HGTV.comHGTV.com

Isabella's Garden: November 2003 Quilt Block

Framing and Outer Borders

Photo

We're tackling the eleventh part of this 12-month quilt project—adding the framing and outer borders to the quilt top.
Welcome back to the eleventh month of Isabella's Garden! Sometimes a row and sometimes a bordered block, this 12-month project is tackling one section at a time. This month, we're adding two borders to the quilt top.
PHOTO

Figure A
Materials:
framing border fabric
outer border fabric

Framing Border
1. Cut the framing border fabric into six, 1-1/2-inch strips (along the entire width of the fabric). Position a strip, right sides together, along the top edge of the quilt top. Pin then stitch in place. Trim off any excess from the ends of the strip to make it the length of the quilt top width. Repeat with a second strip at the bottom of the quilt top (figure A).

PHOTO

Figure B-a
PHOTO

Figure B-b
PHOTO

Figure B-c
2. To create the necessary length for the side framing border pieces, stack two strips with right sides up and trim one end of the stack to a 45-degree angle (figure B-a). Flip the top strip over so it's right side down and turn it at an angle to the bottom strip forming a 7-shape (figure B-b). Pin then stitch the pieces together on a diagonal with a 1/4-inch seam. Flip joined strip open at seam, press and trim the "tails" to render a pieced border (figure B-c). Repeat to make a second one of these.
Tip: If you're having trouble aligning the strips, another option is to piece them together in a straight line, or here's another 45-degree angle method. Place two strips right side up and end to end, overlapping 1-1/2 inch. Fold under a 45-degree angle in the overlapping 1-1/2 inch of the top strip, pressing a crease at the fold. Keeping the strips aligned, pin the folded-back section of the top strip to the bottom strip. Unfold the top strip then stitch pieces together on the crease. Trim to a 1/4-inch seam. Cut away "tails" to render a pieced border.

3. To attach the side framing border pieces, position and pin a border piece to each side of the quilt top, right sides together. Stitch in place. Trim away any excess extending past the attached top and bottom border pieces.

PHOTO

Figure C
Outer Border (figure C)
1. Cut eight border strips measuring three inches by the width of the fabric. Piece two of the strips together following step 2 in the Framing Border instructions above. Repeat to render four outer border strips.

2. Attach a pieced outer border strip to the top of the quilt, trimming away any excess. Repeat at the bottom of the quilt.

3. Attach a pieced outer border strip to either side of the quilt, trimming away any excess.

HGTV.com
Services Popular Content About
Our Sister Sites

Comparison Shop for Home Decor & Garden Tools at Shopzilla & BizRate

UpMyStreet and uSwitch.com provide UK comparison services.

© 2008 Scripps Networks, LLC. All rights reserved.