Mitered borders - am I nuts?

Whereas those might seem like completely unrelated questions, this time they
are not. I've never done mitered borders before. I like the ease and
simplicity of straight borders. Occasionally, I'll do a corner block for
variety. However, my current project is screaming (and moaning and howling -
it's a Halloween quilt - Trick or Treat Around the World) for mitered
borders. I have this really cool border fabric that is a border stripe with
words.
http://www.thedoormouse.com/cgi-imag...130161_l.jp g

Having never done mitered borders, am I tackling the impossible by starting
with one that needs to be matched up? Matching 3 corners should be
relatively easy, but the 4th one won't match up without a bit of magicks,
right?

My skills have improved, especially since I've been doing bias seams on my
bindings. I have Fons & Porter's Complete Quilting Guide for reference.

--
Wendy, wondering where she left the quilting spellbook
http://griffinsflight.com/Quilting/quilt1.htm
de-fang email address to reply

In article ,
"frood" wrote:

Whereas those might seem like completely unrelated questions, this time they
are not. I've never done mitered borders before. I like the ease and
simplicity of straight borders. Occasionally, I'll do a corner block for
variety. However, my current project is screaming (and moaning and howling -
it's a Halloween quilt - Trick or Treat Around the World) for mitered
borders. I have this really cool border fabric that is a border stripe with
words.
http://www.thedoormouse.com/cgi-imag...=dmouse&image=
130161_l.jpg

Having never done mitered borders, am I tackling the impossible by starting
with one that needs to be matched up? Matching 3 corners should be
relatively easy, but the 4th one won't match up without a bit of magicks,
right?

My skills have improved, especially since I've been doing bias seams on my
bindings. I have Fons & Porter's Complete Quilting Guide for reference.



Wendy, I love mitered borders, so I don't think you're nuts at all. g
As for how to match them up, if it's not possible to cut them so as to
match easily, why don't you match the corners and then try taking a bit
out of the middle of the sides to make the right measurement? If you do
it carefully, it should work well.
--
Sandy in Henderson, near Las Vegas
my ISP is earthlink.net
http://home.earthlink.net/~s-foster

I forgot about that method! I did see Jinny Beyer or somebody demo'ing that
on SQ once. I'm going to lay everything out, and see what needs fiddling
with.

Wait. You met me, and you still don't think I'm nuts? What's wrong with
*you*?!?!

--
Wendy
http://griffinsflight.com/Quilting/quilt1.htm
de-fang email address to reply


"Sandy Foster" wrote in message
...
In article ,


Wendy, I love mitered borders, so I don't think you're nuts at all. g
As for how to match them up, if it's not possible to cut them so as to
match easily, why don't you match the corners and then try taking a bit
out of the middle of the sides to make the right measurement? If you do
it carefully, it should work well.
--
Sandy in Henderson, near Las Vegas
my ISP is earthlink.net
http://home.earthlink.net/~s-foster

Howdy!
Nutz? Well..... g
And so what?

Mitered borders? I've seen this done this way:
http://www.quiltuniversity.com/metho...or_borders.htm

as well as the J.B. "cut in the middle" technique.

Good luck!

Ragmop/Sandy
"frood" wrote in message
m...
I forgot about that method! I did see Jinny Beyer or somebody demo'ing
that
on SQ once. I'm going to lay everything out, and see what needs fiddling
with.

Wait. You met me, and you still don't think I'm nuts? What's wrong with
*you*?!?!

--
Wendy
http://griffinsflight.com/Quilting/quilt1.htm
de-fang email address to reply


"Sandy Foster" wrote in message
...
In article ,


Wendy, I love mitered borders, so I don't think you're nuts at all. g
As for how to match them up, if it's not possible to cut them so as to
match easily, why don't you match the corners and then try taking a bit
out of the middle of the sides to make the right measurement? If you do
it carefully, it should work well.
--
Sandy in Henderson, near Las Vegas
my ISP is earthlink.net
http://home.earthlink.net/~s-foster

Not to argue for the sake of arguing (I do, often, but not this time), but
that won't help match up the pattern in the fabric.

--
Wendy (who's nuts now? huh?)
http://griffinsflight.com/Quilting/quilt1.htm
de-fang email address to reply


" Ellison" wrote in message
news
Howdy!
Nutz? Well..... g
And so what?

Mitered borders? I've seen this done this way:
http://www.quiltuniversity.com/metho...or_borders.htm

as well as the J.B. "cut in the middle" technique.

Good luck!

Ragmop/Sandy

Yes, but we already knew that!
Okay, so I jogged down the hall and pulled that same fabric out
of my stash. (Well, out of a pile on the floor to be honest, but
we're not into vacuuming anyhow, right?) So, I have this same
fabric on the computer desk right now. So, what exactly do you
want to match? Do you want to match word order? Don't even go
there!! Are you trying to match those wavy blue and green lines?
That could be a major challenge, given the irregularity of the
motif. Do you want to center and then match the row of colorful
squares? Ah, that IS the easiest one to do. If you match up those
rows of squares then the viewer's eyes will just follow the row
around the corners and not pay much attention to the slight
irregularity in the wavy lines. BTW: This probably only makes
sense to people who have the fabric, but you could get an idea by
viewing the sample Wendy posted. Miters are NOT difficult. I like
to baste the corner before I cut it, check the result, stitch the
final stitches if satisfied, then trim the seams, and finally
press the seam open. It is much easier than you would think.
HTH. PAT in VA/USA

frood wrote:

Whereas those might seem like completely unrelated questions, this time they
are not. I've never done mitered borders before. I like the ease and
simplicity of straight borders. Occasionally, I'll do a corner block for
variety. However, my current project is screaming (and moaning and howling -
it's a Halloween quilt - Trick or Treat Around the World) for mitered
borders. I have this really cool border fabric that is a border stripe with
words.
http://www.thedoormouse.com/cgi-imag...130161_l.jp g

Having never done mitered borders, am I tackling the impossible by starting
with one that needs to be matched up? Matching 3 corners should be
relatively easy, but the 4th one won't match up without a bit of magicks,
right?

My skills have improved, especially since I've been doing bias seams on my
bindings. I have Fons & Porter's Complete Quilting Guide for reference.

OK, look at the fabric. I'm using the section between the row of red squares
and the row of green squares (inclusive) with the words right side up if the
blue wavy line is closest to the body of the quilt. I'd like to have the
miters meet up with the wavy lines. Not necessarily perfectly, but close
enough.

BTW, I got some of that glo-line tape for my rulers when I was in Ft.
Washington. I used this for measuring these borders. It's not as bright as
shown in the ads, but it did help!

--
Wendy
http://griffinsflight.com/Quilting/quilt1.htm
de-fang email address to reply


"Pat in Virginia" wrote in message
...
Yes, but we already knew that!
Okay, so I jogged down the hall and pulled that same fabric out
of my stash. (Well, out of a pile on the floor to be honest, but
we're not into vacuuming anyhow, right?) So, I have this same
fabric on the computer desk right now. So, what exactly do you
want to match? Do you want to match word order? Don't even go
there!! Are you trying to match those wavy blue and green lines?
That could be a major challenge, given the irregularity of the
motif. Do you want to center and then match the row of colorful
squares? Ah, that IS the easiest one to do. If you match up those
rows of squares then the viewer's eyes will just follow the row
around the corners and not pay much attention to the slight
irregularity in the wavy lines. BTW: This probably only makes
sense to people who have the fabric, but you could get an idea by
viewing the sample Wendy posted. Miters are NOT difficult. I like
to baste the corner before I cut it, check the result, stitch the
final stitches if satisfied, then trim the seams, and finally
press the seam open. It is much easier than you would think.
HTH. PAT in VA/USA

I waited awhile, because I knew you would get some site links - I'm
useless at that side of things! I thought they might be easier than my
trying to explain in writing! However, here are a few pointers:
I presume you have cut the borders so that they are exactly the same
across the width - we'll take that as a given.
If you are trying to match up a specific section of the print at the
corners, then you must first match the corners. Match exactly, the two
inner corners of the mitre, and pin very carefully. Do this for all
four corners.
Pin the whole mitre carefully, as you need to try it against the whole
quilt before any cutting. (The Net sites will tell you how to pin and
sew the actual mitre.)
When you are satisfied with the placement, sew the mitre line (it might
be easier to stop sewing just before the quarter inch of the inner
corner.
Turn under the border seam allowance, to make sure that the corner, now
it is sewn, fits onto the quilt corner just how you want it - BEFORE you
cut anything, even the surplus of the mitre, just in case!!!
Once you have the corners as you want them, you can turn your attention
to the rest. You will have joins in the centre, but you can either join
them together, or join with an insert.

If you are not trying to match a particular piece of the border pattern,
it is not nearly so difficult, and I think one of the sites, perhaps the
Jinny Beyer one, will show how to do that. She may actually explain
specific matching?
You'll do it fine.
..
In article , frood
writes
Not to argue for the sake of arguing (I do, often, but not this time), but
that won't help match up the pattern in the fabric.


--
Best Regards
pat on the hill

Okay, fool that I am ... I am looking at this and considering a
solution. To help you solve this challenge, we need to know if
the quilt is square or rectangular. That is VERY important info
when planning borders for a quilt. If it is square, then every
side will be the same and the solution will be MUCH easier. If
so, I suggest you need a length of fabric that is equal to the
side of the quilt, plus two times the width of the border, plus
about 10" to fudge. (Let's say this is 80") Now, find a specific
motif in the center of the yardage. (Let's say this is 40" from
the end.) Mark that motif with a safety pin and measure out 40"
in each direction. Cut this UNLESS it is nearly the entire
available yardage. In that case, just use the entire length,
keeping careful note of that center pin!! Do same for a second
piece. Now find center of the quilt top edge; mark with pin.
Match the center pins of the borders to the center pins of the
quilt top. Loosely pin one length to the bottom edge of quilt top
and one to the side edge of the quilt top. Fold the corners into
miters. How does it look?? If good, then go ahead and cut the
other two sides and check them out too. If you are happy, then
attach the borders in usual manner. If not, take two Margaritas
and call me in the morning.
PAT, quilt doctor on call

frood wrote:

OK, look at the fabric. I'm using the section between the row of red squares
and the row of green squares (inclusive) with the words right side up if the
blue wavy line is closest to the body of the quilt. I'd like to have the
miters meet up with the wavy lines. Not necessarily perfectly, but close
enough.

BTW, I got some of that glo-line tape for my rulers when I was in Ft.
Washington. I used this for measuring these borders. It's not as bright as
shown in the ads, but it did help!

It's rectangular, but not by much. About 42 x 46. However, I understand what
you describe (what miracle occured for that to happen?!?), and will give it
a try. Tomorrow. When Spike and Giles are at preschool. I just have to
figure out how to keep Mungo off it! Every time I lay it on the floor to
measure for borders, he comes and sits in the middle of it. I guess he likes
it!

--
Wendy
http://griffinsflight.com/Quilting/quilt1.htm
de-fang email address to reply


"Pat in Virginia" wrote in message
...
Okay, fool that I am ... I am looking at this and considering a
solution. To help you solve this challenge, we need to know if
the quilt is square or rectangular. That is VERY important info
when planning borders for a quilt. If it is square, then every
side will be the same and the solution will be MUCH easier. If
so, I suggest you need a length of fabric that is equal to the
side of the quilt, plus two times the width of the border, plus
about 10" to fudge. (Let's say this is 80") Now, find a specific
motif in the center of the yardage. (Let's say this is 40" from
the end.) Mark that motif with a safety pin and measure out 40"
in each direction. Cut this UNLESS it is nearly the entire
available yardage. In that case, just use the entire length,
keeping careful note of that center pin!! Do same for a second
piece. Now find center of the quilt top edge; mark with pin.
Match the center pins of the borders to the center pins of the
quilt top. Loosely pin one length to the bottom edge of quilt top
and one to the side edge of the quilt top. Fold the corners into
miters. How does it look?? If good, then go ahead and cut the
other two sides and check them out too. If you are happy, then
attach the borders in usual manner. If not, take two Margaritas
and call me in the morning.
PAT, quilt doctor on call