Making a T-Shirt Quilt Tutorial, Part 1
Making a T-Shirt Quilt Tutorial, Part 2
Making a T-Shirt Quilt Tutorial, Part 3
Making a T-Shirt Quilt Tutorial, Part 4
Making a T-Shirt Quilt Tutorial, Part 6
Making a T-Shirt Quilt Tutorial, Part 7
Tonight it was time to add the borders to the quilt. I needed to figure out how wide to make them, so I had to measure the quilt first. To measure for the borders, you need to fold the quilt top in half, then measure from one side to the other at the center of the quilt where it is folded. When you measure at the center, your borders will be the same length as the center and will make a more “squared up” completed project. My normal measuring tape is not long enough to make this measurement on a large project, so I bought a Quilting Tape Measure that is 120″ long. I don’t think I will ever make anything that is too large to use this tape with.
The pieced top measured 65″ square at this point, but Judy wants her finished quilt to be 96″ X 96″. To find out how wide to make the border pieces, I added 1 inch to desired finished measurement, because when you sew on each border, you will use a 1/4 inch seam. (1/4 X 4=1). Subtract the existing measurement from the desired measurement: 97″ – 65″ =32″. Because you will have a piece of the border fabric on each side of the quilt, divide the total border measurement by 2: 32″/2=16″. So, I needed to make two border pieces that measured 65″ X 16″.
I measured and cut three 16″ wide X width of fabric pieces, then sewed them together end to end. Then I measured 66″ (just to make sure they were long enough. Sometimes I just don’t trust myself.) I used the sharpie marker to make a mark on the fabric, then used the rotary cutter to make the cut.
Pin pin pin, to keep the seams straight. I can not stress enough how important it is to use pins. It makes your sewing projects come out so straight and nice.
I sewed the borders on each side of the quilt first, right and left. After they were attached, I measured again before cutting the borders for the top and bottom. Although I was pretty sure the measurement would be 96″, it never hurts to make that last measurement to make sure before you cut. Sure enough, it was 96″. And look, I have to brag just a bit, because they came out just right! There is a lot to be said for accurate measuring in quilting!
And then, after all that work, it looks great! Now all I need to do is make the back, then send it out to be quilted.
geogypsy says
This is coming together so well. Love the idea.
Penny says
What a wonderful job you have done on Judy’s quilt.
I know she will treasure it always.
Happy Trails, Penny, TX.
http://www.pennys-tuppence.blogspot.com
cindy says
Oh, Karen this has come along so nicely. It is almost finished. That is a good rule, look twice cut once. I only made that mistake once now I check a few times.
Rachel says
It looks great.
You don’t do your own quilting? I’m surprised.