Tutorial 5: Attaching Straight and Mitred Borders

Straight Borders

Straight borders are joined individually to the quilt centre and butted together at the corners. In most cases, the border strips will need to be joined to obtain the length required. To keep the quilt visually balanced, place the joining seams either in the centre of the sides and top and bottom edges, or at equal distances from all the corners.

Side Inner Borders (using the diagram as a guide)

Measure the quilt vertically through the centre of the quilt. If the measurement is taken on the outside edge, it may have become stretched during the sewing or pressing process. This measurement will be for the length required for the side inner borders.

On the long sides of the quilt the side borders may need to be joined in the centre.

1. Join the 4 inner border strips to make 2 long strips.
2. Divide the measurement taken for the side borders by half and measure this distance from the centre seam on the borders toward to the end of the border strip. Place a pin at these points.
3. Pin the inner border strips to the long sides of the quilt matching the centre of the quilt with the seam and the marker pins with the top and bottom edges of the quilt.
   See Straight Borders Fig 2.

Sew in place stretching slightly if necessary to fit to the quilt edge.

Press the seam allowance to the outside.

Top and Bottom Inner Borders.

Measure the width of the quilt through the centre of the quilt and include the side borders that have been attached.

Using marker pins or a pencil, mark this measurement on the borders strips for the top and bottom edges. If these have been joined, place the seam in the centre or at equal distances from the corners of the quilt. Pin, matching the outside edge of the quilt with the marker pins and sew in place, sewing to the outside edge of the quilt through the side borders.
See Straight Borders Fig 3.

Repeat for the outside borders.

Mitred Borders

Many quilters feel that mitred corners for the borders of their quilts are too difficult. I will show you a tried and true way of constructing mitred corners. Mitred corners look particularly good for multiple borders.

If the borders are made up of multiple borders, join all the border strips together before attaching to the quilt centre. For larger quilts it is necessary to join 2-3 strips together to obtain the length required for the sides and/or top and bottom edges. When joining borders, remember to match the seams used to join the strips. This seam will be placed in the middle of the quilt edge or, if there are two seams, at equal distances from the corners of the quilt.

1. To ensure accuracy, measure the both vertically and horizontally through the centre of the quilt. Using these measurements, mark the border pieces keeping the seam in the centre of the border, ie. the same amount of fabric should extend from either end. DO NOT CUT. Pin and sew the side borders matching the seam in the borders to the centre of the quilt side, and the marker pins for the start and finish of the seam line of the top and the bottom of the quilt.
See Mitred Borders Fig 2.

2. Press the seam toward the borders. With the wrong side facing up and using a quilter's ruler take a line along the sewing line (not the cut edge) of the top and bottom edges of the quilt. Mark with a dot.

3. On the outside edge of the border measure toward the end of the border strip whatever the measurement is of the width of the border. Example; if the width of the border is 7.5 cm (3"), the measurement will be 7.5 cm (3"), if 13 cm (5"), then it will be 13 cm (5"). Rule a line from this outer edge mark into the corner of the quilt to where the seam ends. The line should be 45 degrees.
See Mitred Borders Fig 3.

4. Repeat step 1 for the top and bottom borders. Finish the stitching line at the marker pins, ie. do not take the seam past the corner of the quilt seam allowance.
See Mitred Borders Fig 4.

5. Repeat step 3 for top and bottom borders.
See Mitred Borders Fig 5.

6. Fold the quilt in half diagonally. With rights sides together, align the top and side borders matching the marked 45 degree stitching lines. Pin.
See Mitred Borders Fig 6.

Open out the quilt and check that the border seams are evenly aligned (multiple borders). Sew.
See Mitred Borders Fig 7.

Trim the seam to 6 mm (1/4") and press to one side.

Repeat for the remaining corners.

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