How to use ColorWorks Concepts to make a quilt border

Picking an inner border

Before adding borders to a quilt it’s important to decide which fabric to use for the first inner border. Initially I thought I would use the white fabric with the colored triangles as the inner border, but after I auditioned it with the quilt center, I didn’t think it worked well. Next, I tried the turquoise fabric, but since it wasn’t in any of the flying geese it didn’t work either. Lastly I tried the lime green and decided that it was just perfect!

Sewing the inner border

Measure the length of the quilt and cut two inner border strips this exact length. Since the strips were cut the width of the fabric, two will have to be joined together to get a strip long enough for this border. Sew the strips together using a mitered join following the steps below:

Step 1: Place two strips right sides together at a 90 degree angle and sew from corner to corner.

Step 2: Trim the excess fabric.

Step 3: Press the seam open.

Sew on the inner borders

Sew the two borders to the long sides of the quilt. Press towards the border then measure across the width of the quilt and cut two inner borders this exact width. Sew one to the top and one to the bottom of the quilt. Press.

Measure the length of quilt and cut two black 1½” borders this exact length. Sew one to each side of the quilt. Press.

Measure the width of the quilt and cut two borders this exact length. Sew one to the top and one to the bottom of the quilt and press.

Cut the outer borders from the panel

Cut the panel into five sections that are each three squares wide, parallel to the selvedges. Make sure to add a ¼” seam allowance to each side of these sections. The strips will measure approximately 6⅜” wide.

Trim the ends of each of these sections so that they have a ¼” seam allowance. Cut one of the sections into two pieces that are each 4 squares long with seam allowances on each end.

Sew one of the small sections to one of the longer sections to make one long border. Repeat to make a second long border.

Sewing the borders

Cut the black fabric into four strips 6⅜” x WOF. Sew one of these strips to the end of one of the panel border sections. Repeat with the remaining strips to make a total of four borders.

Measure the length of the quilt and cut one of the long borders this exact length by cutting off the excess black fabric. Cut the other long border this same length and sew these borders to the quilt with the panel section at the top of one border and the bottom of the other border. Press.

Measure the width of the quilt and cut one of the remaining borders this exact length by cutting off the excess black fabric. Sew one border to the top and one border to the bottom, aligning the squares on the panel border sections in each corner.

Finished quilt top

Adding those panel borders in this manner is an interesting way to frame the quilt! I’ll work on finishing up my quilt and will post pictures when I’ve added the backing and binding. I’m going to use the black with the multi colored polka dots as the backing and the plain black fabric for the binding. Thanks for joining me all week while I’ve been using several fabric options from Northcott’s ColorWorks Concepts, to make this fun and easy quilt – see you next time!