Farmhouse Love Border Pictorial

Here I will assist through pictures, how to successfully piece this stunning 9-patch border

This is probably the most difficult portion of the Farmhouse Love quilt, but taken one step at a time, you’ll find it comes together pretty easily and will strengthen your quilting skills in the process!

We will be adding setting triangles to the nine patches. There are 2 sizes of setting tri's, both cut from squares. The larger squares are cut using a 16th inchmeasurement. Yes, You can do it!

Ready? Here we go!

You'll need a ruler that is at least 6-1/2" wide. Starting out simple, here's a little math...ugh! 8/16" is also 1/2" right?

The areas between each 1/8” mark on the ruler represents 1/16th. Counting each 16th from the 6” mark to the dotted line = 6-7/16”. I highly recommend taking out a scrap of fabric and practice placing your ruler on the fabric, auditioning different 16th inch measurements. ie: 5/16”, 3/16” etc. You will be surprised how your eye becomes accustom to recognizing that little space between each mark on the ruler.

You are not only counting the spaces, but also the 1/8” marks to land on the 7/16” measurement.

Your fabric will look like the above photo...straddling between the 3/8" and the 1/2" mark. You can see my fabric all the way up the photo is between those two marks. It's just a matter of training your eye to see it.

Notice all the black triangles are on the outside of the quilt...and the red are touching the sashing.

In my Instructions i have a diagram with outlined areas....to make it easier to see how the triangles are sewn to the 9-patches...especially in the corners of the quilt.

Above is the sewing placement for the 9-patch/setting triangle units.

Once the setting triangle units are sewn together to the nine patches to create a ‘unit’, you'll place these units right sides together as shown above.

I recommend laying out these units first around your quilt. Easier to keep things organized this way.

Once i sew these units together, i press the seam open.

You will be working with quite a bit of bias.
Tips on that...

1. Use spray starch to stabilize the triangles before sewing them together with the 9-patches. I use Faultless Magic Quilting and Crafting Spray. Read my important tips on Magic Spray by clicking the red link.

2. Let the starch dry before you move the pieces.

3. Before pressing seams over, apply heat to the seam (this is called 'heat setting'). First, line up the outer edges of the triangle and 9-patch so they are evenly matched up. Heat set and then press seams over without distorting the shape.

4. When sewing the pieces together, let the machine do most of the work...don't pull the fabric along.

5. Take one stitch at a time. Deep breath...don't rush. Oh and read the directions. LoL!

Farmhouse Love was made with fabrics by Renee Nanneman of Needl’ Love. They are a couple years old and harder to find, but trust me, Farmhouse Love would look wonderful in so many different color combinations and fabrics!

Once the border is attached, all that’s left is quilting and binding! See, that wasn’t so hard!