In my last post I commented on the issue with my latest quilt, Billie’s Star, not being perfectly square. Before quilting it measured 57″ square. After being quilted and bound, it finished at 56″ x 55.” The discrepancy was caused by the motif I chose, a wavy design across the horizontal surface of the quilt that caused the quilt to draw up more lengthwise:
Instead of trimming my quilt square before binding, I opted to keep the outer border strips the same size. In retrospect that may have been a mistake. I could easily have trimmed ½” off the two long sides so that the quilt finished at 55″ square.
Should I have done that? Would anybody else (besides my obsessive compulsive self) even notice that the border strips weren’t the same size?
Now I am wondering: how do other quiltmakers deal with this discrepancy? I would really love to know.
lol! I’ve never noticed! If it’s important to a design to be square on finish, and one is picking a quilting design that is likely to pucker up unevenly, then, it makes sense to include extra on the top that can be trimmed down.
Dawn, I’m not a quilter, but I’m obsessive about some things, so I would probably notice. But it would not bother me! It’s such a beautiful piece of art.
Dearest, size is but one aspect of your lovely quilt. It is finished! It is masterfully pieced! The quilting adds to the design. Did I mention, it is finished! Will anyone else notice it is not a square? Will everyone notice how stunning the finished quilt is and be impressed? It is finished!!!!!!!!!!!!
I don’t think anyone in the world will notice – either way. Do what makes your heart sing!
I say don’t sweat the small stuff. By the time quilts are washed and loved they all are a different size than they ended up. Unless you are entering this in some national show, let it go!
To me, it’s ok if it isn’t totally square. I didn’t see you after show and tell at PMQG, but the quilting is so perfect!