Adding border to hand stitched "grandmother's flower garden"

[Margrethe N.]

Hi everyone,

As my very first attempt with patchwork and making quilts I English-paper-pieced a wall hanging size "Grandmother's flower garden" (hexagons) by hand. This is about 6 years ago and I have finished other quilts since then. I have been trying to figure out how to put a straight border onto the wavy edge that comes from the hexagons so that when I hang the quilt it will hang straight? It bothers me that all my work with the hexagons are just gathering dust on the shelve- but I can't seem to be able to figure out what to do - how to finish that quilt? Any suggestions?
Best wishes,
Margrethe in MAine

[Hannelore N.]

Margarethe, you can cut fairly wide border strips and applique the shaped edges onto those strips. That then leaves you with a border where you can either do some fancy quilting, or you could appliqué flower shapes onto that wide border, and then finish your quilt as usual.

If you decide to bind the quilt along the hexagons, it's absolutely necessary to use binding that has been cut on the bias (because of all the bends and corners).

I have seen quilts finished either way, and they can look stunning. Have fun!

[Lois B.]

I believe Gyleen Fitzgerald may add an extra row of hexagons all around in the background fabric and then cut the edge of straight with a rotary cutting and binds it like you would any other straight edge quilt. Lois

[Margrethe N.]

Thank you both - I think I will try my luck with the applique although it seems to be an awfully long piece to keep flat - may be I should glue stick the Heagons onto the border before I stitch? or use the basting spray. Ma
rgrethe

[Lois B.]

Margarethe, I think appliquing the hexigons to the border will make a lovely finish. I am eager to see a picture of it. Lois

[Lois B.]

I would recommend starching the border fabric first, then lay it out on a large table (if possible) and then, once they are in the right place, pin the two layers to death, - or you could baste them together before slip/catch stitching them.

[Lois B.]

I would not hesitate to glue it into place. If it doesn't lay the way you want it is very easy to take it apart and glue again. Then it is easy to do the applique.

[Jancy M.]

I have recently inherited a friend's (hand quilted by the Amish in Ohio) Grandmother's Garden Quilt made from actual 30's fabric. I also have an authentic piece of the green which I have cut a narrower bias binding, pre-folded and I am getting ready to apply to the edges of each outside hexagon. I was wondering if there was a specific way to handle this besides 'patiently'! I plan on hand basting a section of the binding and then machine stitching it down and then finishing the back by hand..... I honestly can't see another way of doing justice to this treasue. Am I on the right track?

[Margo C.]

I have recently inherited a friend's (hand quilted by the Amish in Ohio) Grandmother's Garden Quilt made from actual 30's fabric. I also have an authentic piece of the green which I have cut a narrower bias binding, pre-folded and I am getting ready to apply to the edges of each outside hexagon. I was wondering if there was a specific way to handle this besides 'patiently'! I plan on hand basting a section of the binding and then machine stitching it down and then finishing the back by hand..... I honestly can't see another way of doing justice to this treasue. Am I on the right track?

Jancita, you might find these videos by Marcia Baker helpful with the binding:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...;v=4VGNcDoI-R8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...;v=Vci9-li3aYU

[Margo C.]

I have recently inherited a friend's (hand quilted by the Amish in Ohio) Grandmother's Garden Quilt made from actual 30's fabric. I also have an authentic piece of the green which I have cut a narrower bias binding, pre-folded and I am getting ready to apply to the edges of each outside hexagon. I was wondering if there was a specific way to handle this besides 'patiently'! I plan on hand basting a section of the binding and then machine stitching it down and then finishing the back by hand..... I honestly can't see another way of doing justice to this treasue. Am I on the right track?

Jancita, you might find these videos by Marcia Baker helpful with the binding:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...;v=4VGNcDoI-R8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...;v=Vci9-li3aYU

thank you for the link, great demonstrations!