Biggerization...making a quilt bigger
 

I needed to make a twin sized quilt slightly larger. The quilt had shrunk AND we put a memory foam topper on top of the mattress....result, quilt was too small.

This was the first real quilt I made, the result of a Learn to Quilt class. I dearly love it and just hated that it didn't cover up the mattress on the bed anymore. So I decided to enlarge it. I read what I could about doing that...the most information was available on this board. I wanted to do it the easiest way I could. I didn't care if this last border was quilted or if there was a binding.

So I cut six inch pieces, made them the right length, hemmed them, and then sewed them on to the quilt I had, leaving half of the binding showing. It made it look like there was a small cord type thing between the new border and the one next to it. I am very happy with my results. In fact, I have another quilt I am going to do this to next.

Here is a before and after picture. Maybe someone else could use this information. Just don't tell the Quilt Police I did this!!

Dina

Looks great!! Thanks for the tip!!

I think the dark border that you added beautifully frames the original quilt and adds to its beauty!

nicely done

How clever! Thanks for sharing. Pretty quilt!

Joyful1 took my word - CLEVER !!!!! It's such a pretty quilt - i'm glad you found a way to make it work.

Love your quilt! What pattern?

Great fix--I, too, think the dark border makes it even prettier.

Like it with the added boarder better. Seems to make it pop. Love it great job

Great idea. What is the pattern. Very pretty. Looks so warm.

Oh dear, I am not sure what pattern. It was four years ago when I was first learning to quilt. Hmmmm, let me go look. Surely I saved the instructions from that class. Okay, it was a Split Nine Patch. That is all it says. Hope that is enough?

Thanks for the nice compliments, everyone. :)

Dina

So happy to see that you had a great idea that worked out beautiful! I really like your quilt - the design and the colors. I'm so happy you could make this work.

I really likethe addition, too! Great job!!

Looks good. another way to handle the problem is
1. rotary cut the binding off.
2. With one seam, add a new border to the front and a batting strip and additional backing to the back.
3. press.
4. Trim if needed.
5. add a new binding.
My way (which I have done for similar reasons) is a lot more work and not necessarily any better. DH, who is my person quilt cop, sorta insisted.

Oh, my! I can see why you didn't want to retire this quilt! It's wonderful to look att and that is a very ingenious method of enlarging the quilt.

As for quilt police - bah, humbug!

Thanks for confirming that this can be done and still look wonderful. I have a quilt that barely covers the new mattress that we recently purchased that is inches deeper than the original. I have been thinking about do doing exactly what you did. Now I know it will look great when finished. Thanks so much for sharing your idea.

I think your fix for your problem was great, so much so that I copied your post and saved it. The quilt is beautiful and I have to agree with others, the addition makes it pop.

Beautiful. BrendaK

Great job!

PM me if my instructions aren't exact enough, but it wasn't hard, and I just sort of made it up as I went.

Dina

Love it! Love the colors. Great job.

Very pretty quilt and the new border looks like it was meant to be there!

Very pretty!! You did a great job!!

We are a resourceful bunch of people aren't we?? You really did a great job on your fix! We want to see more quilts from you!!

Yea that worked and I actually think the dark brown border makes the whole quilt look more spectacular.

You did good. It finishes the quilt perfectly. I love it. How creative you are.

Love how you solved your problem! The quilt looks fantastic and I think even makes the design pop. Thanks for sharing your quilt!

nice job!!!

Great idea and the quilt looks wonderful. My eyes were immediately drawn to the pieced centre of pic 2 instead of just seeing the whole quilt in pic 1

Great idea. Your quilt is very pretty. You said it shrank. Did you wash your fabrics before you made the quilt? Just curious.

All I have to say is : very pretty and necessity is the mother of invention !! LOL

Beautiful - so there is no batting in the added border, right? Thanks for the tip.

Really cool. Turned out great.

How ingenious of you. Fantastic idea. I love the design, I love the colors, oh well just send it to me.

I agree. I love the dark border on it. I wish there was a picture of the backside so I could visualize what how you attached it.

Good thinking. Thanks for the tip.

It's more beautiful with the addition! That dark brown border, as someone else said, frames it so well! Congratulations on making an already pretty quilt even prettier!

No, I didn't. Still don't....73 quilts later...though I do make my quilts slightly larger than I want now...:)

Dina

No, no batting. I am quite happy with that. :)

Dina

Your wish is my command. :) I just happen to be doing this again to a matching quilt that goes on the twin bed next to the other. I have just attached one of the sides. I already sewed the hem, and once I attach it, I won't need to do anything except iron it down.

I will try three pictures. I am sewing the new border right onto the old binding, with a 1/4 inch seam. This leaves a sort of cord looking thing on the top of the quilt, and on the inside of the quilt, it covers up the new seam so if it frays, it won't show.

I put the side borders on first, just like I always do. When I put the top and bottom borders on, I left about 3/4 inch extending on each side. Then I folded that under twice so I had a hem all the way around.

First picture = seam, attaching new border to old binding with 1/4 inch seam
Second picture = seam view from inside quilt, with border lying flat
Third picture= outside of quilt

Hope this helps.
Dina