How do I choose a border for my quilt?

When you have a quilt with more than one border, it is typical in traditional quilts to see them go in a specific order- such as the inner border is a light colored fabric, then a medium fabric and then the outer border is darker. Rather than rely on a canned color plan, ask yourself what would work with your blocks.

How wide should my borders be on a quilt?

Borders should be in proportion to the size of the finished quilt. As a general rule of thumb, a small wall hanging should have a border of less than 6″ while a king-size quilt can handle a 12″ to 14″ border. Borders that are too wide diminish the quilt center design.

Can quilt borders be different widths?

To fit pieced borders to a specific block size To make the design work, quilters will add inner borders of different widths to compensate for the discrepancy between the on-point and straight-set measurements.

Which quilt borders go on first?

side borders
Generally, the side borders are added first. Measure the length on each side, and also measure the center of the quilt.

What is the golden ratio in quilting?

The ratio, in its simplest form, is 1.6 to 1. So if you are doing 3 quilt borders, each border should be 1.6 times larger than the previous one. For instance, if you want to add 3 borders totalling 8″ per side, the first border would be 1.5 inches.

Should quilt borders be cut crosswise or lengthwise?

Cut borders from the lengthwise grain if at all possible. Cutting from the length of the fabric means you do not have to piece the border. The lengthwise grain is more stable so the border will have less stretch than borders cut on crosswise grain.

How wide should a border be on a twin size quilt?

The block size is 9-inches, and a good rule of thumb for borders is to use a fraction of the block size – 1/4 or 1/3 – as the border size. The outer black border is 1/3 of the block, or 3 inches wide.

Do you square up a quilt before adding borders?

It is important to square your quilt top before adding the binding. This will ensure that everything is neat and square. Double-checking this step will help you achieve a straight edge quilt and provide an even foundation for sewing on the binding.

What is a bias border?

Border Bias: The Belief That State Borders Can Protect against Disasters.