Strawberry Jam- Part 3

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Okay, let’s wrap this thing up and finish this quilt top!

The center blocks of your top are done and put together in rows, all we need now is to add our borders and the top is D-O-N-E. The problem with borders is, the pattern tells us how to cut them the perfect size, and well… those borders…..only fit on perfect quilts. Your quilts can come out a little over or undersized. All those seams combined with the stretchiness(is this a word???) of fabric can lead to some distortion in your finished product. This is the method I use to add my borders so that they are perfect every time;)

After I construct my border strips(so they are long enough), I don’t make the second set of cuts to the exact size. This leaves them a little over-sized. Next, I fold my border in half and rub my fingernail over the fold to make a crease in the fabric; marking the mid-point of my border. Because the center of our top is 6×6 blocks, I know my mid-point on the top is the seam between the third and fourth block. Line up your crease with the seam and pin together, make sure right sides of fabric are facing each other. Did I mention we are starting with the side borders?

Working on a flat surface, like your table, continue to pin your border along the quilt top. About one pin at every seam line, this is where it wants to move the most. The trick here is not to stretch the border or the quilt top. All those seams have a lot of give…so take it easy! If you pin too tightly, when you take out the pins it will relax and be wavy. If you pin too loosely, you will have puckers or folds along border. Just let the fabrics lay naturally together and you’ll be fine:)

Go ahead and pin both sides, and then sew ’em up! Now take it to the ironing board and press open your border. Be gentle, but make sure to press your border all the way open. Next, I lay it on my cutting mat and make sure everything looks square and then trim the excess with my ruler. Do this on both ends of each border.