Hi All
Have been lurking for a while and found this forum with lots of good info.
I am learning how to quilt. I just finished the top. I did the Fence Rail. Needed something real simple to start out with and if I do say myself, the top turned out nice. All the seams matched.

Now I can't seem to find out if I put the boarder on next or do I do the batting and back next and do the boarder last? Also is this a quilt I do the the stitch in the ditch? And at what stage do I do that?

Thanks for all your help.
Have a great weekend.

Welcome to the board from St. Louis! Definitely put the border on first! Then layer it with the batting and backing. This would be a good one to stitch in the ditch (which actually means you stitch 1/8 of an inch off the ditch) - you can stair step the quilting. Be sure to use a walking foot if you are going to have the feed dogs raised! :lol:

Welcome from Dallas, Texas.

We love pictures here. Let us see what you are working on.

Yup. Borders first.

Welcome from Southern California

Welcome from Maryland... I agree borders first.

I'm new here too and I have learned a lot from these talented posters. One thing I didn't know to do for a long time is if I had more than one border to put on a quilt, sew the borders together first. This way you only have to wrestle the whole quilt top one time in the machine to get the borders sewn on.

Welcome to the board!
You will find some great advice and wonderful people here!
Ask your questions...you will get alot of answers.
Normally you do your quilt top, with borders then "sandwich" the quilt with top-batting-backing.
You baste or pin these layers together, securely...then quilt as desired.
Then square is all up, evening up all edges then do the binding...stitching it to the top layer to flip over to the backing and finished by hand.
This is how I do it but I am sure others will chime in with their methods and helpful hints.
Kirsten

Hi and Welcome from southern Indiana!

Welcome from NE CA. Glad you found us. If you want a border, that comes next. Then you make your sandwich. You can stitch in the ditch, you can stitch to the side of the ditch, you can tie it, you can meander, basically you can do it anyway you want. After, it quilted/tied/however, then you put the binding on. When you're done, don't forget to show us pictures. We love pictures as you probably already know.

Welcome!

Don't forget to pin well and don't use straight pins to pin after you sandwich it, use either safety pins or quilting safety pins or you can use that gun with the plastic thingys.