Virginia’s Puzzle: Adding the Borders

I’m back with a brief post today on adding borders to your Virginia’s Puzzle quilt top.

The borders on this quilt are only added to the sides, not the top and bottom, and they are completely optional. On my traditional version, I left them off:

. . . but added them to my modern version:

Of course, you can make your borders however you wish — make them larger, make them go all the way around, etc. — but I’ll cover how I did mine, then you can do as my Aunt Ruby always said: “Take all the advice you can get, then do as you please!” (My personal mantra!)

First, choose the fabric you wish to use for your borders. Here’s the piece I’m using (which is also my binding):

From it, cut FOUR 2 1/2″ x Width-of-Fabric strips, and remove the selvage edges. This should be enough, but if you come up a bit short, you can cut one more strip, if your yardage doesn’t have a usable width of at least 42″.

Next, measure your quilt top from top to bottom, through the middle, without stretching. It should measure very close to 82 1/2″, if your 1/4″ seams were spot on while piecing.

Measure the quilt top in a couple other spots and see if you get the same number. If not, add the 3 numbers together, and divide that sum by 3 to get a good average number that you can use.

Sew two of the border strips together to create one long strip, then cut this strip to the length you’ve determined you need. (If it’s not long enough, then add another strip.)

To line the strip up easily, locate the center point of your border strip, and the center point of the side edge of your quilt top, and match those up, right sides together, pinning this point in place.

Then match up each end of the border strip with each end of the quilt top, pinning those in place.

After that, pin the border strip in place along the edge, distributing the length of the strip and the quilt top evenly as you go.

Sew the strip to the side edge of the quilt top.

Repeat this with the two remaining strips and the opposite side of the quilt top.

I pressed my seams toward the border strip, and I also backstitched at the beginning and end of each seam.

And that’s all there is to that!

Can you believe you’re all done with your quilt top? Already!?

Now it’s time to quilt it however you wish, and get the binding on. I still haven’t quilted mine yet, because I haven’t had time to squeeze them into my schedule (but maybe soon), and then I’ll be back to show you what I did, and we’ll also talk about binding.

And be sure and tune in on Monday for a give-away to wrap this all up!