Making a Pieced Border Fit
July 1st, 2009
By using a coping or fudge strip, we can make any pieced border fit our quilt tops. In order to make a pieced border fit your own top, follow these easy steps. Take each step, one at a time, in order. Don’t worry about step 3 til you’ve finished steps 1 and 2. Don’t make it hard — it’s so easy!
- Width of quilt (NOT counting seam allowance): (A) _____________
- Size blocks you want to use in your border: (B) ____________
- Number of blocks that fit closest to your width – divide (A) by (B) = (C)___________ (round up to whole number)
- Multiply (B) x (C) = (D)________________
- Subtract (D) – (A) = (E)_________________
- (E) divided by 2 = (F)______________
- (F) plus seam allowances is the size of the coping strip you need to add to the left and right sides of your quilt to make the desired top/bottom border fit.
You will do the same thing for the length of the quilt and this will be for your top and bottom borders.
Example: The example I’m using is made up of 10″ (finished) blocks and is set 4 blocks across and 5 blocks up and down, with a 2″ sashing.
- My quilt as drawn, is 46″ x 58″. A = 46″.
- I want to use a 5″ block in my border. B = 5″.
- Divide (A) by (B). 46 divided by 5 = 9.2 so I need 10 blocks. C = 10.
- B X C = D 5″ blocks x 10 blocks = 50″. D = 50″.
- D – A = F. 50″ border width – 46″ quilt top width = 4″. E = 4″.
- E divided by 2 = F. 4 divided by 2 = 2. F = 2″.
- Add 1/2″ (1/4″ for the two sides) to the ” (F) measurement and this is the size of the coping strip, which in this case will be 2-1/2“. This is the size of the left and right border to be added to the above example in order to make a top and bottom pieced border made of 5″ blocks fit perfectly. 46″ (width of top as shown above) + 2″ (left border) + 2″ (right border) = 50″. 10 blocks x 5″ = 50″. Perfect!
Do the same thing with your length measurement (in this example it’s 58″) to get the size of the coping strip you would add to make those 5″ blocks fit.
I hit refresh a half... 
Judy, thank you for sharing this information. It will help so much in adding more interesting borders.
Thank you Judy, I’ve saved this!
Thanks Judy. I can’t wait to try this. I’ve usually avoided borders like the plague because getting them to fit is a crap shoot for me.
Good info – I hope you make the post into a pdf file so it is easy to print out and save. It will be a good reference sheet until we all get used to it.
Thank you for sharing this useful information. I may even try to do a pieced border now. Thanks again.
Thank you Judy for putting this into an easy formula. I know how to do it but you’ve really simplified it.
I’m intimidated by pieced borders ….. I will try this method. If it works for you, then it will work for me. Thanks for sharing.
Exactly! It will work for everyone . . but only for those who try it!
I am challenged to make a pieced border on a quilt for my oldest grandson today and was trying to figure out on my head how big to make the blocks I want to use in it. How timely was your post. Thanks for nudging me on to get this one finished! I even have the quilter’s calculator. Math wasn’t my best subject…
Thank you Judy for sharing this information. I’m working on a Round Robin and this will help me immensely. You are the greatest!
Hi Judy – Thanks so much for the simple formula on calculating the width of the coping strip.
But how do you do it if you know that you need an odd (or even) number of blocks for your pieced border so that the pattern comes out right? claudia w
Thank you for simplifying (for me) the process of pieced borders. Now I can have it figured out on paper before I start sewing! Thank you!
Yes! I have to have everything down on paper and know the end result. I know exactly what size my borders will be before I start; I usually know how I’m going to quilt it before I start. But, I’m the one who has to plan the entire menu for the whole week too!
Great information. While I find borders a chore I will agree that they make the quilt.
Thank you Judy! I usually just put a single border on because I cannot WAIT to quilt it! I will try to be more patient and see what the quilt asks for!
Thanks Judy. I have used this method myself and it certainly helps.
Hmm. Don’t forget to add the corner blocks to your total when you’re making them for the border!
We cover that tomorrow.
Thanks. You have done the hardest part. I usually add and subtract with the seam allowance in and that makes it too difficult. Thanks again for all your information.
I have also saved this information. When I get a chance, I will try it. Yours always turn out so well…….maybe mine can now, too. THANKS for this info!!!
Yes, Pat! Yours can too!
Thanks. Can you make this a pdf? It would help so that I can fill in the blanks.
Looks scarey to me! I would like to try sometime though!
Thanks so much! I can do anything with a cheat sheet. Got saved to my Judy L folder.
Thank you so much — What an education!!!! Thanks for the sheet to work with.