Who ever said you have to make your blocks first, then you borders? Can you make you borders first? Then make your blocks? Yes, you can and I mostly do. Since most of my quilts seem to have 7 or 8 borders, I often make the borders first. I’ll lay the outermost top and bottom borders down first, then the side borders . . say that’s border #7. Then I’ll put the top and bottom borders for the 6th border down and keep going in order so that the sides for the first border are on top. I can pick them off, sew them on, then pick up the next ones, sew them on and not have to deal with making borders when I’m near the near the end of the quilt and already wanting to start another quilt.
The quilt I’m working on is set on point. The center blocks are not difficult blocks but instead of using plain setting side and corner triangles, these are pieced and I wasn’t sure how easy they were going to be so I did them all first.
Looks kinda like a jigsaw puzzle, huh? Don’t you always work the edges of the puzzle first? That’s what I thought . . I’m not backwards after all! 
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
I told someone you did this and they said you shouldn’t do it this way but I think it is a fabulous idea!
Well, you know, it’s your quilt and you can do it in any order you want!! Isn’t that great? It’s kind of like Linda Taylor saying you don’t have to follow the lines on a pantograph pattern exactly because who will know if they look at your finished quilt. Very freeing.
John Flynn did this in his braided border. I think it makes perfect sense.
now that’s an amazing border!
I’m not that brave yet, but i am venturing out and making a pieced border for my new quilt.
Oooh! That border looks gorgeous. I can’t wait to see the rest of it.
what a neat way to look at it – like finding all the straight edges of a jigsaw puzzle
you are so creative Judy! Love from Texas! ~bonnie
Love the way you do that with all your borders. Love the looks of this one, looking forward to see what you fill it with!
Love the colors too!
Well how fun is this! I like it and can’t believe the thought never occured to me before to do this.
Wonderful Judy. I am always so ready to be done when I have the top pieced that my quilts can end up with just plain borders or none at all. I am definitely going to remember this trick! Your designs are always so intriguing. Thanks for sharing.
Laura
That’s definitly thinking “outside the box” and I thank you for sharing, Judy. I learn so much from you. And that’s a great border, can’t wait to see the “innards”!
I would never have thought of doing that! I don’t think I am that smart. LOL