Border cut on the bias?

[Shirley M.]

Am I nuts to try this?? I have a green plaid that would look fantastic cut on the bias for a 3" border. Do I dare try it??
Tips? Suggestions?

[Paula D.]

You MUST stabilize it. You could back the bias pieces w/ a stabilizer, or staystitch after pinning WELL. Go for it!!

[Paula D.]

Depends: Are the edges to be bound straight or curved? If I were to use a plaid for a binding (and I certainly would cut it on the bias) I might cut the lengths I need and use a medium-to-heavy spray starch to give it body and slightly stiffen it as I fold it in half lengthwise. Then I would stay-stitch (or better yet I would serge the raw edges) before pinning to the quilt edge.
Even still, I would expect some puckering along the way, but it'll be toward the back so I wouldn't stress over it.
Best of luck.

[Hannelore N.]

Why not! Get in a good supply of spray starch and go for it.

Lorchen

[Hannelore N.]

I love plaids and would agree that a bias cut plaid would look great in a quilt border. I would suggest placing narrow solid colored borders, cut on the straight grain lengthwise, on either side of the bias plaid border to stabilize it. Make sure the narrow borders are cut to the same length as the bias border and evenly distributed when sewn.

Let us know how it turns out. Photos please.

[Hannelore N.]

It's the outside border with a solid to the inside. I can certainly starch it, I've been starching all my fabrics now and it sure makes a huge difference. I just hope I have enough fabric to make the border. If not, then I'll have lots of bias cut strips for something!

[Hannelore N.]

I'd say starch it heavily, too, and then handle it gently.

Another suggestion I've read about, but not tried, is to stitch a narrow (1/8") ribbon (like the inexpensive kind they sell in craft stores) along the bias edges. Since the ribbon isn't stretchy, your edges won't be able to stretch out of shape. Just don't iron over the ribbon with your iron on the "cotton" setting -- the ribbon is made of polyester, I think.

I have put bias borders on quilts with no particular problems -- go for it!

[Hannelore N.]

Just posted a pic of the finished baby quilt. The bias cut border worked very well once I starched the fabric twice and pinned it like crazy! Thanks for the tips.

[Hannelore N.]

Baby quilt is awesome! And on the bias is the best with your blocks!

Maggie in E. Central Illinois

[Robin G.]

Your baby quilt with the bias border turned out great! I think that with a binding cut on the straight-of-grain and starching the heck out of the border fabric, this method would work well. I little tip that I have found works well for smaller quilts - wallhangings, baby or lap quilts - is to hand baste each side with large stitches (1/2") beginning in the middle of each side and sewing out toward the corners. Knot the end of the thread and when you reach the corner, leave a nice tail. Then you can easily adjust any section of the quilt that has gone wonky by lightly pulling on the tail and brining the dimension back to where it needs to be.