World Wide Quilting Page
Question of the Week
Question for the week of August 17, 1998:
Our question this week comes from Diane
My quilt tops lay flat until I put on the borders, although I measure
the sides carefully. How can I ensure the tops are still flat after
attaching the borders?
bernadette :
Sometimes quilts go not measure exactly as they should. Don't cut your border
exactly to the measurement you desire,
allow a little extra and sew the long
sides and then the short sides. If you
try to make the quilt fit the border by
streching either the quilt or the border,
it will pucker. A small difference in
the lenghts or each side will not be
noticeable.
marge :
I had the same problem until I learned that you DON'T measure the sides, you measure the centers. The sides will tend to stretch, so take your border measurement from the center of the quilt, cut it to that size, ease quilt edge to fit the border piece, and the thing will be flat as a pancake!
Judy :
What works for me is to first check that the measurement of the width and the height are the same on each side as on the center. In other words, run a tape measure first in the center, top to bottom, then at the left side, top to bottom, and then the right side, top to bottom again. Then I check the width, again starting at the center, then measuring across the top and then the bottom of the pieced top. If the measurements along the sides aren't equal to the centers, I need to adjust the block settings.
Next, I use the center measurement top to bottom to determine the length of border I need for the first two sides. After they're sewn on and pressed, I then measure across the center of the width, including the borders I just sewed, to get the measurement for the next two borders. After sewing and pressing them, I check to see that they all lie flat. If they ripple, I may have used fabric that has too low a thread count and stretches too much.
If so, I need to unsew and shorten the border fabrics to allow for the stretch.
Martha :
measure the quilt across the center
Susan :
PS: Anthony's answer is right on!!!
Susan Lovett :
Measure the length of the quilt top in the MIDDLE of the quilt (not the sides). Cut borders this EXACT length. On each side of the quilt top, mark 1/4 1/2 3/4. On the border strip, mark 1/4, 1/2, 3/4. Match the quilt top to the border - easing in any difference. Complete both sides. Measure the width at the MIDDLE. Follow the same technique (marking 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 on the quilt top and the border. Ease in any fullness.) When attaching multiple borders, MAKE NEW MEASUREMENTS AFTER EACH SET OF BORDERS ARE ATTACHED.
Kathy :
You are probably stretching the fabric strip as you put on the binding. Try measureing the exact length you need for the border. And then pin it to the quilt before you sew and don't pull on it as you sew it on.
Anthony in Tampa :
Linda and RC are both right on target. Quilts tend to stretch along the edges because of natural stretching that occurs handling and sewing the fabric. The edges are always longer than the middle. When you add borders by sewing and chopping even with the edges, your resulting quilt longer has squared off edges. It develops wavy, wobbly edges. Solution: keep your quilt edges squared. How? Measure your quilt thru the middle, then cut/plan your borders to that exact measurement (I start with the lengthwise sides). Fold the border in forths, marking the middle and the two quarter marks. Fold and mark the quilt the same; middle and two quarter marks. Pin the border to the quilt at each end, the quartet marks, and the mid point; you should have five pins. Sew the border on with the quilt on the bottom. Hold the pins firmly while you keep the edges aligned. The feed dogs will ease the excess quilt fabric into the border without making gathers. This easing will be almost imperceptible and completely unnoticable after quilting. Press borders in the desired direction and measure across the middle crosswise. Then repeat the steps again. When you can, cut your borders from the lengthwise grain, parallel to the selvages. The lenghtwise grain has almost no stretch and makes it easier to ease in without stretching the border. When I can, I plan my cutting so I can cut my borders lengthwise before cutting my strips and templates. But sometimes you just can't or you have a pieced border. If you do not allow the border to stretch during the easeing process it should workout fine. For intricately pieced borders (I'm thinking of my 310-1 x 2 flying geese border), I have another little trick. Because of all the seams, it was be harder to ease the quilt without any stretching. Pin onto the border a piece of adding machine tape the same length as the border. Ease the quilt to the border and the adding machine tape at the same time. The paprt tape has no stretch so you don't risk stretching your pieced border. Use a small stitch (1.5mm) and the paper easily tears off. Good luck.
P-Palmer :
Put a cat on each corner? Actually I'd measure three times, use a walking foot while sewing, and use a basting stitch at first to make sure things are ok before I had to do serious ripping.-Peg
Judi :
It depends on the type of borders you are putting on. I usually put on plain borders, so that I don't have to ease them in. Not so easy with borders like flying geese, or ones which are pieced.
C.S. Christen :
Though still a novice I find that pressing after each step along the way and then easing, never pulling on the borders seems to keep things flat.
RC :
Cut your borders from the length- wise grain
Linda in ME :
For some reason, it works best to find the correct border measurement by measuring the length and the width at the center of the quilt. Sometims, if I decide I am incredibly off after measuring center and sides, I do make some adjustments! Hope this helps!
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