Adding string borders to a quilt is a great way to enlarge the quilt and give it visual interest without having to buy large pieces of border fabric. String borders also use up fabric scraps that otherwise would go to waste.
A finished string border looks like a striped or piano-key border, but it’s faster and (I think) more fun to make, because the sew-and-flip technique used for string quilting eliminates the need for precise seam allowances, patterns, and templates.
See Photos 1 and 2 at the bottom of the page for examples of quilts with string borders. Click on any photo to enlarge it.
Supply List for Making String Quilt Borders
Here’s what you need to make a string quilt border.
- Fabric strips from your scrap bin. Each strip needs to be long enough to cover the full width of the border. The best-looking string borders are made from relatively straight strips of roughly equal widths. Cut larger pieces into 1” to 2½” strips. I think the border will also look better if you organize the strings into a color palette that harmonizes with the center of the quilt, but some quilters prefer to just pull them out of the scrap bin as they come. Read more about using colors in quilting.
- Strips of foundation fabric or paper ½” longer and ½” wider than the finished borders will be. Learn more about string quilt foundations.
- (Optional) pins or fabric glue to hold the block’s center strip in place for sewing.
- Sewing machine. If you’re using a paper foundation, set the stitches to a short length for ease of tearing off the paper when the block is finished.
- Denim or quilting needle, size 14 or 16. Large sewing needles are better for piercing through the foundation. .
- Neutral colored thread such as light grey or beige.
- Rotary cutter and cutting ruler.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Sewing String Quilt Borders
The photos at the bottom of the page give a visual guide to these instructions. Click on any photo to enlarge it.
- Measure the quilt across the center, then cut the foundation fabric into strips as long as the center of the quilt and the desired width, plus a ½” seam allowance. If the border is very long, you may want to cut the foundation into two sections and sew them together before you add the border to the center of the quilt. A shorter foundation piece will make it easier to sew on the fabric strips. If you do this, add a ¼” seam allowance to each section of border.
- With the foundation fabric or paper on your cutting table, lay a strip of scrap fabric right side up across the strip, as shown in Photo 3 below. The strip should be long enough to cover the whole width of the border. Pin or glue the strip in place.
- If the border is very long, roll up the right side of the foundation strip as shown in Photo 4 below, so the whole border will fit easily under the throat of your sewing machine. This isn’t necessary for shorter borders.
- Place another string right side down on top of the first one, aligning its edge with the right edge of the center string. (See Photo 5 below.)
- Sew the strings to the foundation along the aligned edge, leaving a ¼” seam allowance.
- Flip the second string over so its right side shows, then finger press or press with a dry iron.
- Keep adding strings in the same way until the foundation strip is covered all the way from the center to the right edge. Then turn the border strip around and add strings until you reach the other edge.
- Use a rotary cutter and ruler to trim the edges and square up the border.
- Pin the border to the quilt with right sides together and sew with a ¼” seam.
Related Quilting Articles
If you liked this article, you may also like:
How to make string quilts from leftover fabric. String quilts make good use of extra fabric scraps and help reduce waste in your quilting room. Learn all about string quilting and how easy it is to get started.
String quilting – how to tame the color chaos. Learn several easy ways to use solid focus fabrics to bring harmony to a string quilt's many different colors and patterns.
Choosing a size for your quilt. Size recommendations and factors to consider when making wall quilts, lap quilts, table toppers, and bed quilts. Includes standard U.S. mattress and bed quilt sizes.
How to bind a quilt without hand sewing. Don't like hand sewing? Here's how to bind a quilt with a continuous binding strip that is attached to the quilt from the back side, then machine-sewed to the front side.
Christine Mann - Christine Mann writes about quilting, home decor sewing, and creativity in daily life.
Join the Conversation