Adding border to ready made quilt

[Nancy R.]

My SIL wanted me to add 12" Border of qulting to a store bought quilt. Any suggestoins on how to add a border to a ready made quilt???

It has white background with simple applique in jewel tones. there is currently a colored binding. The batting is thin, and the quilting "looks" like hand quilting. So how do I go about adding the border and make it look like it belongs?

[Lynn K.]

I'd use the method in "quilt as you go" projects with a wee bit of change.

Cut the border fabric x 2 and machine sew them both to the quilt in the same stitching, one on the front of quilt, one on the back of quilt. Press the seam top and back side.

Then lay it top side down on a table, folding back the quilt 'back' strip. Now cut a strip of batting the width of strip + 2-4".

Place it over the quilt top added border making sure to have it right up next to the seam.

Now pull the quilt back added border over it and secure the sandwich with your normal pinning, basting, whatever you are comfortable using.

Now quilt it. Then bind it.

I'm actually planning to take an OLD boughten quilt that we really like the 'weight' of and recovering, requilting, and rebinding it making it some larger so have thought about how I might do it and it's pretty much as I stated above.

Hope this is helpful.

Lynn

[Lynn K.]

THankyou for responding so quickly Lynn, I kind of thinking along those lines, but wasn't really sure how to do it. I guess I also need to decide what to do about the existing binding. Its either encase it in the sandwich, or let it show like a thin border.

[Lynn K.]

Even though it's not an heirloom or antique quilt, you shouldn't remove any of the original quilt. You should only add to it. That's what I learn in a quilt restoration class taught by Hallye Bone--AQS Quilt Appraiser, Textile Conservator, and Author.

[Lynn K.]

I agree Nancy, becides I really didn't want to make it more work by taking anything off. I also have to find a white fabric and batting to match as close as possible.