king yet) usually wind up being about 4". for a lap quilt, i generally use 3"

Never heard of making borders to match width of blocks. Sounds like 2" for inner boarder and 4-6 for outer. Don't think I would go over 6" on the outer.

I usually do the same as MarleneC & plan for it when shopping. If pulling from my stash, that may or may not work.