Quilt
top construction tips
When piecing your
top, it is really important to press your blocks as you progress through
each step of construction. This
helps stabilize the pieces and makes it easier to sew on new pieces.
Most quilts require a ¼ seam allowance for piecing.
Having accurate ¼ inch seams goes a long way towards having a
nicely pieced quilt top. It
is highly recommended that you cut each piece and sew it to fit, as
opposed to sewing it on then trimming the excess off.
The reason for this is because different fabrics, even from the
same manufacturer, have different degrees of elasticity.
Measure the center
of the quilt top vertically. Then measure the outside edges vertically.
If there is more than an inch difference in any of the measurements, it
is possible that your quilt will get tucks when quilted.
Do the same horizontally. Too
much easement, when piecing blocks, can result in small tents or
puckers, which will cause pleats when the quilt is quilted. To
avoid such problems, see below.
Adding
borders on your quilt
Measurements should
be taken across the center of the quilt and along both sides in both
directions, for both the width and length.
It is best if your top is laid out flat on a floor and if you use
a roller metal tape measure rather than a fabric tape measure.
Determine the length of the quilt border by averaging the three
measurements of the quilt body. To
make a border with straight cut corners, cut two borders the length of
the average of the three measurements and pin them to opposite sides of
the quilt. Match the ends
and centers, then gently ease in any fullness.
Be careful not to stretch either the border or the top as you
sew. Pin, sew, and press.
Repeat the process for the top and bottom borders measuring the
width, averaging, etc.
-
Measure
the length of the quilt top in three different places from edge to edge.
For example, if the
three measurements are 48½”, 48”, and 49”…..
Add those three numbers.
48.5
48.0
+
49.0
145.5
Divide the sum by the number of measurements, which is 3 in this case.
145.5 divided
by 3 = 48.5
Cut two borders the length of
the average (48 ½ inches in this example) ´
the width of the finished border plus a half-inch to allow for seam
allowances. Pin the ends of the borders to the ends of the top.
Find the midpoint of the border and pin that to the midpoint of
the top. Pin the rest of
the border on, sew, and press. Repeat
for the opposite side.
-
After sewing the long borders on, measure the width
of the quilt top with the two borders in three different
places from edge to edge.
For example, if the measurements
are 40½”, 40”, and 41”…..
Add those three numbers.
40.5
40.0
+
41.0
121.5
Divide the sum by the
number of measurements, which is 3 in this case.
121.5 divided
by 3 = 40.5
Cut two borders the
length of the average (40 ½ inches in this example) ´
the width of the finished border plus a half-inch to allow for seam
allowances. Pin the ends of the borders to the ends of the top.
Find the midpoint of the border and pin that to the midpoint of
the top. Pin the rest of
the border on, sew, and press. Repeat
for the opposite side.
A best effort will be made with
blending tucks, puckers, and stretched areas, but I cannot make any
guarantees.
