I had a full day to spend on quilting yesterday. Since it was a warm and sunny Florida day, I set up my sewing machine outside the camper. While my husband was kayaking and taking pictures on the Turner River, I completed two quilt tops.

The  Autumn Pennies table topper last week was completed last week.(January 28 post).  From Kim Diehl’s book Simple Seasons, the pattern suggested black fabric for the borders.  Instead I chose a rust and gold leaf print on a black background.   I think that the print accentuates Fall even more.  (My favorite season!

Since we’ve been camping in Big Cypress , I’ve added Churn and Dash borders to the 12 monthly and center embroidered blocks of the Seasons sampler (February 1 post) . After auditioning two different border fabrics on my portable design wall, I chose the fabric on the right and added borders and embroidered corner squares. Now I’m not sure how to quilt it. Any ideas?

What a great day!

Lucia, Quilting from the Road!

Quilt borders become the quilt’s frame.  There is nothing more disconcerting than a quilt with wavy borders.   A wall hanging can easily develop wavy borders and I’ve found that a few careful steps assure that the quilt will hang flat.

• Square top before measuring and attaching borders.

• 

  Quilt top hung on Design Wall in Camper

• Always measure the quilt top’s length and width through its center, not along the edges.  Edges can stretch as blocks are pieced.
• Quilt should be hung on a design wall or laid flat on the floor.
• Cut fabric for vertical borders along the lengthwise grain (parallel to selvage).  The fabric has less stretch when cut this way.  Extra fabric will be needed, but the results are worth the extra cost.  Horizontal borders can be cut on the crosswise grain (perpendicular to selvage).
• Match the midpoint and ends of border  strips with the midpoint and ends of the quilt top.  Ease fabric between points, pin and stitch.
• End result – Flat borders!

Quilting from the Road!