Quilt border?

Question

My quilt top is 33 1/2 by 54 1/2 if i want the border to be four inches...how much fabric should i get? and how much fabric for the backing?

Answer 1

You'll need two strips that are 54 1/2 long by 4 1/2" wide for the long sides of your border. That extra 1/2" is for seam allowances. You also need two strips that are the 33 1/2" plus the border width and seam allowances, a total of 42" long and 4 1/2" wide.  Your longest measurement is 54 1/2, which is just over 1 1/2 yards.  Fabric stores traditionally sell by the 1/8 yard, so round that up to 1 5/8 yards.

The quilt top with border is 62 1/2 x 41 1/2.  If you buy 108-120" wide quilt backing muslin, you will need 1 1/2 yards.  If you buy 44-45" wide quilting cotton, you'll need two yards.  Cut off the selvedges, cut fabric in half, turn both pieces 90 degrees and sew together.  

If the binding is going to match the border, you can cut four strips that are 2 1/2" wide from the remaining border fabric and sew them together diagonally to make one really long strip. Fold that in half and press to make a long strip 1 1/4 " wide.  After you have done all the quilting, sew the raw edge of your strip to the quilt edge, then use a rotary cutter and straight edge to straighten your edges.  Next flip the folded side over the quilt edge and blindstitch it in place.

Answer 2

Straight cut border or bias cut? and are you butting the border ends or mitering them?

You will want about 2 yards of fabric for your border so you don't have to splice it that much.

Backing will be 2 yards long, probably need to double that to be wide enough if it is a narrower fabric. So about 4 or 5 yards of backing.

Answer 3

Your will need 1.61 yards of fabric for the backing and your border.  You can cut your 2 -long  borders which is 54.5 off the long side of your material and the 2 -33.5" x 4"  off the bottom of your long piece.  I think I would buy 1 3/4 yards just to be on the safe side in case the fabric is cut crooked.